Experienced Attorney - Environmental Law

About the role

Harris Beach Murtha seeks a highly experienced environmental attorney to join our firm as a Partner or Senior Counsel in our Environmental and Commercial Real Estate Practice Groups.

Responsibilities

• Advise clients on federal and state environmental regulations (e.g., CERCLA, CAA, RCRA, ECL, SEQRA, NAV)
• Represent clients in environmental permitting and regulatory compliance matters
• Structure, negotiate, and close complex commercial real estate transactions, including acquisitions, leasing, and development
• Lead environmental due diligence for M&A and project finance transactions
• Draft and negotiate environmental provisions in purchase and financing agreements
• Manage permitting processes related to air, water, wetlands, and offshore infrastructure
• Support remediation and risk mitigation strategies for contaminated sites, including Brownfields redevelopment
• Counsel on ESA compliance, land use law, utility commission processes, and habitat conservation planning
• Offer strategic insight on NYC Local Law 97, CLCPA, CCS projects, carbon markets, and energy transition initiatives
• Collaborate with other practice groups on real estate, energy, land use, and infrastructure projects

Requirements

• A minimum of 1800 billable hours annually
• Juris Doctorate from an ABA-accredited law school
• Admission to New York State Bar (required); admission to Connecticut or Massachusetts (or ability to waive in) beneficial but not required
• Extensive involvement with federal and state permitting, regulatory compliance, and transactional environmental issues
• Demonstrated experience supporting energy, infrastructure, or large-scale development projects
• Proven ability to work effectively across multidisciplinary teams and with multiple stakeholders
• Strong understanding of environmental risk and legal frameworks impacting deal structure and finance
• In-depth knowledge of NEPA, CEQA, CERCLA, RCRA, UIC, ESA, and relevant permitting regulations
• Expertise in drafting and negotiating complex environmental contracts and provisions
• Proficiency in analyzing technical environmental data and legal implications
• Ability to manage legal timelines and coordinate with regulatory agencies and consultants
• Familiarity with carbon-related legal frameworks and environmental impacts in international infrastructure projects

Qualifications

• Extensive involvement with federal and state permitting, regulatory compliance, and transactional environmental issues
• Demonstrated experience supporting energy, infrastructure, or large-scale development projects
• Proven ability to work effectively across multidisciplinary teams and with multiple stakeholders
• Strong understanding of environmental risk and legal frameworks impacting deal structure and finance
• In-depth knowledge of NEPA, CEQA, CERCLA, RCRA, UIC, ESA, and relevant permitting regulations
• Expertise in drafting and negotiating complex environmental contracts and provisions
• Proficiency in analyzing technical environmental data and legal implications
• Ability to manage legal timelines and coordinate with regulatory agencies and consultants
• Familiarity with carbon-related legal frameworks and environmental impacts in international infrastructure projects

Skills

• Strategic insight on NYC Local Law 97, CLCPA, CCS projects, carbon markets, and energy transition initiatives
• Collaboration with other practice groups on real estate, energy, land use, and infrastructure projects

Benefits

The firm requires a minimum of 1800 billable hours annually.

Pay

• Albany, Buffalo, Ithaca, Rochester, Syracuse, NY: $160,000 - $250,000
• Long Island (Uniondale) and White Plains, NY: $170,000 - $250,000
• New York, NY: $180,000 - $250,000

Schedule

This role also offers an opportunity for performance-based bonus eligibility.

Benefits

The firm is committed to an inclusive environment and welcomes applications from diverse candidates with varied background and skills, including military experience.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Harris Beach Murtha Cullina PLLC is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

About Harris Beach Murtha

Harris Beach Murtha formed in 2025 via the combination of Harris Beach PLLC and Murtha Cullina LLP. A forward-thinking and innovative partnership with the benefit of more than 250 years of combined history, Harris Beach Murtha’s New York roots reach back to 1856 and the firm has had ties to New England since 1936. Harris Beach and Murtha Cullina were separately among the country’s top law firms as ranked by The National Law Journal. Harris Beach Murtha and its subsidiaries have a strong Northeast presence, but a global reach. Clients include Fortune 100 corporations, privately held companies, emerging businesses, public sector entities, tax-exempt organizations and individuals. The firm’s practice areas and industries served span appellate law, business litigation, commercial real estate, construction, corporate, environmental, energy, financial institutions, financial restructuring, government compliance and investigations, health care, immigration, intellectual property, labor and employment, mass torts, medical and life sciences, political law, product liability, public finance, tax, and trusts and estates. The firm’s lawyers and consultants practice from offices throughout Connecticut in Bantam, Hartford, New Haven and Stamford; New York state in Albany, Buffalo, Ithaca, New York City, Rochester, Saratoga Springs, Syracuse, Long Island and White Plains, as well as in Boston, Massachusetts and Newark, New Jersey. The firm’s policy prohibiting unlawful discrimination applies to all aspects of employment, including hiring, placement, assignment of duties, training, promotion, compensation & benefits and termination. It is the policy of Harris Beach Murtha Cullina PLLC that all applicants and employees enjoy a positive, respectful and productive work environment, free from behavior, actions or language constituting unlawful harassment. Accordingly, harassment or discrimination of any kind based on an individual’s race or color, sex, age, religion, national origin, marital status, disability, military status, genetic predisposition, carrier status, sexual orientation, citizenship status, creed, domestic violence victim status or any other legally protected status is strictly prohibited. Harris Beach Murtha complies with the provisions of the Human Rights Law, all other State and Federal statutory and constitutional non-discrimination provisions including non-discrimination on the basis of prior criminal conviction and prior arrest.