Senior Attorney

About the Position

Protecting Georgia’s water resources is key to our future. This includes fighting to keep harmful industrial chemicals out of our drinking water, ensuring that Georgia’s waterways are not overburdened with sewage and polluted stormwater, and pushing utilities to move toxic coal ash out of leaky unlined pits on the banks of our rivers. We also work to make sure that our rivers and aquifers have enough clean water and are not overused, especially during droughts.

Primary Responsibilities

• Develop and champion creative litigation and policy strategies to enhance clean water protections in Georgia and across the South.
• Lead litigation in administrative, state, and federal courts.
• Cook up with the regional Water team to support program priorities, including fighting harmful industrial toxins.
• Build and maintain effective relationships with local officials, regulators, community members, policymakers, partner groups, and other stakeholders.
• Monitor proposed permits that could adversely impact Georgia’s waterways and participate in administrative proceedings related to those projects, including researching and drafting comments, speaking at public hearings, and challenging permits where appropriate.
• Develop and maintain expertise in law and policy related to state and federal clean water protections.
• Mentor, train, and/or supervise less-experienced attorneys.
• Work collaboratively with SELC’s regional program teams, communications team, development team, geospatial team, and outside experts and consultants.

Required Qualifications

• Minimum of nine years of relevant legal practice experience.
• Active license to practice law in Georgia or willingness to seek admission to practice in Georgia.
• State or federal litigation experience.
• Ability to work collaboratively in a team environment and with colleagues across offices.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills and an ability to build and maintain relationships with a diverse set of clients, partners, government officials, and stakeholders.
• Effective written and oral communication skills, including the ability to translate technical and legal issues into plain English.
• Strong independent initiative and the ability to lead cases or matters alongside a team.
• Willingness and ability to mentor, train, and supervise less-experienced attorneys.
• Willingness and ability to travel across Georgia as needed.

Desired Qualifications

• Experience in environmental advocacy, Clean Water Act, and state and local government advocacy.
• Experience as first chair in state and federal litigation.
• Creative thinking and an entrepreneurial spirit to identify and pursue new projects.
• A genuine interest in and commitment to helping SELC create and foster an equitable and inclusive workplace that welcomes people from across the rich racial and cultural diversity of our region.

About SELC

The Southern Environmental Law Center is one of the nation’s most powerful defenders of the environment, rooted in the South. With a long track record, SELC takes on the toughest environmental challenges in court, in government, and in our communities to protect our region’s air, water, climate, wildlife, lands, and people. Nonprofit and nonpartisan, the organization has a staff of 250, including more than 160 legal and policy experts and advocates. Headquartered in Charlottesville, VA, SELC has offices in Asheville, Atlanta, Birmingham, Chapel Hill, Charleston, Nashville, Richmond, and Washington, DC.

Compensation & Benefits

SELC offers salaries competitive with other leading environmental nonprofits nationally and provides an excellent benefits package. The base salary range for this position is $159,800 – $170,900. Actual placement within this range will depend on factors such as relevant experience, education, skills, and internal equity considerations. For more details about our benefits package, please visit our Careers page.

To Apply

To apply, click on the ‘Apply Now’ button below to be directed to an online application where you may upload your application materials. Applicants must submit a cover letter, resume, professional references, and a writing sample.