Senior Attorney, Clean Energy

POSITION SUMMARY:

Western Resource Advocates (WRA) is hiring a Senior Attorney to join our Clean Energy Team. The Senior Attorney, Clean Energy, will represent WRA across the region in state-level administrative proceedings, as well as state and federal litigation as necessary.  The Senior Attorney will independently manage a docket of complex regulatory litigation in multiple states, primarily before state electric utility regulatory agencies, with minimal direct oversight. The Senior Attorney will also identify opportunities to advance WRA’s policy goals in various regulatory proceedings and executes actions to secure those outcomes. This position will start on or after January 6, 2025.

About Western Resource Advocates

WRA fights climate change and its impacts to sustain the environment, economy, and people of the West. We respect the different needs of diverse people and partner with them to develop a shared vision for progress—one that advances communities while protecting biodiversity.

Our team of policy experts, scientists, economists, and attorneys has a 30-year history of working where decisions are made, sweating the details, creating evidence-based solutions, and holding decision makers accountable. This on the ground work with policymakers and other advocates advances clean energy, protects air, land, water, and wildlife—and sustains the lives and livelihoods of the West.

LOCATION:

This position may work remotely in one of the states in which the Clean Energy Program is active (Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming), in one of our six offices, or a hybrid of the two. WRA has offices located in Boulder and Denver, CO; Carson City, NV; Phoenix, AZ; Salt Lake City, UT; and Santa Fe, NM.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

LEGAL ADVOCACY

• Represent WRA in state and regional level utility regulatory and planning proceedings, courts, legislative bodies, and other forums with limited direction or guidance.
• Provide counsel and strategic advice regarding state and federal energy regulation, climate policy, and administrative law with limited direction or supervision.
• Independently develop and execute legal strategies to achieve WRA’s policy objectives.
• Prepare discovery, pleadings, briefs, oral argument, cross-examination, and testimony for regulatory proceedings with limited direction or supervision.
• Negotiate and draft complex settlement agreements.
• Identify and create opportunities to advance WRA’s conservation policy goals.
• Advise and work collaboratively with technical program staff serving as expert witnesses.
• Work directly with the region’s electric and gas utilities, state and municipal governments, consumer groups, the environmental community, and other stakeholders to advance policies aimed at accelerating a clean energy transition.
• Provide legal and strategic advice on non-regulatory matters as needed with limited direction or supervision.

RELATIONSHIP BUILDING AND OUTREACH

• Build relationships and work with representatives of regulated utilities, regulators, consumer advocates, clean energy and environmental advocates, state government agencies, and other gas and electric industry stakeholders to advance the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
• Effectively engage in coalitions of diverse partners to achieve results.

INTERNAL COORDINATION/OTHER

• Assist with grant proposals and reports.
• Coordinate with other WRA policy teams to execute a common set of strategic priorities.
• Collaborate with WRA’s policy, Government Affairs, and Communications staff to craft outreach strategies and messaging that accurately and persuasively convey WRA’s positions to stakeholders and decision makers.

QUALIFICATIONS & COMPETENCIES

Any equivalent combination of education, training, and experience, which provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the essential functions of this position, will be considered.  For example, the requisite experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities would include:

Minimum Qualifications

• Juris Doctor degree from an ABA-accredited law school, and licensed to practice law in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Nevada, Arizona, or Nevada.
• At least 6 years of relevant litigation experience, including experience with cross examination of witnesses.
• Ability to work independently and with autonomy, knowing when to seek input and guidance from supervisor.
• Ability to manage a deadline-driven docket of relevant court, regulatory, and legislative proceedings across multiple states.
• Extensive background in environmental, energy, or other types of administrative law and a strong understanding of current issues in energy regulation and policy.
• Excellent ability to develop and maintain relationships and successfully engage in building broad-based coalitions to advance our goals.
• Ability to work closely with technical experts to develop and execute case strategies.
• Exceptional analytical skills.
• Superior oral and written communication skills with the ability to influence policymakers, partners, and other stakeholders on complex subjects.
• Commitment to WRA’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion goals.

The candidate should also possess at least two of the following additional qualifications:

• Experience independently managing a deadline-driven docket of complex regulatory litigation, with minimal supervision.
• Significant experience as a litigator in state public utility regulatory proceedings.
• Expertise with air quality law, regional or national electric markets, or climate policy.
• Existing relationships with key energy stakeholders or policymakers in the Interior West.

WORKING ENVIRONMENT AND PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Some travel is required.

TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS:

Travel to meetings, conferences, proceedings, and other work-related events is required within the relevant state. This is in addition to travel required for retreats, and other internal organizational meetings within WRA’s region.  Given the regional nature of this position, travel may be up to 20% depending on the location of work and caseload.

SALARY AND BENEFITS

The salary range is $86,500-$121,000 annually; salary depends on relevant experience and new staff rarely start at the top of the range. WRA’s excellent benefits package includes a 401(k) retirement plan with up to 5% matching and health, dental, vision, and life & disability insurance with 100% of premiums paid by WRA. Annually, staff receive seventeen days paid vacation leave to start, twelve paid sick days, one paid volunteer day, twelve paid holidays, and WRA is closed for Winter Break between Christmas Day and New Year’s Day for additional paid time off. Employees are eligible for up to twelve weeks of parental leave, and after five years, staff are eligible for up to twelve weeks of paid sabbatical leave. Position is full-time exempt.