About
Earthjustice is the premier nonprofit environmental law organization in the United States, headquartered in San Francisco, California. Established in 1971, it wields the power of law and the strength of partnership to protect people's health, preserve magnificent places and wildlife, advance clean energy, and combat climate change — providing top-tier legal representation free of charge to more than a thousand public-interest clients.
Mission
Earthjustice uses "the power of law and the strength of partnership to protect people's health, to preserve magnificent places and wildlife, to advance clean energy, and to combat climate change." Because it represents its clients free of charge, the organization is funded by supporters rather than legal fees.
What they do
- Environmental litigation: more than 200 full-time lawyers take polluters and government agencies to court on behalf of communities and conservation groups.
- Health protection: fighting hazards such as coal ash pond contamination, toxic algae blooms in Florida, and oil spills in the Gulf of Mexico.
- Wildlands and wildlife: defending irreplaceable wildlands and species on the brink of extinction, including challenging drilling in Alaska.
- Clean energy and climate: advancing the transition to 100% clean energy and securing limits on the nation's worst polluting industries.
History
Earthjustice was established in 1971 to provide environmental legal advocacy, and has since built a decades-long record that includes saving irreplaceable wildlands, cleaning up the air, protecting countless species, and securing historic limits on polluting industries.
Scale and impact
Earthjustice fields a legal team of more than 200 full-time lawyers working from 16 offices across the United States, serving more than a thousand public-interest clients at no charge. Per ProPublica, its revenue has grown from approximately $38 million in fiscal year 2012 to over $170 million in fiscal year 2025.
Financials
According to ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer, Earthjustice (EIN 94-1730465) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit whose tax exemption was issued in February 1971. For the fiscal year ending June 2025, it reported revenue of $170,827,511, expenses of about $167.5 million, and net assets of $267,530,150, with roughly 90% of revenue coming from contributions.
Governance
Earthjustice is overseen by a Board of Trustees and the Earthjustice Council, and states that it has been recognized by the nation's chief watchdog groups for charitable organizations for its transparency and efficiency.