Staff or Senior Attorney
About the role
The Southern Environmental Law Center is seeking a Staff or Senior Attorney focused on energy law and policy in our Charlottesville, Virginia office. This individual will join our Energy team. Practicing attorneys with four or more years of experience will be considered at the Staff Attorney level, and those with nine or more years will be considered at the Senior Attorney level.
Primary Responsibilities
- Represent clients and partners in regulatory proceedings to reduce electric utilities’ reliance on fossil fuels and accelerate the transition to greater use of renewables, efficiency, and battery storage.
- Engage in legislative efforts and initiatives that impact the utility regulation and energy policy in Virginia.
- Collaborate with partners and clients to identify litigation and other opportunities to leverage regulatory work to promote clean energy and energy efficiency in Virginia.
- Collaborate with and cultivate strong relationships with clients, partners, and other stakeholders.
- Provide diligent and professional support on assigned matters, produce high quality work products and work independently to implement program and office work plans.
- Communicate regularly with supervisors and colleagues about the status of projects, while demonstrating excellent communication, interpersonal, and organizational abilities.
Required Qualifications
- Staff Attorney: Minimum of four years of relevant legal practice experience.
- Senior Attorney: Minimum of nine years of relevant legal practice experience.
- Experience practicing before or advising regulatory bodies or litigating before state or federal courts.
- Active license to practice law in Virginia or willingness to seek admission to practice in Virginia.
- Proven ability to handle complex litigation and other legal matters with a high degree of competence, independence, effectiveness, integrity, professionalism, and sound strategic judgment.
- Experience managing and conducting discovery or developing complex administrative records.
- Strong advocacy skills, including excellent writing and oral presentation abilities, with the ability to translate complex legal and technical issues into clear, plain English.
- Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, with an ability to build and maintain effective, collaborative relationships with colleagues, clients, stakeholders, and partners to advance organizational goals. Comfortable speaking in a wide range of settings—inside and outside the courtroom.
- Strong independent initiative and the ability to lead cases or matters in collaboration with a team and meet internal and external deadlines.
Preferred Qualifications
- A background in environmental or energy law, or in litigation, is strongly preferred but not required.
- Commitment to addressing the causes of climate change and advancing clean, sustainable energy resources in the South.
- Experience practicing before or advising state or federal utility regulatory commissions.
- Experience preparing for and participating in regulatory proceedings, including strategy development, working with subject matter experts to prepare filings and/or to deliver live testimony, and engaging in settlement negotiations.
- Legislative experience, including drafting legislation, developing messaging, and opposing harmful bills.
- 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 $107,500 – $130,400 for Staff Attorneys and $159,800 – $170,900 for Senior Attorneys. Actual placement within the applicable 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 button below to be directed to an online application where you may upload your application materials. Applicants must submit a cover letter, resume, writing sample, and professional references. The initial deadline for receipt of complete applications is July 31, 2026. However, applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until the position is filled.