Careers

Attorney – General Application

About our practice groups:

Property Rights are the foundation of liberty. The right to own, enjoy, and put property to productive use is a source of personal security, dignity, and prosperity, protecting the freedom of individuals to shape their destiny. We aim to achieve the same level of constitutional protection for individual rights in property as the courts accord other celebrated personal liberties.

Equality and Opportunity are the cornerstones of our civil rights. But government stands in the way of many people’s opportunities today. It has displaced the Constitution’s guarantee of liberty with policies that assail, for instance, opportunities to earn a living or pursue a quality education. And government officials disregard the Constitution’s call for equality before the law by allocating burdens or benefits to some at the expense of others, increasingly discriminating based on race, sex, or group entitlement. PLF’s equality and opportunity cases aim to secure equal freedom for all. We work to dismantle unconstitutional barriers to opportunity, freeing individuals to rise based on their choices, character, and ability.

Separation of Powers between the branches is crucial: Allowing powers to accumulate in any government body is, as James Madison said, “the very definition of tyranny.” Our Constitution established three separate branches of government: legislative, executive, and judicial. And yet, the American administrative state has grown into a Leviathan. Today, a sea of regulatory agencies has seized more power—becoming lawmaker, executive, and judge—to exert greater control over our lives. PLF fights to rein in this unconstitutional “fourth branch” and to restore the proper structure of our government.

Environment and Natural Resources roots itself in the belief that human creativity, unleashed through liberty, solves problems and expands the world’s potential. We defend the freedom to use public and private land productively by protecting constitutional limits on government power and promoting abundance through innovation. At PLF, we believe human ingenuity is the ultimate resources.

What PLF Attorneys get to do: 

• Litigate for Liberty: Be on the front lines of the fight for individual freedom by litigating strategic lawsuits against government abuse. Lead cases that challenge unconstitutional laws, regulations, and policies that threaten equality and opportunity, property rights, and the separation of powers.
• Generate High-Impact Cases: Develop new cases and run with them consistent with your experience level. We have needs for junior attorneys and seasoned veterans who can run a case from an initial complaint through the Supreme Court. We want confident self-starters who think big and aim high.
• Advocate for Shared Moral and Constitutional Principles: We win in the courts of law and in the court of public opinion. You will speak with journalists, the public, allied organizations, trade groups, and academics to advance our litigation objectives and mission.

General Information

Pacific Legal Foundation identifies and litigates important legal issues to set landmark precedents that will benefit Americans nationwide. Using strategic and principled litigation, communications, and research, we battle for freedom in the nation’s courts and the court of public opinion.

As a national nonprofit organization, PLF has brick-and-mortar offices in Sacramento, California; Arlington, Virginia; and Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, although approximately half of the staff work from home offices across the country. You can work physically in any of our offices or request to work virtually.

To Apply:

If you think you might be a good fit, submit the following application materials:

• Your resume or C.V., including your experience in the liberty movement and relevant professional experience
• In the application screener, tell us why PLF is the place for you.

This posting is not an active job opening. However, we are preparing for rapid growth and will contact you directly if we see a potential fit.

PLF is committed to recruiting and retaining the highest-quality talent available nationwide, and we offer a total compensation package that includes a competitive salary, medical and dental insurance, and employer-paid retirement savings. We take work-life balance seriously through our generous paid leave and flextime policies. We have a flexible, collaborative, positive, and collegial work environment. We take pride in investing in your future and encourage internal advancement. PLF is the place for someone principled, tenacious, and determined to succeed in positively shaping the future of our country and restoring real limits on government power. Join us.

Separation of Powers Attorney

Fully Remote • Work from Anywhere in the U.S.

You: An entrepreneurial freedom fighter with a passion for the separation of powers and liberty. You want to find and win cutting-edge constitutional cases across the country. You want to fight the administrative state. You are a natural leader who will help elevate PLF attorneys to be the best litigators in the nation.

Them: Federal and state agencies that are abusing their power and stripping Americans of their rights. There’s no shortage of agencies that ignore the Constitution’s separation of powers. But fortunately, abusive government is most vulnerable when countered by individuals who act strategically and nimbly, take calculated risks, and are confident in, and passionate for, the cause—the very sort of swashbucklers who work at PLF.

Us: We fight back. Pacific Legal Foundation is the nation’s first and most successful public interest law firm dedicated to vindicating individual liberty. PLF has an unmatched record in the United States Supreme Court, with 18 victories out of 20 litigated at the Court—including three victories last term. We also have nearly two hundred active cases across the nation.

We are a next-generation public interest law firm. That means we aren’t interested in doing the same thing as everyone else. We aspire to be the best player in a constantly changing game.

Here’s what you get to do in this role:

You will generate and lead high-profile cases in PLF’s Separation of Powers practice group. Your ideas will help shape PLF strategy by identifying and litigating emerging separation of powers theories. You will give speeches, appear in media, and publishop-eds and scholarly articles on cutting edge issues in administrative and constitutional law.

You will work on teams with other top-notch attorneys, applying your skills, knowledge, and passion every day. You will have the latitude to think big and the resources to execute. You will be at the leading edge of Constitutional law in America.

In a nutshell, we’re seeking experienced attorneys to help us continue our legacy of success. You must be passionate about liberty, the Constitution, and fighting the administrative state, confident and magnanimous, and a bold and relentless freedom fighter.

Your specific job duties will include:

• Generating and litigating high-impact cases: As an experienced litigator, you will take ownership of established cases while also developing and driving your own. We want confident self-starters who think big and aim high.
• Setting the Agenda: Every attorney on the team helps develop successful strategies so we can keep the victories coming.
• Advocating for separation of powers: We win in the courts of law and in the court of public opinion. You will speak with organizations, trade groups, academics, students and the public to advance our strategic goals. (A deep knowledge of the moral and constitutional basis for the Constitution’s structural protections is a huge plus.)
• Writing persuasively for all audiences: You will write briefs, op-eds, journal articles, blog posts, and more.

This role is ideal for someone with:

• 3+ years of experience
• Outstanding interpersonal and communications skills
• A knowledge of, and passion for, the ideas of freedom and individual liberty
• A strong work ethic
• A willingness to travel
• Litigation experience
• A clerkship or work with a state or federal agency

General Information:

Pacific Legal Foundation identifies and litigates important legal issues to set landmark precedents that will benefit Americans nationwide. Using strategic and principled litigation, communications, and research, we battle for freedom in the nation’s courts and the court of public opinion.

As a national nonprofit organization, PLF has brick-and-mortar offices in Sacramento, California; Arlington, Virginia; and Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, although approximately half of the staff work from home offices across the country. You can work physically in any of our offices or request to work virtually.

PLF is committed to recruiting and retaining the highest-quality talent available nationwide, and we offer a total compensation package that includes a competitive salary, medical and dental insurance, and employer-paid retirement savings. We take work-life balance seriously through our generous paid leave and flextime policies. We have a flexible, collaborative, positive, and collegial work environment. We take pride in investing in your future and encourage internal advancement. PLF is the place for someone principled, tenacious, and determined to succeed in positively shaping the future of our country and restoring real limits on government power. Join us.

Salary Range and Benefits:

To learn more about the starting salary range and benefits options, please apply.

To apply:

Qualified candidates should fill out the questionnaire and submit the following application materials (in order) in one PDF document:

• A cover letter explaining why PLF is the place for you, why you want to fight for liberty, and what distinguishes you from typical applicants
• Your resume, including your experience in the liberty movement and relevant professional experience
• A legal writing sample

Foundation Relations Officer

Fully Remote • Work from Anywhere in the U.S.

You: A fundraising professional with a passion for liberty and winning. You’re a talented writer who knows how to craft compelling proposals and reports. And now you’re looking to apply those skills at a leading organization dedicated to advancing liberty and reining in government overreach.

Them: Bureaucrats, city councils, mayors, governors, and federal agencies stripping Americans of their rights every day. There’s a lot of government overreach out there, and it’s backed by seemingly endless resources. But fortunately, like all lumbering giants, abusive government is most vulnerable when countered by individuals who act strategically and nimbly, take calculated risks, have each other’s backs, and are confident in and passionate for the cause—the very sort of swashbucklers we employ in spades here at PLF.

Us: We fight back. Pacific Legal Foundation is the nation’s first and most successful public-interest law firm dedicated to vindicating individual liberty. PLF has an unmatched record in the United States Supreme Court, with 18 victories out of 21 litigated there. We also have almost 200 active cases across the nation.

PLF is a next-generation public interest law firm. What does “next generation” mean for a legal nonprofit? It means we aren’t interested in doing the same thing as everyone else. We aspire to be the best player in a constantly changing game. We want to win.

Here’s what you get to do in this role:

You will join PLF’s development team to secure funding from foundations and donors who share our commitment to advancing individual liberty. You’ll apply your well-honed writing and messaging talents to craft successful proposals and reports tailored to the interests and requirements of the funders.

To ensure sufficient financial resources for PLF’s ambitious growth plans, you will also use your considerable knowledge of the pro-liberty movement and likeminded foundations to identify and secure grants from new potential funders.

As part of our foundations team, you will compose letters, proposals, and reports, review and approve drafts, perform research, and meet with funders. You will have the latitude to think big and the resources to execute.

PLF wants you to be relentless, confident, and show passion toward individual liberty, freedom, and taking on the government.

Summary:

The Foundation Relations Officer plays a key role in PLF’s development team, helping to secure funding from foundations and other grant makers who share our commitment to advancing individual liberty.

Primary Job Duties:

• Draft grant proposals, letters of inquiry, and reports tailored to the specific needs and interests of funders.
• Revise and edit proposals and letters after the review process, preparing them for final submission and ensuring timely completion.
• Work with program staff across Litigation, Policy, Research, Scholarship, Communications, and Outreach to define projects for grant proposals.
• Coordinate with finance staff to share financial results and future operating plans for proposals, and to monitor progress for reports.
• Utilize Salesforce, FoundationSearch, and other databases to research, identify, and evaluate new and existing funding prospects.
• Collaborate with team members to research and devise approaches for new foundation prospects.
• Communicate regularly with current funders and prospects to steward new and higher contributions. Arrange for meetings with funders and prospects with other PLF staff.
• Develop and regularly refresh overall messaging strategy for use in proposals, letters of inquiry, and reports in collaboration with the Director of Foundation Relations, Vice President for Development, and other staff as appropriate.
• Travel to meet and communicate PLF’s message with funders, prospects, and attend PLF staff functions (15% of time).

This role is ideal for someone with:

• 1–2+ years of professional writing experience, with preference given to those with major gifts or grant writing background.
• Exceptional writing and communication skills, with the ability to translate complex ideas into clear, persuasive copy and conversation.
• A storytelling mindset, with the ability to turn PLF’s work into compelling narratives that highlight concrete, measurable outcomes.
• Strong project management abilities, keeping drafts on schedule, meeting grant deadlines, and partnering with program staff for reporting requirements.
• A warm, energetic, and persuasive approach to donor and prospect relationships.
• Familiarity with funders and foundation networks in the pro-liberty space.
• A collaborative mindset, enjoying building relationships across the Development team and the broader organization.
• Genuine passion for the principles of freedom and individual liberty, bringing mission alignment to every aspect of the role.

General information:

Pacific Legal Foundation identifies and litigates important legal issues to set landmark precedents that will benefit Americans nationwide. Using strategic and principled litigation, communications, and research, we battle for freedom in the nation’s courts and in the court of public opinion.

A national nonprofit organization, PLF has brick-and-mortar offices in Sacramento, California; Arlington, Virginia; and Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, although half of the staff work from home offices across the country. You may work virtually or in any of our physical offices.

We have a flexible, collaborative, positive, and collegial work environment. We take pride in investing in your future and encourage internal advancement. PLF is the place for someone principled, tenacious, and determined to succeed in positively shaping the future of our country and restoring real limits on government power.

Salary Range and Benefits:

This is a full-time, permanent position with a starting salary range of $75,000–$95,000. Exceptions may be considered for candidates with exceptional experience, education, professional background, or proven results in previous roles.

PLF is committed to recruiting and retaining the highest-quality talent nationwide and offers a total compensation package that includes medical, dental, and vision insurance, a generous 403(b) company contribution, life and disability insurance, paid leave and wellness leave, and 3 weeks of paid time off. Salary negotiations and details on PLF’s benefits package will be discussed with finalist candidates.

To Apply:

Qualified candidates should submit the following application materials (in order) in one PDF document:

• Cover letter including:
  • An introductory paragraph describing three distinct reasons you are drawn to Pacific Legal Foundation’s mission.
  • Explanation of why PLF is the place for you, why you want to fight for liberty, and what distinguishes you from typical applicants.
  • Salary requirements.
• Resume, including your experience in the liberty movement and relevant professional experience.

General Application

Fully Remote • Work from Anywhere in the U.S.

You: Passionate about defending individual rights and promoting liberty, but don’t see a job available? We’re always looking for talented individuals who share our commitment to defending Property Rights, advocating for Separation of Powers, and believe in Equality and Opportunity. If you’re interested in exploring a potential role with Pacific Legal Foundation, we’d love to hear from you!

About Pacific Legal Foundation:

Pacific Legal Foundation identifies and litigates important legal issues to set landmark precedents that will benefit Americans nationwide. Using strategic and principled litigation, communications, and research, we battle for freedom in the nation’s courts and the court of public opinion.

As a national nonprofit organization, PLF has brick-and-mortar offices in Sacramento, California; Arlington, Virginia; and Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, although approximately half of the staff works from home offices across the country. Candidates will be considered for work from any office or home office, on a per-role basis.

To Apply:

Please submit your resume and a brief application expressing your interest and how your skills align with our mission. Click ‘Apply’ button to proceed.