ASSOCIATE ATTORNEY – AGRICULTURAL WATER & ENVIRONMENTAL LAW

About the role

The Associate Attorney will join Rinke Noonan's Agricultural Water and Environmental Law practice in St. Cloud, Minnesota. The role is open to new law school graduates, attorneys awaiting bar results, and lateral attorneys with relevant experience.

Responsibilities

• Representation of landowners, farmers, and agricultural interests in water, wetland, drainage, easement, environmental compliance, and land-use matters.
• Representation of counties, watershed districts, and county water resource districts on statutorily authorized water management projects in Minnesota and North Dakota.
• Conservation compliance and conservation program issues involving federal, state, and local regulatory frameworks.
• Easement negotiations involving water management, wetland restoration, conservation, access, drainage, and neighboring landowner issues.
• Public drainage, water resource, and watershed management proceedings.
• Regulatory counseling, negotiation, drafting, administrative proceedings, public hearings, and litigation support.
• Coordination with engineers, hydrologists, surveyors, appraisers, environmental consultants, government staff, landowners, and elected or appointed boards.
• Client meetings, board meetings, public hearings, field visits, negotiations, and strategic planning.
• Close work with litigating attorneys on litigation strategy and case development for matters involving agricultural water, drainage, wetlands, easements, and regulatory issues.

Requirements

The ideal candidate should be admitted to practice in Minnesota or North Dakota, or be eligible to become admitted in both states. Candidates awaiting bar results will also be considered.

Qualifications

• Strong writing, analytical, interpersonal, and problem-solving skills.
• Comfortable working with farmers, landowners, engineers, local government officials, board members, agency staff, attorneys, and judges.
• Willingness to learn the technical, legal, and practical issues involved in water and agricultural land matters.
• Ability to communicate effectively in both professional and rural settings.
• Desire for mentorship and willingness to be coached.
• Interest in earning trust, building loyalty within the firm, and working toward the opportunity to be considered for future equity ownership.

Skills

• Strong legal research and writing skills.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to handle complex legal and factual problems.
• Knowledge of agricultural, water, wetlands, environmental compliance, public infrastructure, rural land use, and natural resources.

Benefits

• Competitive compensation starting at $105,000 to $133,000, depending on experience, qualifications, admission status, and placement within the firm’s associate tier structure.
• A comprehensive benefits package including health insurance, dental insurance, life insurance, long-term disability insurance, profit sharing, and 401(k) plan.
• Paid CLEs, professional dues and memberships, mentorship, training, administrative support, and other firm benefits.

Pay

$105,000 to $133,000, depending on experience, qualifications, admission status, and placement within the firm’s associate tier structure.

Schedule

The Associate Attorney will work primarily in the office, but will also spend time with clients, in the field, and with lawyers and professionals on complex legal and factual problems. Some travel throughout Minnesota and North Dakota will be required for client meetings, board meetings, public hearings, field work, negotiations, and litigation-related matters.