Environmental | Senior Lawyer (California)

Job Description

We are a global law firm with a powerful strategic focus and real momentum. Our industry-focused strategy is seeing us take on pioneering work in places that others have yet to reach. Our shared values define our culture and our workplace. You will find us to be unusually collegial, team-oriented, and ready to innovate. We work seamlessly across practices, offices and around the world. This elimination of boundaries has allowed us to evolve into a law firm that works as hard for its culture as it does for its clients.

Norton Rose Fulbright is seeking an experienced environmental and land use lawyer with at least 8 years of practice experience to join our Environmental & Mass Tort team, with a focus on California-based work. This role will play a key part in supporting the firm’s market-leading Projects group on high-value, complex infrastructure, renewable energy, and power development matters across the state.
 

The ideal candidate will have deep experience with California environmental and land use laws and regulatory agencies, including CEQA, CARB, and regional air and water boards. Familiarity with local permitting and entitlement processes is essential, particularly in jurisdictions with active energy and infrastructure development. The candidate should also be comfortable advising developers, sponsors, and lenders in project finance and M&A transactions involving California-based assets.
 

This is a unique opportunity for a lawyer who thrives at the intersection of law, policy, finance, and innovation—including emerging areas such as carbon markets, distributed energy resources, and energy transition technologies specific to California’s regulatory landscape.

Key Requirements:

Candidates should have at least 8 years of experience with environmental regulatory and local land use programs and demonstrated expertise in the following areas:

• Project and Facility Permitting: Proficiency in securing environmental permits and local/municipal entitlements, including those related to air, water, wetlands, endangered species, underground injection control (UIC), and offshore facilities. Experience with utility-scale renewable energy and power projects is highly valued.

• Environmental Review Processes: Deep understanding of NEPA and state or local equivalent environmental impacts assessment programs, with experience managing environmental reviews, coordinating with consultants and regulatory agencies, and supporting project development timelines.

• Contaminated Site Management: Familiarity with site assessment and remediation under CERCLA, RCRA, and relevant state waste management and remediation programs, particularly as it relates to real estate and project development risk.

• Transactional Due Diligence & Environmental Risk Allocation: Significant experience supporting project finance and M&A transactions, including conducting diligence, drafting and negotiating environmental terms in financing and purchase agreements, and advising on environmental representations, warranties, indemnities, and compliance covenants.

• Lender and Sponsor Coordination: Ability to work seamlessly with project finance counsel, developers, and lenders on environmental issues that impact bankability, including permitting status, compliance assessments, and risk mitigation strategies.
   

Additional Qualifications:

• Experience reviewing and analyzing third-party environmental reports (e.g., Phase I/II ESAs, biological assessments, wetlands delineations, cultural resource surveys).

• Familiarity with title and survey review as it relates to environmental conditions, use restrictions, and institutional lender requirements.

• Knowledge of land use law, the Endangered Species Act (ESA), habitat conservation planning, and state Public Utilities Commission processes.

• Experience with carbon markets, carbon capture and storage (CCS), and broader energy transition technologies.

• Exposure to cross-border energy or infrastructure projects and international environmental compliance frameworks is a plus.

Top 5 Reasons to Join Norton Rose Fulbright

We’re committed to your professional and personal growth. Here’s what sets us apart:

1. Well-Being & Inclusion

Thrive in a workplace that values a people-first culture, work-life balance, and overall well-being. Enjoy:

• Carrot Fertility: Inclusive family-forming benefits for all full-time employees.

• Vacation Award: Earn a $2,500 vacation stipend after meeting billable thresholds.

• Wellness Perks: Free Peloton app membership, Lyra mental health support (8 free therapy or coaching sessions), and Spot Pet Insurance for