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Staff Attorney
Surfrider Foundation
Legal
California, USA · San Clemente, CA, USA
USD 90k-115k / year
Posted on Nov 8, 2025
STAFF ATTORNEY
ABOUT US
The Surfrider Foundation is a non-profit environmental organization dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of the world’s ocean, waves, and beaches for all people through a powerful activist network. The Surfrider Foundation has achieved many important victories by persuading state, federal, and local decision makers to protect vital coastal and ocean resources. These accomplishments demonstrate the important role of recreational users in advancing coastal and ocean stewardship. By joining the Surfrider Foundation, you will be welcomed into an open and inclusive network of incredibly supportive and collaborative people who work hard and play hard. You will have the opportunity to work with dedicated people who are also passionate coastal users with their feet in the sand and toes in the water. You help bring together diverse voices and perspectives to provide our community with the leadership and tools necessary to make a difference at their beach and in coastal communities across the United States. At Surfrider, we build leaders and we are problem solvers; our culture sets us apart and influences everything we do. Coastal recreation is fun and working at Surfrider is too.
ABOUT THE POSITION
Surfrider Foundation seeks a talented and dedicated full time attorney to join the Legal Department as a Staff Attorney, to work alongside the legal team and to report to the Senior Legal Director. The successful candidate will be an attorney with excellent analytical and communications skills, along with a strong commitment to protecting coastal areas. This position will work towards fulfillment of the organization’s mission of “protection and enjoyment of the world’s ocean, waves and beaches, for all people” by advancing our legal campaigns throughout the U.S. and assisting with in-house counsel duties. Surfrider Foundation engages in litigation, as well as legislative and policy advocacy, at the forefront of ocean and coastal law. The legal team also ensures that Surfrider is meeting federal and state requirements applicable to 501c(3) non-profit organizations.
This team member will assist our Senior Attorney and Senior Legal Director manage a jam-packed docket of legal issues facing our organization, including a wide range of legal, programmatic, and administrative work undertaken by our nationwide grassroots network of 80 local Chapters and over 170 school clubs. The Staff Attorney work involves a mix of non-profit in-house counsel issues and substantive environmental law. This position will involve development of solutions through legal strategies to address coastal threats at the local, state and national level, including impacts from climate and rising sea levels, water pollution, offshore energy development, plastic pollution, and impediments to beach access. The Staff Attorney must be able to work both independently and collaboratively, and will be responsible for leading multiple projects.
This position will be responsible for in-house compliance activities, including providing advice to chapters and headquarters on complying with federal and state lobbying, filing or assisting others to file appropriate lobbying documentation, reviewing communications to ensure they comply with nonpartisan requirements, and other compliance tasks. This position will also lead our volunteer lawyer program, welcoming volunteer lawyers, engaging volunteers through regular communication, and leading outreach to volunteers when appropriate projects arise. This position will supervise interns and share in recruiting duties. This position would also involve evaluating potential litigation and legal advocacy campaigns; working with outside counsel to analyze and execute litigation strategy; work with staff to evaluate and advance policy; and working with our staff and grassroots Chapter network and coalition partners to promote healthy and accessible beaches. This position will advise and provide leadership to Surfrider staff and chapters on legal campaigns, strategies and solutions, and work with outside counsel, experts, legal advisors and coalition legal teams, while managing litigation. We are seeking a candidate who works well in a team setting and is a collegial colleague. The ideal applicant is not only bright and thoughtful, but also enthusiastic and motivated to address pressing issues facing our coasts and ocean.
DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES
The successful candidate will be able to assist in advancing organizational priorities, with primary responsibility for some matters, while also working collaboratively with outside counsel, staff, and Surfrider Chapter volunteers.
- Oversee compliance with federal, state, and local lobbying laws, and assist staff with lobbying-related matters including registration and reporting when required.
- Assist in creation and execution of legal strategies to advance the Surfrider mission, in support of and in collaboration with other staff and chapter volunteers;
- Lead our volunteer lawyer program, welcoming volunteer lawyers, engaging volunteers through regular communication, and leading outreach to volunteers when appropriate projects arise;
- Manage relationships with outside counsel during litigation, including strategizing about legal tactics, reviewing and/or contributing to pleadings and briefs, and providing substantive and strategic feedback;
- Collaborate with coalition partners to advance campaign work;
- Advocate for coastal conservation measures at the national, state and local level, including through litigation, administrative advocacy and legislative work; and
- Supervise interns, taking on recruiting duties as appropriate;
- Provide guidance on various issues that arise in the operation of a grassroots 501c(3)organization including intellectual property, operation of contests, issues relating to hosting events, etc.
- Engage in public outreach and communication through the Surfrider Foundation website, action alerts, blogging, media responses, Chapters conferences and meetings, etc.
- Perform duties with self-sufficiency and resourcefulness, as well as thoughtful collaboration;
- Continue to hone expertise and learn new areas of law to competently advise on new and unique legal questions and challenges.
QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE
- A Juris Doctorate from a U.S. law school and active bar membership in a state where Surfrider conducts mission-related work is required.
- At least 3 years’ experience with environmental litigation and advocacy, with a focus on public interest coastal issues is preferred.
- An effective team member with strong written and oral advocacy, research, analysis, and campaign and leadership skills, including a track record of demonstrated success and a commitment to environmental protection.
- A bright, creative individual who has a strong work ethic, sound judgment and ability to work efficiently and effectively in a collegial setting.
- A supportive and collaborative colleague, able to contribute towards the overall positive culture at Surfrider Foundation.
- A person who enjoys ocean and coastal recreation.
- Ability to independently manage multiple short and long term projects simultaneously and meet deadlines with minimal oversight
- Broad knowledge of environmental laws, and the ability to expand expertise and research laws in the various jurisdictions in which Surfrider operates.
- A person who is energized by a high volume of work, regularly tackling emerging problems across the country Willingness to occasionally travel to campaign locations and in assistance to grassroots chapters around the nation, and travel to headquarters for meetings with prior scheduling and ample notice.
PREFERRED EXPERIENCE (not mandatory)
- Knowledge of coastal law issues, including the water pollution public trust doctrine, state shoreline laws related to climate change adaptation and resilience, public beach access, and/or plastic pollution.
- Experience with federal, state, and/or local government policy, local government issues, including litigation or adopting legislation or ordinances.
- Experience with advocacy before federal, state or local government agencies and tribunals.
- Knowledge of lobbying reporting requirements and nonpartisan issues relating to nonprofit status.
LOCATION
Remote or Hybrid (with office in San Clemente, California available)
SALARY AND BENEFITS
Category Level: Staff Attorney (Legal Department Member, reporting to Senior Legal Director)
Salary Range: $90,000 Minimum - $115,000 Maximum
How Does the Surfrider Foundation Establish Salary Ranges?
The Surfrider Foundation researches, evaluates, and compares like-sized non-profit organizations to establish ranges for each position level to ensure that employees are justly compensated. The established range takes multiple factors into account; experience, educational background, scope and complexity of work, special skills, added value to the organization, geographic cost-of-living, inflation/current market demand, equity, and more. The Surfrider Foundation prides itself on a high rate of retention, with 32% of staff having been employed with the organization for 10+ years. Please keep in mind that the maximum end of our ranges also account for longevity and tenure within the role.
Health: Medical, dental and vision benefit premiums are paid 100% by Surfrider Foundation for employee-only coverage. Dependents may be added on at an additional cost.
Retirement: 401(k) plan offering a match of .50¢ of every dollar contributed by the employee up to a maximum of 4% of earnings (in other terms, a 2% employer match).
Vacation Accrual: Enjoy a generous allotment of vacation days per year. Rollover unused days to the following year, subject to company maximum accrual policy.
Sick time Accrual: 12 sick days/year
Holidays: 20 paid holidays total in 2026
Happy Healthy Summer Fridays: We provide several half Fridays to get outside and enjoy an early start to your weekend!
Parental Leave: Surfrider provides 6 weeks of paid parental leave following the birth of an employee’s child or the placement of a child with an employee in connection with adoption or foster care.
Other Benefits: Long-Term Disability Insurance, Life Insurance, Employee Assistance program (EAP), Flexible Spending Account (FSA), or Health Savings Account (HSA).
TO APPLY
The Surfrider Foundation has retained the services of ThinkingAhead Executive Search.
Please submit your resume and expression of interest to: Jessica Martinez at jmartinez@thinkingahead.com and Dan Kuhar at dkuhar@thinkingahead.com
JEDI COMMITMENT
The Surfrider Foundation is committed to fostering a just, equitable, diverse, and inclusive organization for all people who protect and enjoy the world’s ocean, waves, and beaches. Our success and impact depend on learning from our community, standing in solidarity with our allies and working towards a more just future, both for our organization and the environmental movement as a whole. The Surfrider Foundation is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace that is committed to attracting and retaining a diverse workforce. Together we strive to create and maintain working and learning environments that are inclusive, equitable and welcoming. We are committed to equal employment opportunities regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity, Veteran status, or any other protected class. To learn more about our Justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion commitments, please visit: https://www.surfrider.org/pages/diversity-equity-inclusion