Environmental and Land Use Attorney

What Does an Environmental and Land Use Attorney Do?

 

• This practice area deals with federal, state, and local laws and regulations that pertain to the earth and its natural resources.
• Environmental and land use lawyers address the way people and industries such as commercial and residential building developers, industrial and manufacturing companies, and conservationists utilize the land and its resources.
• Attorneys who practice in this area provide legal advice on matters such as air and water quality, pollution, oil spills, emissions, pesticides, asbestos, wetlands, waste, toxins, hazardous substances, environmental cleanup, landfills, zoning laws, and the protection of animals and their habitats.
• Environmental and land use lawyers also provide advice on matters that arise under federal laws such as the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, National Environmental Quality Act, Endangered Species Act, Marine Mammal Act, and Migratory Bird Act, as well as similar state laws.
• They also help prepare environmental impact statements.
• Attorneys in this practice group may represent public interest groups with environmental concerns, or they may represent large companies being sued or challenged for development projects (or they may counsel these companies).
• Environmental attorneys are typically involved when there are large real estate or project development deals that could affect the environment.
• This can also be a fairly emotional practice area because nature, fish, animals, homes, and businesses can be impacted.

Why Do Environmental and Land Use Attorneys Enjoy Their Jobs?
 

• Attorneys who enjoy fighting to protect the environment often enjoy this practice area a great deal because they feel they are accomplishing something.
• Attorneys defending large corporations often also enjoy the work and can bill massive hours to the companies they are representing.
• Much of the information is also scientific and attorneys who enjoy science also are attracted to environmental law.

What Are the Difficulties of Being an Environmental and Land Use Attorney?
 

• Among those suing companies on behalf of public interest groups, the work can be exhausting and demoralizing because the attorneys are often outgunned by huge law firms representing massive corporations that win most of the time.
• Regarding defending and counseling companies, attorneys face the same stresses as litigators.
• This has been a slow and dying practice area since the early 1990s, and there are not a lot of opportunities on the defense and counseling side anymore.
• The work for one client can often keep attorneys inside of a law firm busy for years.
• When these sorts of cases are over, the attorneys inside the law firm are often left with nothing to do and need to find new jobs.

How Easy Is It to Move Laterally as an Environmental and Land Use Attorney?
 

• This has typically been a dying practice area and very difficult for attorneys to lateral into, or get into the inside of law firms.
• There was a time when this was a booming practice area in the late 1970s through the 1980s, but the work that drove this boom has largely gone away.
• Very few large law firms do significant work here anymore, and the practice area is a difficult one for attorneys.
• There are not a lot of opportunities to lateral into major law firms and have not been for some time.
• There are some pockets of success in major law firms, but these tend to be small pockets of attorneys in these firms and these attorneys are often concerned about their futures.
• From a lateral perspective, when there are opportunities there are often only a few attorneys who are qualified for them.
• This can make getting these jobs less difficult for a qualified candidate than it could be in other practice areas.
• Notwithstanding, there are far more attorneys who would like to practice environmental law than there are attorneys that can find jobs inside of law firms doing the work.
• This is an exceptionally difficult practice area to get into, stay employed in, and lateral in.

See the current Environmental and Land Use job openings we are recruiting for here: Environmental and Land Use Attorney Jobs

• A Senior Contract Environmental Attorney from the Midwest Moves Gets Multiple Interviews in Seattle and Accepts a Position With a Top Law Firm
• Senior Attorney in a Niche Environmental Practice Group Looking for a New Position

About Harrison Barnes

No legal recruiter in the United States has placed more attorneys at top law firms across every practice area than Harrison Barnes. His unmatched expertise, industry connections, and proven placement strategies have made him the most influential legal career advisor for attorneys seeking success in Big Law, elite boutiques, mid-sized firms, small firms, firms in the largest and smallest markets, and in over 350 separate practice areas.

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Most legal recruiters focus only on placing attorneys in large markets or specific practice areas, but Harrison places attorneys at all levels, in all practice areas, and in all locations-from the most prestigious firms in New York, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C., to small and mid-sized firms in rural markets. Every week, he successfully places attorneys not only in high-demand practice areas like corporate and litigation but also in niche and less commonly recruited areas such as:

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This breadth of placements is unheard of in the legal recruiting industry and is a testament to his extraordinary ability to connect attorneys with the right firms, regardless of market size or practice area.

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With over 25 years of experience, Harrison has successfully placed attorneys at over 1,000 law firms, including:

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He has also placed hundreds of law firm partners and has worked on firm and practice area mergers, helping law firms strategically grow their teams.

Unmatched Commitment to Attorney Success - The Story of BCG Attorney Search

Harrison Barnes is not just the most effective legal recruiter in the country, he is also the founder of BCG Attorney Search, a recruiting powerhouse that has helped thousands of attorneys transform their careers. His vision for BCG goes beyond just job placement; it is built on a mission to provide attorneys with opportunities they would never have access to otherwise. Unlike traditional recruiting firms, BCG Attorney Search operates as a career partner, not just a placement service. The firm's unparalleled resources, including a team of over 150 employees, enable it to offer customized job searches, direct outreach to firms, and market intelligence that no other legal recruiting service provides. Attorneys working with Harrison and BCG gain access to hidden opportunities, real-time insights on firm hiring trends, and guidance from a team that truly understands the legal market. You can read more about how BCG Attorney Search revolutionizes legal recruiting here: The Story of BCG Attorney Search and What We Do for You.

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Harrison's legal career insights are the most widely followed in the profession.

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If you are serious about advancing your legal career and want access to the most sought-after law firm opportunities, Harrison Barnes is the most powerful recruiter to have on your side.

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With an unmatched track record of success, a vast team of over 150 dedicated employees, and a reach into every market and practice area, Harrison Barnes is the recruiter who makes career transformations happen and has the talent and resources behind him to make this happen.

A Relentless Commitment to Attorney Success

Unlike most recruiters who work with only a narrow subset of attorneys, Harrison Barnes works with lawyers at all stages of their careers, from junior associates to senior partners, in every practice area imaginable. His placements are not limited to only those with "elite" credentials-he has helped thousands of attorneys, including those who thought it was impossible to move firms, find their next great opportunity.

Harrison's work is backed by a team of over 150 professionals who work around the clock to uncover hidden job opportunities at law firms across the country. His team:

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A Legal Recruiter Who Changes Lives

Harrison believes that every attorney-no matter their background, law school, or previous experience-has the potential to find success in the right law firm environment. Many attorneys come to him feeling stuck in their careers, underpaid, or unsure of their next steps. Through his unique ability to identify the right opportunities, he helps attorneys transform their careers in ways they never thought possible.

He has worked with:

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For attorneys who think their options are limited, Harrison Barnes has proven time and time again that opportunities exist-often in places they never expected.

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If you want to explore new career opportunities, Harrison Barnes and BCG Attorney Search are your best resources. Whether you are looking for a BigLaw position, a boutique firm, or a move to a better work environment, Harrison's expertise will help you take control of your future.

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Harrison's reach, experience, and proven results make him the best legal recruiter in the industry. Don't settle for an average recruiter-work with the one who has changed the careers of thousands of attorneys and can do the same for you.

About BCG Attorney Search

BCG Attorney Search matches attorneys and law firms with unparalleled expertise and drive, while achieving results. Known globally for its success in locating and placing attorneys in law firms of all sizes, BCG Attorney Search has placed thousands of attorneys in law firms in thousands of different law firms around the country. Unlike other legal placement firms, BCG Attorney Search brings massive resources of over 150 employees to its placement efforts locating positions and opportunities its competitors simply cannot. Every legal recruiter at BCG Attorney Search is a former successful attorney who attended a top law school, worked in top law firms and brought massive drive and commitment to their work. BCG Attorney Search legal recruiters take your legal career seriously and understand attorneys. For more information, please visit www.BCGSearch.com.