Trial Attorney - Wildlife and Marine Resources Section

Energy & Natural Resources Division; Washington, Baltimore (District of Columbia, MD); On-site; USD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

The Wildlife and Marine Resources Section of the Energy & Natural Resources Division seeks attorneys to handle civil defensive matters in federal courts under major wildlife and marine statutes. The role focuses on record-review cases challenging agency actions such as listings, regulations, and dam operations.

The work intersects with public lands, energy production, and national defense missions. Attorneys are expected to manage their dockets with first-chair responsibility, plan strategically

Qualifications

• Strong legal writing
• Analytical and strategic thinking abilities
• Comfortable with federal jurisdiction and civil procedure

Responsibilities

• Manage own docket with first-chair responsibility across all phases of litigation
• Coordinate strategic planning with agency attorneys and staff
• Draft procedural and dispositive motions, handle discovery, negotiate settlements
• Defend emergency motions and examine witnesses, present oral argument
• Counsel client agencies on compliance with statutes within the Section's jurisdiction

Skills

Legal writing

Analytical thinking

Litigation

Oral advocacy

Strategic planning

Job description

The Wildlife and Marine Resources Section litigates civil defensive cases in federal courts across the country under federal wildlife and marine species statutes, including the Endangered Species Act, the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, the Marine Mammal Protection Act, and the Wild and Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act. These are primarily record-review cases challenging agency rulemaking and decisions such as species listing determinations, fishery regulations, and the operation of dams and other federal projects.

The Section' s work intersects with critical federal missions such as public lands management, energy production, and national defense as these missions impact wildlife and marine resources. The Wildlife Section also civilly enforces the Animal Welfare Act, often through emergency motions seeking injunctive relief, and pursues civil forfeitures of seized animals. The Section' s docket is varied, fast-paced, and often involves novel issues and matters of national significance.

WMRS seeks to hire and cultivate talented attorneys and provides its lawyers with regular and meaningful court experience in a variety of jurisdictions on a broad range of issues. Wildlife Section attorneys are expected to manage their own dockets with first-chair responsibility across all phases of litigation, including strategic planning with agency attorneys and staff, drafting procedural and dispositive motions, handling discovery, negotiating settlements, defending emergency motions, examining witnesses, and presenting oral argument. Attorneys in the Section also are expected to counsel client agencies on their compliance with statutes under the Section's jurisdiction. Applicants should possess strong legal writing, analytical, and strategic thinking abilities and should be comfortable with general principles of federal jurisdiction and civil procedure.