Senior Assistant Attorney General, Environment Section

DHRM • Richmond, VA

7d • Onsite

About The Position

This position provides high-quality legal services, including advice and litigation, to the Commonwealth’s natural resources agencies. The role ensures these agencies operate within the laws of the Commonwealth and enforces environmental laws broadly. The Senior Assistant Attorney General will serve as lead counsel in environmental matters before administrative and judicial forums, handling all aspects of litigation. This includes identifying issues, analyzing positions, conducting discovery, working with experts, examining witnesses, presenting opening and closing statements, and preparing briefs and other legal pleadings. The position also serves as the primary legal advisor to the Commonwealth’s natural resources agencies, boards, and authorities, analyzing and advising on statutory and regulatory authority. Additionally, the role involves monitoring, identifying, and analyzing state and federal developments in environmental regulatory areas, staying informed on industry and regulatory trends through various sources, and performing bill reviews during General Assembly sessions.

Requirements

• Ability to quickly and effectively gain an understanding of complex legal matters and factual scenarios applicable to the Commonwealth’s natural resources agencies including the agencies’ substantive law and regulations; the Virginia Administrative Process Act, Virginia Freedom of Information Act, and Conflicts of Interest Act;
• Knowledge of state and federal court rules for civil litigation, state and federal rules of evidence, and state administrative law rules and procedures;
• Ability to represent complex legal and political interests while simultaneously building consensus and seeking favorable resolution of conflict;
• Knowledge of legal research procedures;
• Knowledge of the preparation of briefs and presentation of arguments for cases before state and federal courts;
• Ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing;
• Ability to quickly assimilate oral and written data, to analyze facts, and draw logical conclusions;
• Ability to express legal interpretations or conclusions of law clearly and logically in oral and written form;
• Ability to maintain organized records;
• Ability to coordinate and function as a lead attorney or counsel in highly complex cases and transactions;
• Ability to organize work, establish priorities, and maintain good interpersonal relations and communications with other attorneys and support staff as well as effective working relationships with government officials, opposing counsel, and the general public;
• Computer literacy to include proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, NetDocuments, LawBase, Adobe Acrobat DC, Google Earth, and Google Maps.
• Member in good standing of the Virginia State Bar.

Nice To Haves

• Admission to the bars for the U.S. District Courts for the Eastern and Western Districts of Virginia, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.

Responsibilities

• Ensure the Commonwealth’s natural resources agencies are operating within the confines of the laws of the Commonwealth, while also enforcing environmental laws broadly.
• Serve as lead counsel in environmental matters before administrative and judicial forums. This includes all aspects of litigation, including identifying issues, analyzing positions, conducting discovery, working with retained experts/consultants, witness examination and opening and closing statements at hearings, and preparation of briefs and other written legal pleadings.
• Serve as primary legal adviser to the Commonwealth’s natural resources agencies, boards, and authorities; analyze and advise on statutory and regulatory authority.
• Monitor, identify, and analyze state and federal developments in environmental regulatory areas. This includes staying informed on industry and regulatory developments and trends, through news reports, trade press, attendance at meetings and conferences of state, regional, and national groups and associations, and review of environmental regulatory issuances.
• Perform bill reviews during sessions of the General Assembly.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: No Education Listed