Water and Natural Resources Lawyer

SRP • Tempe, AZ

12d • Hybrid

About The Position

Join us in building a better future for Arizona! SRP is one of the largest public power and water utilities in the U.S. providing electricity to approximately one million customers in the greater metropolitan Phoenix area. Since its founding in 1903, SRP has fostered a culture of stewardship and customer service consistently ranking as an industry leader in customer service according to J.D. Power and named one of Arizona's best employers by Forbes. SRP continues to adapt to its changing business environment by seeking innovative ways to reimagine utility service and the provision of critical resources essential to the life and economy of Arizona. Why Work at SRP At SRP, we foster an inclusive work environment and believe everyone should have a fair chance to work, regardless of who they are. That’s why we value teams with diverse perspectives, experiences, and backgrounds to help SRP deliver on its mission of providing reliable, affordable and sustainable water and power. SRP's success is rooted in our employees' happiness, health, and safety. That's why we offer a comprehensive benefits package to meet the needs of our employees and enhance their well-being. In addition to competitive pay and performance incentives, eligible employees can take advantage of the following benefits: Pension Plan (at no cost to the employee) 401(k) plan with employer matching Available your first day: Medical, vision, dental, and life insurance Over 200+ hours of PTO (includes vacation days, holidays, floating holidays, and sick leave) Parental leave (up to 4 weeks) and adoption assistance Wellness programs (including access to a recreation and fitness facility) Short and long-term disability plans Tuition assistance for both undergraduate and graduate programs 10 Employee Resource Groups for career development, community service, and networking Summary Seeking an attorney to join SRP’s in-house legal team to provide legal advise and guidance on water law, federal reclamation law, public land law, and environmental law that will shape strategic decision-making in the water and power industry. The candidate’s knowledge of federal and state water, natural resources, and environmental laws and regulations, will be key in shaping the company’s policies in light of evolving business needs and industry trends. The candidate should have a demonstrated interest and deep desire to achieve excellence as a water and natural resources lawyer and should be capable of producing high quality analysis on complex legal matters, with additional experience in negotiating and drafting complex agreements. Ability to prioritize and efficiently handle multiple matters and issues simultaneously while keeping management informed is required. Excellent research and verbal and written communication skills are also required.

Requirements

• Arizona bar license or ability to become licensed to practice law in AZ within one year of employment with SRP.
• Completion of a Juris Doctor (JD ) from an accredited institution.

Nice To Haves

• Preferred that the candidate have five or more years of legal experience with solid performance advising clients on water law and natural resources matters including environmental statutes.

Responsibilities

• Provide high quality legal advice and guidance (1) to support SRP’s core water and power functions, including protecting SRP water rights and advising on legal issues related to developing infrastructure projects to meet regional water and power demands, (2) related to water and power law, reclamation law, Indian law, public land law, and environmental and natural resources laws including the National Environmental Policy Act, the Endangered Species Act, and the National Historic Preservation Act.
• Teamwork: Absolute necessity to function well within a team environment comprised of clients from various SRP departments, other in-house lawyers, outside counsel, government relations representatives, technical experts, paralegals, and legal technicians; ability to consistently prioritize providing the highest quality legal advice and written legal products.
• Research complex legal issues and draft written memorandum, summaries, pleadings, agreements, and other legal products.
• Conduct complex negotiations to resolve natural resources conflicts and draft term sheets and settlement agreements to memorialize the resolution.
• Conduct complex negotiations for the use of reclamation project facilities and draft legal agreements to memorialize the terms.
• Develop strong, productive, and effective working relationships with internal clients to gather critical information to analyze and resolve complex legal and policy issues.
• Develop strong, productive, and effective working relationships with internal clients, outside counsel, federal government lawyers and executives, state regulatory agency officials, federal and state elected representative and staff, and other stakeholders.
• Manage and support outside counsel with litigation in state and federal courts related to water and power issues, including Arizona’s general stream adjudications.
• Analyze proposed federal and state legislation for impacts to SRP’s core business functions.
• Prioritize and adjust to changing priorities, to manage multiple tasks concurrently, and to work well under pressure.
• Organize and coordinate work projects with minimal supervision.
• Ability to handle all duties with confidentiality, discretion and good judgment.

Benefits

• Pension Plan (at no cost to the employee)
• 401(k) plan with employer matching
• Medical, vision, dental, and life insurance
• Over 200+ hours of PTO (includes vacation days, holidays, floating holidays, and sick leave)
• Parental leave (up to 4 weeks) and adoption assistance
• Wellness programs (including access to a recreation and fitness facility)
• Short and long-term disability plans
• Tuition assistance for both undergraduate and graduate programs
• 10 Employee Resource Groups for career development, community service, and networking

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree