I posted on LinkedIn a few weeks ago about the 4 paths into climate work based on interviews with 10 climate lawyers.
But after a few more discussions recently, I’ve seen that there’s a 5th path that might be even more powerful.
Here are the updated paths:
1. The “Transfer Your Skills” Path
You don’t need to start over.
You don’t need a new degree.
You take what you already do… and apply it in a climate context.
Real estate → renewable energy
Construction → sustainable development
Corporate → ESG
Same skills. Different clients.
2. The “Pro Bono → Practice Area” Path
This is how a lot of climate careers start.
You take on one pro bono matter.
Then another.
Then suddenly… it’s part of your practice.
No permission required.
3. The “Self-Education + Signal” Path
Most people stop at “learn.”
The ones who move forward signal.
They write.
They post.
They engage publicly.
And that visibility turns into conversations…
which turn into opportunities.
4. The “Build Your Own Role” Path
No job posting? Good.
That just means you have to be more creative.
Pitch the work.
Expand your scope.
Create something new.
Yes, it’s uncomfortable.
That’s kind of the point.
**5. The “Curiosity” Path
We often frame climate as something that you need to break into.
But what if you could just follow your curiosity…
And still reach your destination.
No big transition.
Just steady pursuit of passion and curiosity.
Looking for opportunities to find work that matters to you.
Same destination.
Very different ways of getting there.
What most aligns with you? Come join the discussion on Linkedin!
Hi! I’m Matthew Karmel, founder of the planetary lawyer project and Chair of the Environmental and Sustainability Law Group at Offit Kurman. (Any views expressed are my own. Nothing here is legal advice.)
I started my career as an associate with a single pro bono climate client and am now the head of a cutting edge climate-focused practice group at a full-service AMLaw 200 law firm.
I started this newsletter to help you build your own climate-friendly legal career by sharing hard-won lessons from my own career, short interviews with other climate-focused lawyers, legal developments, and relevant job opportunities.
This week’s issue is sponsored by Green Pro Bono, a nonprofit that matches lawyers with climate-related pro bono work. There are such a wide range of opportunities for lawyers that want to have an impact to collaborate with Green Pro Bono. Click here to get involved and start doing pro bono climate work.
Now, look no further for insights on all things climate, as well as resources from our sponsors!
Trump’s EPA vows to fight ‘forever chemicals’ by loosening regulations
New Zealand Moves to Ban Tort Liability for GHGs and Climate Damage
Have a lead on a job opening? Share it here.
Did you miss an issue? Want to see all the current job postings? Check out our job board here!
Lateral Hub powers this week’s private practice opportunities! Lateral Hub is the online lateral job board for where top-tier large, midsize, and boutique law firms publish openings so you can browse and apply directly - it’s free to use, no account required.
You can even get SMS job alerts from Lateral Hub tailored to your practice area and location.
Project Development Associate. Latham & Watkins. Houston, TX. Experience: Not specified. Salary: $225,000 - $435,000.
Partner or Of Counsel – Energy & Utilities. Downey Brand. Multiple Locations. Experience: Not specified. Salary: $300,000 – $800,000.
Associate, Energy & Infrastructure. Orrick. Multiple Locations. Experience: 2+ yrs. Salary range: $260,000 – $435,000.
Associate, Energy & Infrastructure (M&A). Orrick. Multiple US Locations. Experience: 2+ yrs. Salary range: $260,000 – $435,000.
Associate, Environmental Transactional. Proskauer. New York. Experience: 2-4 yrs. Salary range: $215,000- 415,000.
Junior/Mid-Level Associate, Environmental. Proskauer. New York. Experience: 2-4 yrs. Salary range: $215,000- 415,000.
Project Attorney, Transactions. Orrick. Wheeling, WV. Experience: 2-6 yrs. Salary: $90,000 - $135,000.
Energy & Infrastructure Associate. Orrick. Multiple Locations. Experience: 2-9 yrs. Salary: $240,000 - $435,000.
Energy, Transportation & Infrastructure Associate. Sidley. Multiple Locations. Experience: 3+ yrs. Salary: $310,000 - $445,000.
Energy & Infrastructure Finance Associate. Sidley. Multiple Locations. Experience: 3+ yrs. Salary: $310,000 - $445,000.
Environmental Associate. Robinson+Cole. Multiple Locations. Experience: 3-5 yrs. Salary: $195,000 - $210,000.
Energy Project Finance Associate. Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP. Multiple Locations. Experience: 3-5 yrs. Salary: $260,000-$365,000.
Associate, Land Use. Cox Castle. San Francisco. Experience: 3-5 yrs. Salary Range: $220,000 - $260,000.
Data Centers + Digital Infrastructure. MoFo. Multiple Locations. Experience: 3-6 yrs. Salary: $260,000 - $390,000.
Projects Associate (M&A/Dev). Norton Rose Fulbright. Multiple Locations. Experience: 3-6 yrs. Salary $260,000- $420,000.
Energy and Infrastructure - Offtake/PPA Associate. Orrick. Multiple Locations. Experience. 3-9 yrs. Salary: $260,000 - $435,000.
Energy Regulatory Associate. Husch Blackwell. Austin, TX. Experience: 4-6 yrs. Salary: Not specified.
Energy Transactional Project Development Associate. Troutman Pepper Locke. Multiple Locations. Experience 4-7 yrs. Salary: $295,000 - $370,000.
Energy and Infrastructure Midlevel Associate. Morgan Lewis. Multiple Locations. Experience: 4-5 yrs. Salary: $225,000 - $435,000.
Renewable Energy Tax Credit Associate. Husch Blackwell. Multiple Locations. Experience: 4-6 yrs. Salary: $215,000 - 265,000 (depending on location).
Energy & Climate Solutions Associate. Wilson Sonsini. Multiple Locations. Experience: 4-8 yrs. Salary: $310,000 - $435,000.
Energy & Climate Solutions/Tax Associate. Wilson Sonsini. Multiple Locations. Experience: 6+ yrs. Salary: $390,000 – $435,000.
Environmental Attorney. FBT Gibbons. Newark, NJ. Experience: 6+ yrs. Salary: $195,000-$210,000.
Senior Environmental Attorney. Allen Matkins. Multiple Locations. Experience: 7-10 yrs. Salary range: $315,000-345,000.
Corporate Counsel. Caterpillar. Multiple Locations. Experience: Not Specified. Salary: $139,050-$208,570.
Senior Commercial Counsel, Aerospace. Woodward. Chicago, IL (Hybrid). Experience: Not Specified. Salary: $113,000-$181,000.
Legal Counsel-Commercial Contracts. Phoenix Tailings. Washington, DC. Experience: Not Specified. Salary: $130,000-$180,000 total cash compensation plus equity.
Corporate Counsel. QuantumScape. San Jose, CA. Experience: 2 yrs. Salary: Not Specified.
Counsel. SB Energy DevCo (US) Inc. Multiple Locations (Hybrid). Experience: 2 yrs. Salary: $140,000-$170,000.
Associate General Counsel. Apex Clean Energy. Charlottesville, VA (Remote considered). Experience: 2 yrs. Salary: Not Specified.
Principal Project Finance Attorney. NextEra Energy. Multiple Locations. Experience: 2 yrs. Salary: Not Specified.
Legal Counsel/Volljurist, Erneuerbare Energien (m/w/d). Pacifico Energy Partners. Munich, BY, DE. Experience: 3 yrs. Salary: Not Specified.
Patent Agent. Invaio. Durham, NC (Remote). Experience: 3 yrs. Salary: $108,000 - $149,000.
Permitting Manager. Renewable Properties. United States. Experience: 3 yrs. Salary: Not Specified.
Director, Corporate and Securities Counsel. Solid Power. Thornton, CO. Experience: 3 yrs. Salary: $200,000 - $240,000.
Corporate Counsel. Scout Clean Energy. Denver, CO (Hybrid). Experience: 3 yrs. Salary: $130,000-$170,000.
Counsel. Rayonier. Atlanta, GA. Experience: 3 yrs. Salary: Not Specified.
Counsel, Mergers & Acquisitions. Xylem. Charlotte, NC. Experience: 3 yrs. Salary: Not Specified.
Regulatory Counsel. Summit Utilities. Multiple Locations (Hybrid). Experience: 3 yrs. Salary: Not Specified.
Sr Counsel. Energy Transfer Family of Partnerships. Wilmington, DE (Hybrid). Experience: 3 yrs. Salary: Not Specified.
Director, Legal Counsel, Corporate & Securities. Crusoe. Denver, CO. Experience: 4 yrs. Salary: $204,000 -$255,000.
Corporate Counsel - Energy. Tract Capital Management. Multiple Locations. Experience: 4 yrs. Salary: $300,000-$375,000 plus bonus.
Senior Corporate Counsel / Associate General Counsel. Targa. Houston, TX. Experience: 4 yrs. Salary: Not Specified.
Sr Labor Attorney. NextEra Energy. Juno Beach, FL. Experience: 5 yrs. Salary: Not Specified.
Patent Counsel. Climeworks. Multiple Locations (Hybrid). Experience: 5 yrs. Salary: Not Specified.
Senior Counsel. SB Energy DevCo (US) Inc. Multiple Locations (Remote). Experience: 5 yrs. Salary: $160,000-$200,000.
Assistant General Counsel, Commercial. Invenergy. Chicago, IL. Experience: 5 yrs. Salary: $180,000-$216,000.
Assistant General Counsel, Real Estate. Invenergy. Multiple Locations. Experience: 5 yrs. Salary: $180,000-$216,000.
Contracts Counsel. Last Energy. Austin, TX. Washington, DC. Experience: 5 yrs. Salary: Not Specified.
Environmental Attorney. ExxonMobil. Houston, TX. Experience: 5 yrs. Salary: Not Specified.
General Counsel. BIOFerm. Madison, WI. Experience: 5 yrs. Salary: Not Specified.
Lead Counsel, Ford Energy. Ford. Multiple Locations (Hybrid). Experience: 5 yrs. Salary: Not Specified.
Legal Counsel - Energy and Water. Texas Instruments. Dallas, TX. Experience: 5 yrs. Salary: Not Specified.
Product Counsel. FlexGen. Multiple Locations (Hybrid/Remote). Experience: 5 yrs. Salary: Not Specified.
Senior Counsel, Commercial and Business Development. HF Sinclair. Dallas, TX. Experience: 5 yrs. Salary: Not Specified.
Senior Counsel, Environmental. Eversource. Multiple Locations (Hybrid). Experience: 5 yrs. Salary: $176,930-$196,590.
Senior Counsel, Real Estate, Siting, and Land Use. Eversource Energy. Multiple Locations (Hybrid). Experience: 5 yrs. Salary: $176,930-$196,590.
Sr Project Finance Attorney. NextEra Energy. Multiple Locations. Experience: 5 yrs. Salary: Not Specified.
Assistant General Counsel I. RWE Clean Energy. Chicago, IL. Austin, Texas. Experience: 6 yrs. Salary: $190,000-$225,000.
Senior Regulatory Counsel. IGS Energy.Remote. Experience: 6 yrs. Salary: $110,850-$177,360.
Corporate Counsel, Commercial Contracts. Nextpower. Nashville, TN. Experience: 7 yrs. Salary: Not Specified.
Director, Insurance Risk. Cypress Creek Renewables. Multiple Locations. Experience: 7 yrs. Salary: $170,000 to $200,000.
Senior Director - Corporate Counsel, Energy. Digital Realty. Multiple Locations. Experience: 7 yrs. Salary: $240,000-$260,000 annually.
Assistant General Counsel: Impact Finance - Energy. U.S. Bank National Association. Boston, MA. Experience: 8 yrs. Salary: $170,255-$200,300.
Assistant General Counsel: Impact Finance - Tax Credit Syndications. U.S. Bank National Association. Charlotte, NC (Hybrid). Experience: 8 yrs. Salary: $170,255-$200,300.
Environmental Regulatory Counsel. 3M. Multiple Locations (Remote). Experience: 8 yrs. Salary: $221,591-$270,834.
General Counsel. magniX. Seattle, WA. Experience: 8 yrs. Salary: $180k-$240k.
Senior Counsel - (Commercial). SoCalGas. Los Angeles, CA. Experience: 8 yrs. Salary: $173,500.00 - $305,500.00.
Sr. Litigation Counsel, Employment Law. Sunrun. San Francisco, CA. Experience: 8 yrs. Salary: $217,477.41-$289,969.87.
Associate General Counsel - Energy. Rowan Digital Infrastructure. Denver, CO (Hybrid). Experience: 10 yrs. Salary: $190-$230.
Assistant General Counsel, Tennessee. BWX Technologies, Inc. (BWXT). Multiple Locations. Experience: 10 yrs. Salary: $207,000-$271,000.
Director and Assistant General Counsel, ERM, Environmental Compliance. 3M. Multiple Locations (Remote). Experience: 10 yrs. Salary: $250,253-$305,864.
Director, Talent Engagement. Origis Energy. Zürich, ZH, CH (Remote). Experience: 10 yrs. Salary: Not Specified.
General Counsel. Gotion, Inc. Fremont, CA. Experience: 10 yrs. Salary: $200,000-$300,000.
General Counsel. Partner Engineering and Science. Asbury Park, NJ. Experience: 10 yrs. Salary: $275,000-$325,000.
Lead Assistant General Counsel. Xcel Energy. Santa Fe, NM. Experience: 10 yrs. Salary: $240,000-$278,000.
Managing Tax Counsel. NextEra Energy. Juno Beach, FL. Experience: 10 yrs. Salary: Not Specified.
Senior Corporate Counsel. esVolta. Multiple Locations (Remote). Experience: 10 yrs. Salary:$215,000.00.
Senior Environmental Permitting Manager. Apex Clean Energy. Charlottesville, VA. Experience: 10 yrs. Salary: Not Specified.
Senior Legal Counsel, Cloud GTM. Crusoe. San Francisco, CA (Hybrid). Experience: 10 yrs. Salary: $254,000 -$299,000.
Vice President Legal. Omnidian. Seattle, WA (Remote). Experience: 10 yrs. Salary: $200,000-$250,000.
Corporate Counsel. United States Steel Corporation. Pittsburgh, PA. Experience: 10 yrs. Salary: $166,000.00- 203,500/yr
Deputy General Counsel, Litigation. Enovix. San Francisco, CA. Experience: 15 yrs. Salary: $200,000-$350,000.
Assistant Attorney General - Conservation. State of Oklahoma. Multiple Locations. Experience: Not Specified. Salary: Commensurate with experience and qualifications.
Senior Assistant Attorney General. State of Wyoming. Cheyenne, WY. Experience: Not Specified. Salary: $5,054.39 - $11,446.9.
Student Assistant - Counsel’s Office. Department of Agriculture & Markets - New York State. Albany, NY (Hybrid). Experience: Not Specified. Salary: Not Specified.
Assistant General Counsel. Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Boston, MA (Hybrid). Experience: Not Specified. Salary: $62,904.51 - $75,000.00.
Legal Fellow. Riverkeeper. Ossining, NY (Hybrid). Experience: Entry Level. Salary: $60,000-$70,000.
Assistant Counsel, NS-25. Department of Public Service - New York State. Albany, NY. Experience: 2 yrs. Salary: Not Specified.
Coordinator, Conservation Law. Defenders of Wildlife. Washington, DC. Experience: 2 yrs. Salary: $28.85-$31.25/hour.
Counsel Job. Energy Northwest. Richland, WA. Experience: 2 yrs. Salary: $122,681-$243,412.
Electricity and Wildfire Policy Legal Fellow. Stanford University. Stanford, CA (Hybrid). Experience: 2 yrs. Salary: $85,376-$99,581.
PUCT, Attorney (Attorney II - IV). State of Texas. Austin, TX. Experience: 2 yrs. Salary: $7,350.00 - $10,938.00 (Monthly).
Assistant Attorney General. State of North Carolina. North Carolina. Experience: 3 yrs. Salary: $91,249-$103,184.
Attorney III (PST) - Oklahoma Corporation Commission. State of Oklahoma. Oklahoma City, OK. Experience: 3 yrs. Salary: $85,000.
Oceans Staff Attorney. Center for Biological Diversity. Multiple Locations (Remote). Experience: 3 yrs. Salary: $72,500-$89,500.
Associate General Counsel. RTD. Blake Street. Experience: 4 yrs. Salary: $118,265-$167,050.25.
Senior Attorney - Real Estate. South Florida Water Management District. West Palm Beach, FL. Experience: 4 yrs. Salary: Not Specified.
Staff Attorney. Trustees for Alaska. Anchorage, AK (Hybrid). Experience: 4 yrs. Salary: $82,000-98,000.
Land Advocacy Director. Save Mount Diablo. Walnut Creek, CA. Experience: 5 yrs. Salary: $125,000-$135,000.
Special Deputy Attorney General. State of North Carolina. North Carolina. Experience: 5 yrs. Salary: $120,642.
Senior Deputy General Counsel (3 positions). Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. Los Angeles, CA (Hybrid). Experience: 7 yrs. Salary: Not Specified.
Principal Attorney I (Power, Transmission, & Regulatory). New York Power Authority. New York, NY. Experience: 8 yrs. Salary: $179,000-$224,000.
Deputy General Counsel. NY Green Bank. Albany, NY. Experience: 10 yrs. Salary: $156,757 to $197,170.
Principal Legal Counsel and Department Manager. Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission. Portland, OR (Hybrid). Experience: 10 yrs. Salary: $156k to $180k.
Vice President, Species Conservation & Coexistence. Defenders. Multiple Locations (Hybrid/Remote). Experience: 15 yrs. Salary: $165,000-$185,000.
✉️ Reach out! Ask a question, send some kudos, whatever. We love hearing from you!
💼 Sign up for our career coaching wait list. Get 1:1 support on your climate journey.
🌎 Share this newsletter! The best thing you can do is turn someone else onto climate work.
Comments
Nothing yet. Say the first thing.
Sign in to join the conversation.