Jobs and Student Opportunities at the Sabin Center
The Sabin Center for Climate Change Law at Columbia Law School, offers a variety of job and internship opportunities for students (undergraduates and graduates), recent law graduates and environmental/climate-focused lawyers. If you're interested in the current vacancies, please check out the opportunities below.
Jobs
Description
The Sabin Center for Climate Change Law seeks a Global Climate Litigation fellow with a specialized concentration in environmental law to support the Center’s research, engagement, and convening functions in regards to the Global Climate Litigation program.
This role focuses on tracking and analyzing climate litigation developments, producing high-impact legal research, submitting comments and amicus briefs, and contributing to the development of the field through thought leadership, applied research, peer learning, and other outputs. The Fellow will work closely with the Center’s Faculty Director and Executive Director, and with current Climate Litigation program staff, to advance the Center’s work on global climate litigation.
This is a one-year position, with the possibility of renewal contingent on funding.
You can learn more about the Sabin Center here. More information about the Center’s climate litigation work is available here.
Responsibilities
The incumbent will contribute to the Center’s work through a combination of independent research, collaborative projects, and litigation-related engagement. Responsibilities include:
Research and Writing
- Monitor and analyze developments in climate litigation across jurisdictions
- Conduct original research and publish white papers, articles, and other materials under the supervision of the Faculty Director, Executive Director, Deputy Director, and/or relevant Program or Initiative Director
- Contribute to the management and implementation of relevant web resources, including the Climate Litigation Database
Litigation and Advocacy Support
- Support the development of comment letters, amicus briefs, and other submissions for administrative and judicial proceedings
- Assist in identifying strategic opportunities for engagement in ongoing cases
- Collaborate with external partners, including NGOs, international organizations, academics, and practitioners
Convening and Global Engagement
- Assist with the organization of conferences, seminars, webinars, and other convenings relevant to the Center’s work
- Help translate research findings into accessible outputs for a range of audiences, including policymakers, advocates, and the public, in a manner that maximizes impact
Network and Project Management
- Coordinate the Global Network of Peer Reviewers on Climate Litigation, including onboarding, communication, and workflow management
- Manage the intake, review, and publication process for new case entries and updates to the Climate Litigation Database
- Coordinate monthly meetings with the network, as well as occasional regional and thematic meetings
- Manage and coordinate collaborative research projects within the Network
Qualifications
Minimum Qualifications:
- J.D. (or international equivalent), or advanced legal degree (LL.M., JSD, or PhD in a law-related field)
- Strong academic record and a demonstrated interest in climate change, environmental, energy, or administrative law
- Excellent legal research, writing, and analytical skills
Preferred Qualifications:
- 0-3 years of relevant legal experience, including clerkships, litigation practice, work with NGOs, government agencies, or academic centers
- Experience with, or strong interest in climate litigation and litigation procedure and practice
- Familiarity with comparative or international law, or experience working across jurisdictions
Columbia University is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Disability/Veteran
Hiring Salary Range
$80,000-$95,000
The salary of the finalist selected for this role will be set based on a variety of factors, including, but not limited to, departmental budgets, qualifications, experience, education, licenses, specialty, and training. The above hiring range represents the University’s good faith and reasonable estimate of the range of possible compensation at the time of posting.
Application Instructions and Deadline
Applicants are requested to submit a CV, cover letter, and law school transcript to [email protected].
Apply early; applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. We hope to fill this immediate opening before September 2026.
We are no longer accepting applications for the Climate Law Fellow position.
The Sabin Center for Climate Change Law seeks a Climate Law Fellow to be hired at the postdoctoral research scholar level to contribute to Center’s work on issues related to climate change law and regulation. This is a one-year appointment starting September 2025, with an option for a second year.
You can learn more about the Sabin Center here.
Responsibilities
Under the supervision of Michael Gerrard, Faculty Director, and Michael Burger, Executive Director, the incumbent will:
- conduct independent research and publish white papers, articles, and other materials on topics related to climate change mitigation and adaptation, including in the areas of energy, environmental, and land use law;
- contribute to the development and implementation of advocacy strategies around climate change mitigation and adaptation;
- contribute to programs and projects that engage in active law and policy contexts, including the Center’s engagement in regulatory proceedings concerning climate change mitigate and adaption;
- contribute to the conceptualization, management and implementation of the Center’s web resources, including various databases tracking developments in federal, state, and local climate change law;
- help organize conferences, seminars, and collaborative publications;
- assist with oversight of interns and volunteers, among other projects.
Minimum Qualifications
- J.D., J.D. equivalent, or LLM from an ABA approved Law School
- Strong academic qualifications and a demonstrated interest in climate justice and equity, and/or in environmental, natural resources or energy law and policy, will be expected.
Preferred Qualifications:
- 0-3 years of professional legal experience with a government agency (including through a clerkship), NGO, law firm, financial institution, or law school center.
Columbia University is an Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran.
Hiring Salary Range
$77,500-$85,000
The salary of the finalist selected for this role will be set based on a variety of factors, including, but not limited to, departmental budgets, qualifications, experience, education, licenses, specialty, and training. The above hiring range represents the University’s good faith and reasonable estimate of the range of possible compensation at the time of posting.
Application Instructions and Deadline
We are no longer accepting applications for this position.
Student Internships & Other Opportunities
Our summer internship program is no longer accepting applications. Please check back later this year.
Visiting Scholars
In order to recognize and enhance work in the field of climate law the Sabin Center on occasion sponsors researchers and scholars who have applied for and been accepted to Columbia Law Schools Visiting Scholars Program. Applicants interested in Center sponsorship may email the Faculty Director or Executive Director to notify them of their interest in sponsorship.