As climate risk, sustainability mandates, and environmental regulation continue to surge, the legal profession faces a pivotal shift. The “Environmental Law Jobs Forecast 2025–2030” provides a rigorous look at how demand, compensation, and specialization will evolve over the next half-decade. This forecast is essential reading for law students, mid-career attorneys, and firms positioning themselves for the green transition.
Key Highlights & Market Dynamics
Executive Summary
The forecast opens with striking data: the global number of climate litigation cases has surged to 2,967 by 2025.
60% of AmLaw 100 firms have already expanded their environmental or sustainability practices.
The average U.S. environmental lawyer salary is pegged at $132,377.
Annual growth of environmental law positions is projected around 4%.
Drivers of Growth
Regulatory Expansion: New disclosures (e.g. SEC climate rules), state-level environmental statutes, and stricter enforcement drive legal demand.
Corporate ESG Push: Investors, stakeholders, and consumers increasingly demand transparency, forcing companies to lean on legal counsel for compliance, reporting, and risk mitigation.
Climate Litigation: Suits targeting greenhouse gas emissions, adaptation failures, and climate-related harms are rising sharply.
Energy Transition & Infrastructure: Projects in renewables, carbon capture, and clean energy require complex permitting, land use, and regulatory navigation.
Compensation & Salary Trends
The forecast suggests 6–8% annual growth in compensation for environmental lawyers through 2030 — outpacing many general legal practice areas.
Salary ranges show wide dispersion: from the 25th percentile at ~$94,000 to the 90th percentile exceeding $220,000.
Regional & Practice Area Opportunities
West Coast (especially California) leads in regulatory activity, renewable energy deployment, and “green” legislation.
East Coast (NY, D.C.) remains a hub for federal regulation, ESG compliance, and financial-sector-related environmental counsel.
Emerging markets such as Texas and Colorado are becoming hotspots due to infrastructure investment and energy sector transitions.
Hot practice verticals include climate litigation, ESG compliance, renewable energy project development, and environmental risk assessment.
Employer Landscape
Law firms: BigLaw firms like Latham & Watkins and boutique environmental practices (e.g. Beveridge & Diamond) are actively hiring climate litigators and regulatory experts.
Public interest organizations: Groups such as Earthjustice and NRDC offer careers in advocacy, policy, and litigation.
Federal agencies: The EPA, DOJ’s Environment Division, and the DOE’s Office of General Counsel are key destinations for environmental legal work.
Implications for Legal Professionals & Job Seekers
What Lawyers Should Focus On
Develop deep technical and regulatory expertise
Position yourself in growth sectors and locations
Build a network in the environmental space
Curate relevant experiences early
Forecasted Trajectory (2025–2030)
| Metric | Forecast / Estimate |
|---|---|
| Annual position growth | ~ 4% per year |
| New environmental law roles | 15,000+ across all sectors by 2030 |
| Salary growth | 6–8% annual increase |
| Practice integration | Environmental issues become embedded across M&A, litigation, corporate practice |
| Compensation dispersion | Wide disparity depending on geography, firm size, and specialization |
Why This Forecast Matters
Environmental law is central to energy, finance, real estate, and corporate governance.
Firms must invest in training, hiring, and practice development to stay competitive.
Law students and attorneys can leverage these insights to make informed career choices.
Policymakers and corporations need to scale legal capacity to manage climate compliance and risk.
Final Thoughts
The “Environmental Law Jobs Forecast 2025–2030” underscores a transformative moment for legal professionals. Climate change, regulatory pressure, ESG scrutiny, and clean energy infrastructure are converging to make environmental law one of the fastest-growing, most dynamic legal domains. Those who anticipate and prepare — through specialized skills, strategic positioning, and engagement — will be well poised to shape law, policy, and corporate responsibility in the years ahead.
