WASHINGTON, D.C.— Earthjustice President Abigail Dillen, one of the country’s leading environmental lawyers, has joined the nonprofit funders’ network Rachel’s Network as a liaison.
As head of the nation’s premier public interest environmental law organization, Abigail leads a staff of over 400, with more than 130 lawyers, in fourteen offices across the country. For nearly 50 years, Earthjustice has represented its clients free of charge, including tribes, small businesses, farmworkers, and community groups. Earthjustice’s courtroom victories have protected our most endangered wildlife, our public lands and waters, our oceans, air, climate, and our health.
“Abbie is recognized throughout environmental and legal communities as a visionary leader. She’s experienced and strategic and she cares deeply for protecting the planet and the most vulnerable. She works every day to ensure that Earthjustice’s considerable talent and skill are deployed for greatest impact,” said Rachel’s Network President Fern Shepard, who has worked with Abigail as board chair of Earthjustice. “Rachel’s Network is honored to have her join us as a liaison.”
Before stepping into her current role, Abigail served as the Vice President of Litigation for Climate & Energy at Earthjustice, heading the organization’s litigation and legal advocacy to achieve the essential shift from fossil fuels to 100 percent clean energy.
Prior to that, Abigail was managing attorney of Earthjustice’s Coal Program, which has played a central role in forcing the overdue retirement of coal-fired power plants around the country.
Abigail has litigated many precedent-setting cases that have held polluters accountable and cleared the way for clean energy nationally. These wins include: requiring the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to promulgate first-ever standards to govern disposal of coal ash and limit the wastewater discharge of toxic pollutants from coal-fired power plants; blocking a $2 billion transmission project to transport dirty coal energy from the Ohio Valley to East Coast cities; blocking permits for new coal-fired power plants; and cutting off federal funding of new coal plants.
“It’s a tremendous honor to join the company of so many inspiring and effective women who make Rachel’s Network a force in the world. Now is the time to lead change that is not only transformative but also fast, and to do that, we need to lean on and learn from each other more than ever.” said Abigail.
Rachel’s Network Leadership Liaisons — women CEOs of influential national or international environmental and social justice nonprofits — provide high-level expertise and keep Rachel’s Network members connected to nonprofits that share our goals. This esteemed roster includes US Climate Action Network Executive Director Keya Chatterjee, Defenders of Wildlife President and CEO Jamie Rappaport Clark, Greenpeace USA Executive Director Annie Leonard, and National Parks Conservation Association President and CEO Theresa Pierno.
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Rachel’s Network, a nonprofit organization named in Rachel Carson’s honor, promotes women as impassioned leaders and agents of change dedicated to the stewardship of the earth. The Network builds productive alliances among members and offers services that empower them to lead.
Earthjustice is the premier nonprofit public interest environmental law organization. They wield 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.
Photo by Melissa Lyttle for Earthjustice