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 Texas-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 strong experience with Texas environmental and land use laws and regulatory bodies, including the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), Railroad Commission of Texas (RRC), and local permitting authorities. Familiarity with state and municipal entitlement processes is essential, especially in regions with active energy, petrochemical, and infrastructure development. The candidate should also be comfortable advising developers, sponsors, and lenders in project finance and M&A transactions involving Texas-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 capture, hydrogen, and other energy transition technologies advancing in Texas.
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.
Norton Rose Fulbright US LLP is committed to providing employees with a comprehensive and competitive benefits package that supports you, your health, and your family. Benefit packages include access to three medical plans, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance. Employees can also access pre-tax benefits such as health savings and flexible spending accounts. Norton Rose Fulbright helps provide financial security by allowing employees to participate in a 401(k) savings plan and profit-sharing plans if eligible. Full- time employees are eligible to access fertility benefits designed to support fertility and family-forming journeys.
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