Staff Attorney – Air Team

The Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC) is accepting applications for a Staff Attorney position based in either our Charleston, South Carolina or Charlottesville, Virginia office. The Staff Attorney will join our regional Air Team and report to the office’s Managing Director. This position is open to attorneys with at least three years of practice experience and offers a flexible start date. Applications are due by December 4, 2026. Applicants should indicate whether they are interested in the Charleston office, Charlottesville office, or both.  

This is an excellent opportunity to join a highly successful, nationally recognized organization that is effectively addressing some of the most pressing and challenging environmental issues throughout the South and the nation. 

This is a full-time, exempt position. SELC has a hybrid work model that offers employees flexibility to work remotely up to two days per week. The selected candidate must reside in South Carolina or Virginia, depending on their office location. Relocation reimbursement is available for those moving to join us. 

About the Position 

Protecting the South’s air quality is essential to the health and well-being of our communities. This includes holding power plants and other industrial facilities accountable for illegal pollution that worsens asthma and other health problems, challenging proposals that would increase harmful emissions, and pushing for strong safeguards as data centers and other energy-intensive industries expand. We also work to ensure that air quality standards protect people across the region and that communities have a meaningful voice in decisions that affect the air they breathe. 

This attorney will play a critical role in advancing SELC’s Air Program objectives through litigation and legal advocacy. The position will focus on projects and cases to advance, implement, and enforce clean air protections at the local, state, regional, and national levels. The ideal candidate is an experienced lawyer capable of carrying substantial litigation responsibility and solving complex problems, with the advice and oversight of Senior Attorneys and management. 

Primary Responsibilities 

• Provide excellent advocacy with superior written work product and oral presentation.  
• Exercise independent initiative, identifying cases and advocacy opportunities and diligently implementing strategies that produce meaningful results.  
• Litigate cases as part of litigation teams in state and federal courts, including oral advocacy, conducting legal research, drafting briefs and pleadings, preparing witnesses, developing factual records, discovery practice, and coordinating with clients and counsel.  
• Advocate in administrative proceedings by researching and drafting comments, coordinating coalition partners, and speaking at public meetings.  
• Develop practice experience across SELC’s advocacy tools (litigation, lobbying, administrative advocacy, press and public communications).  
• Cultivate strong relationships with SELC’s clients, partners and external stakeholders.  
• Earn a positive reputation with decision makers and clients as a capable attorney and valued partner with significant expertise.  
• Develop and maintain expertise in the Clean Air Act, related state and federal air quality laws and legal frameworks; develop strategies to implement program objectives.  
• Support SELC’s collegial and collaborative approach.  
• Carry internal responsibility as part of the office, program teams, administration and development.  
• Manage multidisciplinary projects, including developing and implementing work plans involving SELC’s communications and geospatial teams as well as consulting experts.  
• Communicate clearly and simply about litigation and program work with SELC’s communications, development and marketing teams.  
• Mentor junior attorneys and staff. 

Qualifications 

• Juris Doctorate degree and three or more years of post-law school practice experience. 
• An active license to practice law, or willingness to seek admission to practice, in the state where hired.  
• Strong commitment to SELC’s mission.  
• Ability to handle litigation with a high degree of competence, effectiveness, integrity, professionalism, and sound strategic judgment.  
• Excellent advocacy skills with superior written work product and oral presentation.   
• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, with an ability to build and maintain effective, collaborative relationships with clients, stakeholders, and environmental partners to advance organizational goals.   
• Strong work ethic and sense of initiative, with demonstrated ability to meet internal and external deadlines and support SELC’s collegial and collaborative approach in all interactions.   
• Intellectual curiosity and a learning and growth mindset. 
• Ability to manage multiple assignments, communicate effectively with colleagues, and incorporate feedback.   
• Ability and willingness to travel periodically to SELC offices and other locations as needed. 
• A genuineinterest in and commitment to helping SELC create and fosteran equitableand inclusive workplace thatwelcomes people from acrossthe rich racial and cultural diversity of our region.   

About SELC 

The Southern Environmental Law Center is one of the nation’s most powerful defenders of the environment, rooted in the South. With a long track record, SELC takes on the toughest environmental challenges in court, in government, and in our communities to protect our region’s air, water, climate, wildlife, lands, and people. Nonprofit and nonpartisan, the organization has a staff of 250, including more than 160 legal and policy experts and advocates. Headquartered in Charlottesville, VA, SELC has offices in Asheville, Atlanta, Birmingham, Chapel Hill, Charleston, Nashville, Richmond, and Washington, DC. 

At our core, we are place-based, rooted in our region, and connected with the communities and clients we serve. We believe in an equitable and inclusive workplace that welcomes people from across the rich racial and cultural diversity of our region and values diverse perspectives. We approach our work with the highest level of integrity, holding ourselves to high standards with an emphasis on honesty, accountability, and thoughtfulness. We value collaboration and camaraderie, realizing we are strongest when we work together and knowing that everyone has a critical role to play. We strive for impact through a strategic, bold, pragmatic, and ambitious outlook that is dedicated to achieving powerful results. We believe in these values and in the power of SELC. We hope you consider joining us. Learn more at www.selc.org.  

Compensation & Benefits 

SELC offers salaries competitive with other leading environmental nonprofits nationally and provides an excellent benefits package. The base salary range for this position is $107,500 to $130,400. Placement within this range will depend on factors such as relevant experience, education, skills, and internal equity. 

SELC is a Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) eligible employer. 

SELC will also provide relocation reimbursement for those relocating for a SELC position, up to a specific dollar amount and contingent on the move being at least 50 miles from the current primary address. 

For more details about our benefits package, please visit our Careers page. 

To Apply 

To apply, click on the ‘Apply Now’ button below to complete the online application. Applicants must submit a cover letter and resume and indicate in their cover letter whether they are applying for the Charleston office, the Charlottesville office, or both.   

For full consideration, applicants should submit all required materials through the online application portal by December 4, 2026. However, applications will continue to be accepted on a rolling basis until both positions are filled.   

SELC is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to fostering an inclusive workplace environment. We are eager to welcome new team members who share this commitment. Qualified individuals of all backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply.