Environmental Lawyers
Overview
Introduction
Environmental lawyers are attorneys who specialize in environmental law, which is composed of federal and state statutes that concern wildlife, endangered species, habitats, public lands, logging and forestry, natural resources, hazardous and toxic wastes, air and water pollution, and other environment-related matters. Environmental lawyers work either for the government or in the private sector and are hired to help bring cases to court to enforce environmental regulations and to alter public and private activities that may be dama...
Quick Facts
Median Salary
Employment Prospects
Minimum Education Level
Experience
Skills
Personality Traits
Earnings
Salaries for lawyers vary depending on the type, size, and location of the organization employing them. As of December 2024, environmental lawyers in the United States averaged $132,377 per year, as reported by ZipRecruiter.com. Salaries ranged from $63,500 to $231,500 or more. In May 2023, the median salary for all lawyers was $145,760, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. Ten percent ea...
Work Environment
Many environmental lawyers work at least 50 to 60 hours per week, and they usually work longer hours that stretch into evenings and weekends when cases are being prepared and tried. Staff lawyers may have more structured hours, while self-employed lawyers may work longer workweeks because of additional administrative responsibilities involved in owning and operating a business.
Lawyers w...
Outlook
Employment for lawyers is expected to grow by 5 percent, about as fast as the average for all careers, through 2033, according to the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL). In the public sector, opportunities will be best at the state and local levels, while employment with federal agencies is expected to experience negligible growth as a result of budget cuts.
More companies will need the serv...
