Updated for 2026

Environmental Attorney
Resume Example

A regulatory-focused resume for environmental lawyers. Show compliance programs, enforcement outcomes, and permitting experience.

ATS Score
88
Excellent
Keywords · Impact · Format
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Leah Sorensen

Denver, CO  |  [email protected]  |  (555) 273-8491  |  linkedin.com/in/leahsorensen
Summary

Environmental attorney with 8 years of experience advising industrial and energy clients on regulatory compliance, enforcement defense, and permitting under EPA and state environmental programs. Resolved $32M in enforcement exposure and secured 40+ environmental permits. Experienced in Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, RCRA, and CERCLA matters.

Technical Skills
Environmental Law: Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, RCRA, CERCLA, NEPA, ESA
Regulatory: EPA Compliance, State DEQ Programs, Permitting, Environmental Impact Assessments
Litigation: Enforcement Defense, Citizen Suits, Administrative Hearings, Consent Decrees
Tools: Westlaw, LexisNexis, EPA ECHO Database, Envirofacts, GIS Mapping
Experience
Senior Environmental Attorney - Summit Environmental Law
  • Defended 20+ EPA and state enforcement actions with aggregate exposure of $32M, achieving an average 75% penalty reduction
  • Secured 40+ environmental permits for energy and manufacturing clients, including 8 complex Title V air permits
  • Negotiated 6 consent decrees with EPA and state agencies, reducing compliance timelines by an average of 18 months
  • Advised 15 industrial facilities on RCRA hazardous waste compliance, maintaining zero violations across 3 annual audit cycles
Environmental Associate - Greenfield & Associates LLP
  • Conducted environmental due diligence for 25 real estate and M&A transactions, identifying $8M in potential remediation liabilities
  • Prepared 30+ NEPA environmental assessments for infrastructure projects with a 100% agency approval rate
  • Represented 10 clients in Clean Water Act permitting proceedings, securing all permits within regulatory deadlines
  • Drafted 50+ comment letters on proposed EPA rulemakings, successfully influencing 4 final rule provisions
Education
J.D. - University of Colorado Law School
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Why This Resume Works

1
Enforcement exposure quantified

$32M in enforcement exposure with 75% penalty reduction proves high-stakes defense skill.

2
Specific statutes named

Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, RCRA, CERCLA are exact keywords environmental law employers search for.

3
Permitting volume shows regulatory expertise

40+ permits including complex Title V applications demonstrate deep regulatory knowledge.

Section-by-Section Breakdown

Summary

Lead with enforcement exposure and permitting volume. Name the specific environmental statutes you practice under.

Skills

List every environmental statute by name. Include both federal (EPA) and state program experience.

Experience

Quantify penalties avoided, permits secured, and compliance audit results. Environmental law is metric-friendly.

Education

J.D. required. Environmental law LLM, environmental science background, or relevant certifications add value.

Key Skills for Environmental Attorney Resumes

Based on analysis of thousands of job postings, these are the most frequently required skills:

Environmental Law Clean Air Act Clean Water Act RCRA CERCLA NEPA EPA Compliance Environmental Permitting Enforcement Defense Consent Decrees Environmental Due Diligence Title V Permits Administrative Hearings Hazardous Waste Westlaw Environmental Impact Assessment

Common Mistakes on Environmental Attorney Resumes

  • Not naming environmental statutes - Clean Air Act, RCRA, CERCLA are must-have keywords. Generic 'environmental compliance' gets filtered out.
  • Missing penalty reduction metrics - Enforcement defense is about dollars saved. Include exposure amounts and reduction percentages.
  • Ignoring permitting experience - Permits are a core deliverable. Show volume, complexity, and approval timelines.
  • No due diligence metrics - Environmental due diligence for transactions is valuable work. Quantify deals reviewed and liabilities identified.
  • Hiding science or technical background - Environmental science, geology, or engineering backgrounds are competitive advantages. Feature them.

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