Senior Litigation Counsel for Climate (AG)

Senior Litigation Counsel for Climate (AG) The Rhode Island Office of the Attorney General is seeking a litigator with extensive state and federal court experience to help lead the Office's Environment and Energy Unit. The Senior Litigation Counsel will be focused on developing and prosecuting the Office's climate strategy and addressing co-occurring environmental harms across regulatory, administrative, and judicial modalities. Rhode Island has passed a number of innovative climate laws, including the 2021 Act on Climate, and its geography ensures that climate is at the forefront of securing a just future for all Rhode Islanders. This position provides a unique opportunity to utilize the Office's legal tools to fight for climate adaptation, mitigation, and resiliency and to enable the green energy future while centering environmental justice principles to ensure an equitable transition. Responsibilities For this position, a Special Assistant Attorney General will be responsible for developing, leading, and supporting litigation and other initiatives in support of achieving and enforcing 2021 Act on Climate greenhouse gas reduction mandates and in the many state and other regulatory proceedings stemming from a transition to green energy. The SAAG will identify appropriate novel areas of investigation, identify local, national, and regional trends, lead investigations of potential cases, conduct pre‑trial litigation, negotiation, written and oral argument, trial work, and appeals. Responsibilities also include close work with community advocates, outside counsel, and other Attorney General offices on multistate litigation in broad civil areas including environmental law, administrative law, energy regulation, mass tort, tort, and land use. The applicant will carry a full civil litigation caseload as first chair, draft, file, and argue motions and legal memoranda, and litigate in state and federal court. Qualifications The successful applicant must have a law degree from an accredited law school and be an active member in good standing of the bar of any jurisdiction. If not a member of the Rhode Island Bar, the candidate must be eligible for admission to the Rhode Island bar and prepared to sit for the bar exam or obtain admission through score transfer. At least 10 years of litigation experience is preferred but not mandatory. Candidates must have strong written and oral advocacy and negotiating skills and possess the capacity to function in a sometimes‑high‑stress, demanding environment. Extensive experience in both state and federal court is preferred. While experience specific to environmental law may be helpful, candidates with the relevant litigation background and a demonstrated interest in the issues presented by climate change are encouraged to apply. Benefits For information regarding the benefits available to State of Rhode Island employees, please visit the Office of Employee Benefits website at Also, be advised that a new provision in RI General Law 35‑6‑1 was enacted requiring direct deposit for all employees. All new hires after September 30, 2014 must participate in the direct deposit system. Equal Opportunity Employer The Attorney General’s Office is stronger, more credible, and more capable when its attorneys bring diverse backgrounds, cultures, and perspectives to their work. The Office encourages all qualified applicants from all ethnic and racial backgrounds, veterans, LGBTQ individuals, and persons with disabilities to apply. All qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, disability, or covered veteran status. #J-18808-Ljbffr AgHires