GREEN JUSTICE
Connecting clients with causes to attorneys with vision

MISSION & VISION

Green Justice is a virtual law firm that connects independent lawyers with special expertise nationwide to work cases that defend people, wildlife and habitats from climate injustices in the natural and built environments. We pair lawyers with law students to both "mentor the movement" — train future effective ethical lawyers — and offer quality, affordable services. We work "low bono," meaning our clients pay some for representation, but not full fees charged by private firms. Our model directly fills the gap many clients would otherwise fall into — earning too much to qualify for pro bono service, but concerned about full legal costs. We donate a percentage of all our fees, and any other awards to take on pro bono cases with extreme abuses.
Go to CLIENTS WITH CAUSES

CLIENTS WITH CAUSES

Green Justice provides individuals, communities and organizations facing challenging social, environmental, and human justice issues with legal services that may otherwise be inaccessible.

Go to ATTORNEYS WITH VISION

ATTORNEYS WITH VISION

A professional team of experienced attorneys work with law students to provide essential legal services. Students hone skills and clients are well served at affordable rates.

Go to AVAILABLE SERVICES

AVAILABLE SERVICES

The lawyers, interns and volunteers of Green Justice can address a wide variety of legal needs, including research, strategy, legislation, policy advocacy, litigation and document creation, among others.

Go to JOIN TODAY

JOIN TODAY

Ready to get started? Contact us today. Potential clients should provide a detailed overview of the issue and desired outcome. Prospective student interns should provide a transcript, letter of interest and resume. Volunteers please send a note about your interest and any relative skills.

Green Justice connects legal professionals and law students with communities, providing low-cost services to address climate injustices and effect systemic change.

FOR STUDENTS

Community service, essential skills

Green Justice provides an opportunity to make a meaningful difference through public interest lawyering, with real work on real causes. Through active, supervised practice, you will gain experience in the unique legal skills necessary for working on public interest cases. We offer a solid foundation for becoming a creative, experienced, and effective attorney. While interning at Green Justice, you may:

  • Meet with clients, co-counsels and expert witnesses
  • Research and prepare memos, letters, and briefs
  • Draft and file pleadings, settlements or proposed legislation
  • Assist clients in shaping policy agendas
  • Develop outreach and communications strategies
  • Attend and assist with preparation for judicial or administrative hearings
And more!

FOR CLIENTS

Green Justice fights for social and environmental justice nationwide through innovative legal strategy and advocacy in areas like:

ENVIRONMENTAL

Coastal erosion & pollution | Climate change | Fisheries | Wildlife preservation | Disaster mitigation

NATURAL RESOURCES

Fair land and water use | Oil, gas & mineral operations | Resource conservation & recovery | Common law protection

HUMAN RIGHTS

Equitable resource access | Ethical prison conditions | Public health | Water rights | Food & agriculture

POLICY & ADVOCACY

Environmental regulation | Community-legislative engagement | Select issues in international public policy

LATEST NEWS

Victory! Green Justice Attorneys Win Prisoner's Right to Safety Amid Coronoavirus Pandemic

Today, Green Justice Legal, a virtual public interest law firm, won a significant victory for prisoner rights in the face
of the current coronavirus outbreak. Attorneys Emily Posner and Alexander “Sascha” Bollag represent Mr.
Christopher Marlowe, a prisoner with diabetes, who, according to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), is at a
heightened risk of severe complications from COVID-19. Judge Brian A. Jackson of the Middle District
of Louisiana issued an injunction ordering the Louisiana Department of Public Safety & Corrections, and
specifically the B.B. “Sixty” Rayburn Correctional Center, to submit a plan within five (5) days to ensure proper
hygiene practices, and implement social distancing, as recommended by the CDC and other public health authorities.  The Judge further ordered  a plan to minimize exposure to possible infected persons when the prisoner visits the infirmary and cafeteria areas of the prison. The Court noted that it “may impose additional substantive precautionary measures following its review and evaluation” of the plans.

Mr. Marlowe, who has an ongoing lawsuit against the Department of Corrections regarding the substandard
care and diet he receives as it relates to his diabetes, which he developed since being imprisoned, filed a
motion for a temporary restraining order on April 1, 2020, after several prisoners were diagnosed with
COVID-19 at Rayburn Correctional Center. As of this writing, 28 people there have tested positive. During a
telephone hearing, Mr. Marlowe testified to the lack of precautionary measures and the impossibility of
proper social distancing in the confines of the facility. Mr. Marlowe was convicted by a non-unanimous jury
and it is therefore legally questionable whether he should even be imprisoned at this time, in the light of
the Ramos Supreme Court ruling this past Monday. Ramos held felony convictions by a non-unanimous jury
are unconstitutional.

Victory! Judge Griffin Upholds Rights of New Orleans Residents to be Heard: Decision Voids City Council Approval of New Entergy Plant

The people of New Orleans won an important victory today in their fight for a clean energy future. Judge Piper Griffin ruled that the New Orleans City Council violated the Louisiana Open Meetings Law, which guarantees the right to participate in public meetings. A number of community groups, environmental advocacy organizations and individuals argued that their rights to participate in the public process had been violated at two City Council meetings, where residents were barred from speaking. The meetings centered on construction of a new unnecessary power plant by Entergy New Orleans, which was then approved by the Council. The judge noted the strong protections of Louisiana's Open Meetings Law, and acknowledged that Entergy tainted the public process by hiring paid actors to take up seats and even give canned public comment in support of the plant.

Green Justice attorney Sascha Bollag co-represented VAYLA New Orleans, Justice and Beyond, 350 New Orleans, Sierra Club, and individual plaintiffs. A full press release on today's victory can be found here.

Green Justice Stops Construction of New Prison on Mountain Top Mining Site in Kentucky!

On the evening of June 12, 2019, the Bureau of Prisons notified Green Justice lawyers that the agency was withdrawing its decision to construct a new $510 million dollar federal prison, the most expensive proposed in history, on a former mountain top removal strip mining site in Letcher County, Kentucky. Green Justice attorneys, Marianne Cufone, Emily Posner and Alexander “Sascha” Bollag, represented 21 federal inmates, the Abolitionist Law Center, and Friends of Lilly Cornett Woods and North Fork River Watershed in the matter.  Campaign to Fight Toxic Prisons supported the case with a grassroots organizing campaign that garnered support nationwide.

Read BOP’s withdrawal letter here.

Read Green Justice lawsuit complaint here.

Read BOP’s press statement here.

Read the press release from Green Justice, clients and supporters here.

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