As part of Akin Gump’s commitment to operating as a more environmentally sustainable business and reducing the firm’s environmental impact, and as part of the firm’s membership in the US Legal Sustainability Alliance and the UK’s Legal Sustainability Alliance , the firm is seeking a Sustainability Intern for an unpaid internship during the fall semester (approx. September through December). This internship will support Akin Gump’s “Always Green” program and mission and will offer a student the ability to use their educational knowledge with real-life responsibilities within a global professional services environment. 

The Sustainability Intern will work under the general supervision and direction of the Chief Practice Officer as well as members of the firmwide Always Green team, and in collaboration with the other Sustainability Interns.  The Sustainability Intern will work collaboratively to support, implement, and promote a variety of programs, activities, and projects relating to environmental sustainability. 

At the end of the internship, students will have worked closely with firm leadership to gain experience researching, consulting on and implementing corporate social responsibility in a leading, global law firm. This is a great opportunity for anyone interested in consulting or working in-house for an organization committed to sustainability. 

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES OF THIS CO-OP/INTERNSHIP INCLUDE: 

• Help gather information related to the firm’s sustainability practices and create a centralized database to organize, measure and report progress across all offices.
• Assist with tracking and analyzing the firm’s sustainability performance benchmarks, helping to synthesize and present key findings and recommendations to help further the firm’s sustainability goals.
• Assist in implementing suggested strategies for improvement, including, but not limited to, improving upon the firm’s environmental certifications and ratings.
• Help promote employee engagement for the Always Green initiative through social media, webpage contributions, and blog posts, as well as helping to draft internal communications.
• Research and stay up-to-date on environmental news, current events, policies and trends, including those specific to the legal industry, and help share information and suggestions with members of the Always Green team and the firm.
• Work closely with Always Green team members to advance best practices and opportunities, assisting with the organization and promotion of programs and events.
• Work closely with all four Always Green committees to assist with the development and implementation of projects.
• Assist with the organization and promotion of programs and events related to the Always Green initiative.
• Assist with client requests related to environmental sustainability, including working with BD/Marketing to provide proposal content.
• Support the advancement of our environmental, social and governance (ESG) & Climate Change cross-practice client initiatives as needed.
• Attend Always Green team meetings and work in conjunction with members to complete various tasks and special projects as assigned.
• Coordinate with other departments as needed to complete tasks as they relate to the Always Green team or environmental sustainability.
• Follow specific instructions to satisfactorily complete assigned projects and cross-functional tasks within designated department(s).
• Propose individual projects to better incorporate sustainability at the firm

QUALIFICATIONS (EXPERIENCE, KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES):

• High School diploma or equivalent required
• Bachelor’s Degree or enrollment in a degree seeking program required
• Relevant professional or educational experience in Environmental Studies or related field of study preferred
• Interest in sustainability and its role at a corporate level
• Proficiency in Excel, Outlook, Word, and PowerPoint
• Ability to recognize patterns and proactively notice opportunities for improvement
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; ability to communicate effectively and tactfully with individuals at all levels within and outside of the firm
• Ability to work independently and with colleagues located in different offices and departments
• Strong attention to detail and ability to follow instructions with high degree of accuracy
• Excellent organizational skills and ability to prioritize work, coupled with the ability to work concurrently on a variety of projects and requests, providing a solutions-oriented approach to ensure user satisfaction
• Commitment to maintaining confidentiality of client, firm and personnel information, and adhering to the Firm’s Core Values
• Ability to proactively communicate and work with the firm to manage potential scheduling conflicts. Ability to work within a defined schedule

AKIN GUMP STRAUSS HAUER & FELD LLP PARTICIPATES IN E-VERIFY FOR PURPOSES OF VERIFYING EMPLOYMENT ELIGIBILITY

Required Skills Required Experience