Equitable Cities Climate Law Fellow
Opening: Legal Research Fellow I / Equitable Cities Climate Law Fellow at the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law
Application Deadline: Apply early; applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. We are looking to fill this role for a September 2026 start.
Position Summary
The Sabin Center for Climate Change Law seeks a Legal Research Fellow I to contribute to the Sabin Center’s work developing city-level law and policy at the intersection of climate and racial wealth equity.
The Legal Research Fellow I’s work will support the efforts of the Cities Climate Law Initiative (CCLI), a project of the Sabin Center that works with city legal departments, and sustainability offices, and the networks that link them together, to provide key resources to efficiently and effectively address legal questions confronting the urban climate transition.
This is a one-year position, with the possibility of renewal contingent on funding.
You can learn more about the Sabin Center here and about CCLI here.
Responsibilities
Under the supervision of the Center’s Faculty Director and Executive Director, and in collaboration with CCLI partners, the Legal Research Fellow I will:
Minimum Qualifications:
$80,000 – $95,000 a year
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 cover letter and CV to CitiesFellow@law.columbia.edu as soon as possible.
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. We are looking to fill this role for a September 2026 start.
Columbia University is an Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran
Application Deadline: Apply early; applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. We are looking to fill this role for a September 2026 start.
Position Summary
The Sabin Center for Climate Change Law seeks a Legal Research Fellow I to contribute to the Sabin Center’s work developing city-level law and policy at the intersection of climate and racial wealth equity.
The Legal Research Fellow I’s work will support the efforts of the Cities Climate Law Initiative (CCLI), a project of the Sabin Center that works with city legal departments, and sustainability offices, and the networks that link them together, to provide key resources to efficiently and effectively address legal questions confronting the urban climate transition.
This is a one-year position, with the possibility of renewal contingent on funding.
You can learn more about the Sabin Center here and about CCLI here.
Responsibilities
Under the supervision of the Center’s Faculty Director and Executive Director, and in collaboration with CCLI partners, the Legal Research Fellow I will:
- Prepare briefs and research on jurisdictional authority relating to specified localities concerning climate policy adoption.
- Prepare briefs and research on the climate-relevant legislative and electoral processes for specified localities, including processes regarding budgeting and regulatory measures.
- Review pathways for participation by local governments and community groups in legal and regulatory processes at different scales of governance.
- Write legal and policy analyses regarding local communities’ ability to seek federal support for programming, funding, and implementation under enacted federal climate legislation and other mechanisms.
- Develop reports, presentations and webinars for a variety of audiences.
- Provide independent research and custom consultation to cities and local community-based organizations on climate policy initiatives.
Minimum Qualifications:
- J.D. or equivalent legal degree.
- Strong academic qualifications and a demonstrated interest in climate change, environmental, natural resources, or energy law and policy.
- 1-3 years of professional legal experience with a government agency (including through a clerkship), NGO, law firm, financial institution, or law school center.
- Admission to the bar in at least one U.S. state.
- Experience with, or interest in, environmental, energy, land use, climate change, or municipal law.
- Experience with, or interest in, litigation procedure and practice.
$80,000 – $95,000 a year
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 cover letter and CV to CitiesFellow@law.columbia.edu as soon as possible.
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. We are looking to fill this role for a September 2026 start.
Columbia University is an Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran