Environmental Justice Australia

What Environmental Justice Australia does

Environmental Justice Australia (EJA) is an independent, community-powered not-for-profit public interest legal organisation headquartered in Carlton, Melbourne, that uses strategic litigation, legal advocacy, and law reform to challenge environmental injustice across Australia. Founded in 1993 as the Victorian Environment Defenders Office, EJA was transformed in 2014 into a national organisation after losing government funding, and now operates through five integrated legal programs: Climate Justice, Protecting Ecosystems, Ending Pollution, First Nations Justice, and Law Reform. Its core technology is deep multi-disciplinary legal expertise spanning environmental law, climate and energy law, heritage law, water law, public and administrative law, constitutional, international, civil, mining, criminal, and human rights law, delivered by approximately 40 staff including specialist lawyers, campaigners, and operations professionals.

EJA serves a diverse client base of First Nations communities protecting Country and Culture, frontline communities facing pollution and environmental harm, young people impacted by climate change, and environmental community groups and NGOs (e.g., Environment Council of Central Queensland, Friends of Leadbeater's Possum, Mine-free Glenaladale). Service delivery is community-led: EJA selects cases based on strategic impact potential and provides free legal representation, court interventions, advocacy campaigns, and law reform submissions, often bolstered by pro bono support from major law firms including King & Wood Mallesons, Norton Rose Fulbright, Maddocks, and DLA Piper.

EJA's revenue model is philanthropic rather than commercial. Funding is diversified across individual donations (one-time and monthly recurring via the Envirojustice Collective), gifts in wills, major gifts from foundations (Macdoch, Myer, Australian Ethical, Patagonia, Lord Mayor's Charitable Foundation, Albert & Barbara Tucker Foundation), pro bono legal services in-kind, the Future Fund endowment (established 2022), annual membership ($30 individuals, $60 organisations), and a small community legal centre grant from Victoria Legal Aid as its sole government funding. Pricing for donations is publicly disclosed with suggested giving levels ($30, $100, $250) tied to specific legal activities. EJA is governed by a Board of Directors and led by Co-CEOs Nicola Rivers and Elizabeth McKinnon.

Name

Environmental Justice Australia

Legal name

Environmental Justice Australia

Website

https://envirojustice.org.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Environmental Justice Australia is an independent, not-for-profit public interest legal organisation that uses strategic litigation, advocacy, and law reform to fight environmental injustice for First Nations communities, frontline communities, and environmental groups across Australia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Interest Environmental Legal Services

NAICS

Offices of Lawyers (54111), Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro primary industry

Environmental Policy, Advocacy & Litigation (BPAGAGAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Environmental & Energy Law (BPAHAAAO), Rule of Law & Justice Sector Reform (BPADAGAB)

Keywords

• Public interest environmental law
• Environmental legal advocacy
• Climate litigation services
• First Nations legal support
• Community legal centres

Headquarters

HQ city

Carlton

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Tax-deductible donations from individuals, including one-time gifts and monthly recurring donations through the Envirojustice Collective monthly giving program.
2. Gifts in Wills: Bequests and gifts left in wills by supporters (Envirojustice Guardians) to support long-term sustainability.
3. Future Fund (Endowment): An endowment fund established in 2022 that provides sustained funding for EJA's legal work. The principal is preserved while investment returns support operations.
4. Grants from Foundations: Funding from charitable trusts and foundations that share EJA's vision and mission.
5. Pro Bono Legal Support: Pro bono support from law firms and legal counsel who advise and appear on behalf of clients in court, plus pro bono expert contributions from scientists and researchers worldwide.
6. Victoria Legal Aid Grant: Community legal centre grant from Victoria Legal Aid to provide access to justice for a small number of clients - the only government funding received.
7. Membership: Annual membership running January to December, costing $30 for individuals or $60 for organisations, with voting rights at AGM.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels12 records

Core offering

Environmental Justice Australia is a not-for-profit public interest legal organisation that uses the law to fight environmental injustice across Australia. It provides free legal advice, representation and strategic litigation for First Nations communities, frontline communities, and environmental groups facing environmental harm, organised around five integrated programs: Climate Justice, Protecting Ecosystems, Ending Pollution, First Nations Justice, and Law Reform & Policy Advocacy.

Product overview

Environmental Justice Australia is a public interest legal organisation offering a suite of interconnected legal services and programs rather than a technology product platform. The core offering consists of five integrated legal programs: Climate Justice (challenging fossil fuel expansion), Protecting Ecosystems (defending forests and waterways), Ending Pollution (clean air and water advocacy), First Nations Justice (land and water rights), and Law Reform (improving environmental legislation). These are supported by educational resources including toolkits and guides, volunteer and internship programs, membership options, and multiple donation mechanisms including the Future Fund endowment and gifts in wills. The organisation produces publications and submissions to influence policy. Together, these services form a comprehensive approach to using the law as a tool for environmental and climate justice.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Climate Justice Legal Program Public interest litigation and legal interventions to drive climate ambition, hold polluters accountable, and represent communities fighting for climate justice, including challenges to coal mines, gas projects, and advocacy for renewable energy.
• Protecting Ecosystems (Nature) Program Legal work to protect and regenerate vital ecosystems on the brink of collapse, including ancient forests, savanna woodlands, and the Murray River floodplains through litigation and legal advocacy.
• Ending Pollution Program Partnership with frontline communities to fight for clean air, swimmable rivers, and better lives through legal representation challenging pollution, waste, and toxic contamination.
• First Nations Justice Program Legal support for First Nations communities protecting Country and Culture, including land justice, water justice, and advocacy for treaty and truth-telling processes.
• Law Reform & Policy Advocacy Fixing flaws in the legal system, pushing for better policies, and improving how laws are made and enforced through advocacy campaigns and submissions to inquiries.
• Public Interest Litigation Landmark court cases and strategic legal interventions that set game-changing precedents to disrupt systems fuelling environmental destruction and injustice.
• Membership Program Annual membership costing $30 for individuals or $60 for organisations, running January to December, with voting rights at AGM.
• Future Fund (Endowment) An endowment fund providing sustained funding for EJA's game-changing legal work, managed by a committee of EJA Board Members with ethical investment principles.

Quantifiable outcome

• World's first legal action against a superannuation fund for failing to adequately consider climate change risks
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• King & Wood MallesonscoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerMajor law firm providing pro bono legal support and services to EJA clients, adding the weight of their expertise to cases.
• Norton Rose FulbrightcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerInternational law firm providing pro bono legal support to EJA clients.
• MaddockscoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerAustralian law firm providing pro bono legal support to EJA clients.
• DLA PipercoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerGlobal law firm providing pro bono legal support to EJA clients.
• Environment Council of Central Queensland (ECoCeQ)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEJA represents ECoCeQ in Federal Court climate cases to protect living wonders from climate harm. Long-term strategic partnership in climate litigation.
• Friends of Leadbeater's PossumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEJA represented this volunteer group in a three-year court battle to protect threatened Leadbeater's Possum from logging, achieving significant outcomes.
• Mine-free GlenaladalecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEJA represented this community group at public hearings to protect the community from the Fingerboards mineral sands mine in Gippsland.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights2 records

Direct peers

• Human Rights Law Centre: Australian public interest legal organisation litigating human rights, including environmental and First Nations justice. Comparable as a peer public interest law centre with overlapping client base, lawyers, and litigation philosophy (EJA's Principal Lawyer previously worked there).
• First Nations Legal and Research Services: Australian legal organisation providing services to First Nations peoples on native title, land rights, and cultural heritage matters. Peer through shared First Nations justice client base and complementary expertise, with EJA's board chair also serving as FNLRS CEO.
• Environment Victoria: Victorian environmental advocacy organisation running campaigns on climate, nature, and rivers. Peer through overlapping geography, donor base, and advocacy focus; EJA's Co-CEO Elizabeth McKinnon was previously Chairperson.
• Environmental Justice Foundation: UK-registered charity working on environmental justice, including climate, oceans, and human rights. Direct peer given shared environmental justice framing, international litigation, and donor-funded public interest model.
• Australian Conservation Foundation: Australia's largest national environmental advocacy organisation running campaigns and litigation on climate, nature, and pollution issues. Directly comparable as a national-scale environmental NGO; Elizabeth McKinnon (EJA Co-CEO) was previously General Counsel there, evidencing close sector ties.
• ClientEarth: International public interest environmental law organisation using litigation and advocacy to address climate, nature, and pollution. Highly comparable as a public interest environmental law charity with similar litigation strategy, donor-funded model, and policy reform focus.
• Environmental Defenders Office (NSW): State-based community environmental law centre providing legal advice and representation for public interest environmental matters. Direct peer as both organisations share EJA's historical roots (EJA was formerly the Victorian EDO) and run similar public interest litigation programs in Australia.

Broad incumbents

• Earthjustice: US-based public interest environmental law organisation and the largest of its kind globally. Comparable as a public interest environmental legal charity, though operating at substantially larger scale and broader jurisdictional remit than EJA.

Regional players

• Nature Conservation Council of NSW: NSW peak body for environment groups, advocating for nature conservation and climate action. Regional peer given overlapping Australian environmental NGO landscape and shared ecosystem protection focus, though concentrated in a different state jurisdiction.

Emerging players

• Wilderness Society: Australian environmental NGO campaigning for protection of wilderness and forest ecosystems. Comparable as a national nature advocacy organisation with overlapping ecosystem protection agenda, though focused more on campaigning than litigation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/EJ_Aus
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@environmentaljusticeaustra1222
• Facebookfacebook.com/envirojustice
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/environmental-justice-australia
• Instagraminstagram.com/enviro_justice_australia/?hl=en

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles24 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Environmental Justice Australia