Environmental Transactional & Regulatory Associate Attorney

Direct Counsel is seeking an Environmental Transactional & Regulatory Associate Attorney to join a sophisticated East Coast–based law firm with a well-established environmental practice.

This is an outstanding opportunity for an associate with 4 years of environmental law experience to join a highly respected team handling environmental transactions, regulatory compliance, permitting, remediation, and enforcement matters. The role offers direct client contact, sophisticated cross-disciplinary work, and meaningful responsibility across transactional and regulatory matters.

Locations

Boston, Massachusetts
Hartford, Connecticut (preferred)
New Haven, Connecticut

Position Overview

The ideal candidate will have demonstrated experience advising clients on complex environmental and regulatory matters, particularly in connection with real estate development, business transactions, financings, and corporate risk management.

This role is ideal for an attorney with strong experience in:

• Environmental due diligence
• Transactional risk allocation
• Regulatory compliance and enforcement
• Permitting and land use approvals
• Site remediation and brownfield redevelopment
• Environmental litigation and administrative proceedings
• Environmental risk mitigation in M&A and real estate deals

The firm offers a hybrid schedule with up to two remote days per week.

Key Responsibilities

• Advise clients on environmental issues in M&A, financings, and real estate transactions
• Conduct and oversee environmental due diligence
• Draft and negotiate environmental provisions, indemnities, and risk allocation mechanisms
• Counsel clients on:
  • Environmental permitting
  • Regulatory compliance
  • Enforcement responses
  • Risk mitigation strategies
• Handle site remediation and brownfield redevelopment matters
• Advise on state and federal environmental regulations across all media
• Represent clients before:
  • State environmental agencies
  • Federal regulatory bodies
  • Local environmental authorities
• Support administrative proceedings, cost recovery disputes, and enforcement matters
• Engage with agencies such as:
  • U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
  • U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
  • Connecticut Siting Council

Qualifications

• J.D. from an accredited law school
• Minimum 4 years of environmental transactional and regulatory experience
• Strong experience with:
  • Environmental transactions
  • Due diligence
  • Permitting
  • Regulatory compliance
  • Site remediation
  • Enforcement matters
• Experience with federal environmental, health, and safety statutes strongly preferred
• Familiarity with:
  • Emerging contaminants
  • Evolving regulatory standards
  • Massachusetts and New York requirements
  • International chemical regulations
• Excellent legal research, writing, and project management skills
• Strong business-oriented judgment and practical problem-solving ability
• Ability to independently manage matters and client relationships
• Connecticut Bar admission required
• Dual admission in New York and/or Massachusetts is a plus

Ideal Candidate

The ideal attorney will be:

• Sophisticated in both transactional and regulatory environmental work
• Comfortable advising on risk in complex business deals
• Skilled at navigating agency interaction and compliance strategy
• Interested in direct client engagement and increasing responsibility
• Practical, detail-oriented, and business-minded
• Looking for a long-term growth platform with partnership potential

Why This Opportunity

This is a compelling opportunity for an environmental associate seeking a hybrid transactional, regulatory, and enforcement practice with meaningful sophistication. The platform is especially attractive for attorneys who want to combine deal support, remediation, permitting, and agency-facing work while building a path toward deeper client ownership and long-term advancement.