Job Title: Senior Associate Attorney – Energy & Utilities
Location: Hybrid - Sacramento, California, United States
Salary: $195,000-$225,000
Skills: Regulatory & Administrative Litigation, Complex Legal Research & Writing, Client Counseling & Stakeholder Management
About the Law Practice / The Opportunity:
Join a leading law practice advising public and private-sector clients on complex energy, utilities, environmental, and natural resources matters. This opportunity offers a driven attorney the chance to work on high-impact regulatory proceedings, energy infrastructure projects, sophisticated contracts, and emerging legal issues shaping California’s energy landscape. As a senior associate, you will take on meaningful client-facing responsibilities while collaborating on challenging matters involving statewide regulatory agencies and industry stakeholders.
Responsibilities:
- Represent clients in regulatory proceedings before the California Public Utilities Commission involving energy, communications, water, and transportation matters.
- Advise clients on regulated utility ratemaking, regulatory compliance, energy market design, procurement obligations, renewable resources, utility asset transactions, and wildfire safety.
- Represent clients before the California Energy Commission, California Independent System Operator, Office of Energy Infrastructure and Safety, and California Air Resources Board.
- Negotiate energy-related agreements, including power purchase agreements and interconnection agreements.
- Advise developers on generation, energy storage, and transmission projects.
- Monitor, identify, and anticipate developments in utilities regulations and changing regulatory requirements.
- Conduct complex legal research and prepare persuasive briefs, pleadings, regulatory filings, memoranda, and client communications.
- Develop trusted client relationships and collaborate effectively with attorneys, technical professionals, regulators, and other stakeholders.
Must-Have Skills:
- 5 to 8 years of experience practicing energy, utilities, environmental, or natural resources law.
- Experience with regulatory and administrative litigation or proceedings.
- Strong knowledge of energy and utilities regulatory frameworks and related legal issues.
- Exceptional legal research, writing, analytical, and advocacy skills.
- Ability to counsel clients and manage relationships with diverse stakeholders.
- Strong interpersonal, communication, organizational, and attention-to-detail skills.
- Self-starter who is prepared to assume meaningful client-facing responsibilities.
- Current, active membership in the California State Bar.
Nice-to-Have Skills:
- Experience appearing before or handling proceedings at the California Public Utilities Commission.
- Experience with energy market design, utility ratemaking, procurement, renewable resources, or wildfire safety matters.
- Knowledge of California energy agencies and regulatory bodies, including the California Energy Commission and California Independent System Operator.
- Experience negotiating power purchase agreements, interconnection agreements, or other energy-related contracts.
- Background advising developers of generation, storage, or transmission projects.
- Distinguished academic record and demonstrated success handling complex, high-stakes matters.