Senior Attorney, U.S. Clean Energy

Careers

## Senior Attorney, U.S. Clean Energy

## Location

This position may be based hybrid out of our Washington, D.C. office or remotely in the U.S.

## Program Overview

EDF’sU.S. Legal & Regulatory team engages in strategic regulatory advocacy and litigation toachieveclean and healthy air, drive clean energy progress, andensurea stableclimate for all. Weenvision a world in which people from all backgrounds and experiences feel connected to thepublic health andenvironmental challenges we face,and are engaged in creating durable,equitablesolutions.The U.S. Legal & Regulatory team worksprimarilyout of the Washington, D.C., Boulder, CO offices and remotely.

The U.S. Clean Energyprogramworks toincreasethe speed and scale ofdeployment of clean energy resources in the United Statesin ordertodecarbonize the electric system andenable electrification of vehicles, buildings, and industrywhilemaintainingreliability and affordability. We focus on addressing the barriers thatblock and delaythe construction of clean energy projects and the infrastructure needed to support them, particularly the electric transmission system.The barriers we work to address include insufficientand misdirectedsystemplanning,fundingand financing challenges,inefficientsiting andpermittingprocesses, and biased market structures; as well as efforts to subsidize,prop up, and expand the use offossil fuelgenerationand block the development and integration of clean resources.

## Overall Function

The Senior Attorney,U.S. Clean Energywill leadand supportEDFlegal and regulatoryadvocacyin support ofdecarbonization of the electric system.This primarilycomprisesrepresentingEDF in federal litigationand federal and state regulatory proceedingsregardinglaws, policies, and actionsrelated to clean energy projects and infrastructure, as well as engaginginproceedings related tofederal actions to support or expand the use of fossil fuel generation.This position also supports EDF’s developmentand reviewof legislative and regulatory proposalsregardingclean energy infrastructure, permitting, and other energy policy matters.In addition to formallyrepresentingEDF before administrative agencies and civil courts, thispositionwill alsoengage with externaland internalpartnersto develop strategy, refine policies,generate thought leadership, andleverageexternal communicationstosupport andamplifyclean energy advocacy across the country.

Thispositionwillreport totheDirector & Lead Counsel, U.S. Clean Energyin Legal & Regulatory.

## Key Responsibilities

• Partner with directors and attorneys across the EDF U.S. Region team, and others when applicable, to set and advance project goals,objectives, strategies, and tactics for our clean energy and utility regulatory advocacy.
• Lead the development of briefs,motions,draft litigation filings,and administrative commentsadvocating forrelevant priorities.
• Conduct research and prepare legal analysis and formal and informal written materials, for internal and external audiences, on legal, legislative, and regulatory issues facing US Clean Energy and relevant teams.
• Assess the legal rigor of policy proposals and ensure that EDF priority policies have a robust legal underpinning.
• Participate in advancing EDF Organizational Effectiveness and Culture (OEC) goals in which people from all backgrounds and experiences feel connected, included, and empowered to address the environmental and organizational challenges in alignment with EDF values.
• Collaborate with internal EDF partners to develop and implement effective communication strategies to build public understandingaboutclean energy infrastructure.
• Influence decision makers through legal filings, official comments, and stakeholder engagement.
• Represent EDF at critical external venues, including conferences and hearings.
• Work withoutside counseland co-counselin legal engagements.
• Oversee production of policy-relevant analyses and factual testimony, including by EDF internal experts as well as external consultants.
• Build,growandmaintainrelationships with strategic partners, including environmental justice and community-based organizations.
• Work with various coalitions to achieve strategicobjectives.
• Support fundraising, including contributing to proposals, growing relationships with donors and foundation officers, tracking and reporting progress, and other functions.
• Coordinate and collaborate across EDF and multidisciplinary teams to ensure success and alignment with strategies, goals, andobjectives.
• Mentor junior legal employees, fellows, interns, etc. as applicable.
• Additionalrelevant responsibilities as assigned.
## Qualifications

• 5+ years of relevant professional experience, including at least 3 years of practice directly relevant tofederal litigation and regulatory matters related to energy issues.
• Juris Doctorate from an ABA-accredited law school and an active bar membershiprequired.
• Proficiencywith procedural rules and conventionsof federal courts.
• Experienceengaging with energy and infrastructure regulators, such as the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the Department of Energy, the Department of the Interior, and the Council on Environmental Quality.
• Knowledge ofstatutes and regulationsrelated to energy and infrastructure issues, including the Federal Power Act, the Natural Gas Act, and the National Environmental Policy Act.
• Familiarity with major energyand infrastructure developmentissues and ability to substantively engage therewith.
• Experience interfacing with a range of stakeholders, including community leaders, companies, industry trade associations, and policymakers with the ability to garner consensus between disparate groups.
• Demonstrated experience in regulatory advocacy, litigation, and/or policy development at the state or federal level.
• Excellent oral and written communication, withdemonstratedability to effectively communicate comprehensive subject matterexpertiseand technical and policy findings to colleagues, policymakers, other stakeholders and allies, journalists, and thegeneral public.
• Ability to deploy and integrate science, law, economics, and advocacy tools toinitiateand win positive environmental change.
• Ability to recognize and build on political opportunities for progress.
• Strong presentation, interpersonal, and negotiation skills.
• Strong analytical, research, and problem-solving abilities; attentive to detail, proactive, and highly organized.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team across multiple time zones.
• Demonstrated self-awareness, cultural competency andinclusivity, and ability to work with colleagues and stakeholders across all cultures and backgrounds.
• Commitment to EDF’s mission and values, and to advancing clean air and climate solutions.
• Ability to manage multiple complex projects simultaneously and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability and willingness to travel up to 10% of the time.

Apply now

We offer a strong total rewards package encompassing competitive salary, robust benefits, and professional development opportunities consistent with a modern global organization. We take into account factors such as candidate experience, skills, training, internal team equity and local norms.

Please note that pay ranges are country specific. As a result, the stated currency is not meant be converted into any other currency.

REQ-002221

Pay range

$122,000 - $129,000 USD/Yr.

Type

Fixed Term Contract (Fixed Term)

Locations

Washington DC,
Remote - US Home

Posted

December 16, 2025

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Returning candidate? Log back in

*Put your passion and skills to work, building a vital Earth – for everyone.*

*We’re Environmental Defense Fund, a fast-paced nonprofit with a growing staff of more than 1,000 people in nearly 30 countries. We deliver game-changing solutions that cut pollu...

Careers

## Senior Attorney, U.S. Clean Energy

## Location

This position may be based hybrid out of our Washington, D.C. office or remotely in the U.S.

## Program Overview

EDF’sU.S. Legal & Regulatory team engages in strategic regulatory advocacy and litigation toachieveclean and healthy air, drive clean energy progress, andensurea stableclimate for all. Weenvision a world in which people from all backgrounds and experiences feel connected to thepublic health andenvironmental challenges we face,and are engaged in creating durable,equitablesolutions.The U.S. Legal & Regulatory team worksprimarilyout of the Washington, D.C., Boulder, CO offices and remotely.

The U.S. Clean Energyprogramworks toincreasethe speed and scale ofdeployment of clean energy resources in the United Statesin ordertodecarbonize the electric system andenable electrification of vehicles, buildings, and industrywhilemaintainingreliability and affordability. We focus on addressing the barriers thatblock and delaythe construction of clean energy projects and the infrastructure needed to support them, particularly the electric transmission system.The barriers we work to address include insufficientand misdirectedsystemplanning,fundingand financing challenges,inefficientsiting andpermittingprocesses, and biased market structures; as well as efforts to subsidize,prop up, and expand the use offossil fuelgenerationand block the development and integration of clean resources.

## Overall Function

The Senior Attorney,U.S. Clean Energywill leadand supportEDFlegal and regulatoryadvocacyin support ofdecarbonization of the electric system.This primarilycomprisesrepresentingEDF in federal litigationand federal and state regulatory proceedingsregardinglaws, policies, and actionsrelated to clean energy projects and infrastructure, as well as engaginginproceedings related tofederal actions to support or expand the use of fossil fuel generation.This position also supports EDF’s developmentand reviewof legislative and regulatory proposalsregardingclean energy infrastructure, permitting, and other energy policy matters.In addition to formallyrepresentingEDF before administrative agencies and civil courts, thispositionwill alsoengage with externaland internalpartnersto develop strategy, refine policies,generate thought leadership, andleverageexternal communicationstosupport andamplifyclean energy advocacy across the country.

Thispositionwillreport totheDirector & Lead Counsel, U.S. Clean Energyin Legal & Regulatory.

## Key Responsibilities

• Partner with directors and attorneys across the EDF U.S. Region team, and others when applicable, to set and advance project goals,objectives, strategies, and tactics for our clean energy and utility regulatory advocacy.
• Lead the development of briefs,motions,draft litigation filings,and administrative commentsadvocating forrelevant priorities.
• Conduct research and prepare legal analysis and formal and informal written materials, for internal and external audiences, on legal, legislative, and regulatory issues facing US Clean Energy and relevant teams.
• Assess the legal rigor of policy proposals and ensure that EDF priority policies have a robust legal underpinning.
• Participate in advancing EDF Organizational Effectiveness and Culture (OEC) goals in which people from all backgrounds and experiences feel connected, included, and empowered to address the environmental and organizational challenges in alignment with EDF values.
• Collaborate with internal EDF partners to develop and implement effective communication strategies to build public understandingaboutclean energy infrastructure.
• Influence decision makers through legal filings, official comments, and stakeholder engagement.
• Represent EDF at critical external venues, including conferences and hearings.
• Work withoutside counseland co-counselin legal engagements.
• Oversee production of policy-relevant analyses and factual testimony, including by EDF internal experts as well as external consultants.
• Build,growandmaintainrelationships with strategic partners, including environmental justice and community-based organizations.
• Work with various coalitions to achieve strategicobjectives.
• Support fundraising, including contributing to proposals, growing relationships with donors and foundation officers, tracking and reporting progress, and other functions.
• Coordinate and collaborate across EDF and multidisciplinary teams to ensure success and alignment with strategies, goals, andobjectives.
• Mentor junior legal employees, fellows, interns, etc. as applicable.
• Additionalrelevant responsibilities as assigned.
## Qualifications

• 5+ years of relevant professional experience, including at least 3 years of practice directly relevant tofederal litigation and regulatory matters related to energy issues.
• Juris Doctorate from an ABA-accredited law school and an active bar membershiprequired.
• Proficiencywith procedural rules and conventionsof federal courts.
• Experienceengaging with energy and infrastructure regulators, such as the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the Department of Energy, the Department of the Interior, and the Council on Environmental Quality.
• Knowledge ofstatutes and regulationsrelated to energy and infrastructure issues, including the Federal Power Act, the Natural Gas Act, and the National Environmental Policy Act.
• Familiarity with major energyand infrastructure developmentissues and ability to substantively engage therewith.
• Experience interfacing with a range of stakeholders, including community leaders, companies, industry trade associations, and policymakers with the ability to garner consensus between disparate groups.
• Demonstrated experience in regulatory advocacy, litigation, and/or policy development at the state or federal level.
• Excellent oral and written communication, withdemonstratedability to effectively communicate comprehensive subject matterexpertiseand technical and policy findings to colleagues, policymakers, other stakeholders and allies, journalists, and thegeneral public.
• Ability to deploy and integrate science, law, economics, and advocacy tools toinitiateand win positive environmental change.
• Ability to recognize and build on political opportunities for progress.
• Strong presentation, interpersonal, and negotiation skills.
• Strong analytical, research, and problem-solving abilities; attentive to detail, proactive, and highly organized.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team across multiple time zones.
• Demonstrated self-awareness, cultural competency andinclusivity, and ability to work with colleagues and stakeholders across all cultures and backgrounds.
• Commitment to EDF’s mission and values, and to advancing clean air and climate solutions.
• Ability to manage multiple complex projects simultaneously and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability and willingness to travel up to 10% of the time.

Apply now

We offer a strong total rewards package encompassing competitive salary, robust benefits, and professional development opportunities consistent with a modern global organization. We take into account factors such as candidate experience, skills, training, internal team equity and local norms.

Please note that pay ranges are country specific. As a result, the stated currency is not meant be converted into any other currency.

REQ-002221

Pay range

$122,000 - $129,000 USD/Yr.

Type

Fixed Term Contract (Fixed Term)

Locations

Washington DC,
Remote - US Home

Posted

December 16, 2025

• Share on LinkedIn

• Share on Facebook

• Share on Twitter

• Copy Link

Apply now

Returning candidate? Log back in

*Put your passion and skills to work, building a vital Earth – for everyone.*

*We’re Environmental Defense Fund, a fast-paced nonprofit with a growing staff of more than 1,000 people in nearly 30 countries. We deliver game-changing solutions that cut pollu...