Office of General Counsel Attorney Recruitment

The Difference You Will Make
 

Are you interested in using your education and experience to protect the environment? If so, DEP is an unmatched place to work. DEP’s Office of General Counsel assists DEP and the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund in executing Florida’s environmental priorities, such as restoring America’s Everglades; improving air quality; restoring and protecting water quality in Florida’s springs, lakes, rivers and coastal waters; conserving environmentally sensitive lands; and providing residents and visitors with varied recreational opportunities. Working on these environmental priorities provides a meaningful and exciting work experience for the attorneys, interns and support team within the Office of General Counsel.

The Work You Will Do
 

The Office of General Counsel is staffed with litigation and trial attorneys, transactional and real estate attorneys, program attorneys, and a support staff of paralegals and administrative professionals.

The litigation and trial attorneys litigate cases from inception through trial in both civil and administrative proceedings. Their work ranges from providing general legal counsel; to reviewing documents; to drafting pleadings, motions, and settlement documents; to conducting depositions, mediations, hearings, and trials. The litigation and trial attorneys work with agency staff in multiple DEP program areas throughout the State on a daily basis.

The program attorneys handle complex legal issues for the various DEP offices and programs. Their work ranges from interpreting and applying rules, statutes, and case law related to an array of matters involving permit issuance/denial, compliance and enforcement activities, public records, interagency relationships, bill analyses, pending legislation, and rulemaking. The program attorneys maintain a close relationship with their program staff in Tallahassee and the District Offices throughout the State.

The real estate attorneys assist in the acquisition and management of conservation and non-conservation land owned by the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund by reviewing title standards and other transactional documents. They also provide general legal counsel related to real property matters involving Florida State Parks, Florida Forever Land Acquisition and Conservation Program, various land acquisition and restoration grants, and real property matters that arise in DEP's many regulatory programs. The Office of General Counsel also has a team of non-real estate transactional attorneys and support staff who assist and advise the agency on grant, contract, and procurement matters.

The Office of General Counsel’s support staff is heavily relied on by the attorneys and DEP on the whole. Their duties range from reviewing, clerking, filing, tracking, and managing documents; to scheduling meetings, hearings, and other important engagements; to assisting in the preparation of public record disclosures and privilege logs, trial notebooks, rulemaking packages, and real estate closing packages.
 

The Benefits You Will Enjoy
 

Attorneys and support staff receive a monthly salary and periodic merit pay increases based upon performance.  Attorneys are members of the State's Select Exempt Service System and Support Staff are members of the State’s Career Service System.  Both systems offer generous benefits, including:

• Comprehensive health insurance that includes both HMO and PPO options
• Life insurance with accidental death and dismemberment benefits
• Supplemental Dental, Vision, Life, Disability and Hospitalization insurance 
• Sick leave, vacation leave and paid holidays
• Membership into the Florida Retirement System (https://www.myfrs.com/)
• A positive work environment comprised of dedicated professionals and public servants

DEP Employees also receive free admission to all of Florida's award winning state parks.

Interested?

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Internship Program
 

OGC offers two internship positions each semester in Tallahassee. Interns will work with all sections of OGC, which affords them the opportunity to gain a well-rounded experience in the environmental law field under the supervision of knowledgeable and experienced attorneys. These positions can be for credit if approved through your law school and are generally eligible for pro-bono hours. Applications for internships are accepted on a rolling basis. For more information about internship opportunities within OGC please contact our internship coordinator at: OGC.Intern.Admin@dep.state.fl.us.