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Sawyer Traver

@sawyertraver

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Environmental law and energy regulation attorney delivering courtroom-ready counsel.

United Kingdom

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What I'm looking for

I’m looking to apply my environmental and energy regulation experience to matters that need courtroom-ready legal strategy, precise regulatory analysis, and strong writing—while collaborating with technical experts to manage risk and drive practical resolutions.

I’m an environmental law attorney with experience representing state agencies before state and federal courts and regulatory bodies. I’ve focused on complex matters at the intersection of offshore wind development, energy and property law, and environmental enforcement.

As Deputy Attorney General and Assistant Unit Head in the Environmental Unit, I represented DNREC across disputes involving contracts, easements, leases, and memoranda of agreement for land and facility use. I also advised on the legal impact of legislation affecting large load energy users and the preservation of state parkland.

I’ve led work tied to grid optimization and modernization, including representing the State Energy Office before the Public Service Commission. I’ve also supported offshore wind and other coastal uses by representing the State Coastal Management Program in proceedings and discussions involving NOAA.

Before and alongside that role, I built land-use litigation and real property experience as an Associate Attorney at Barnes & Thornburg LLP and through earlier judicial clerkships. I’m motivated by careful legal research, persuasive writing, and collaboration with engineers, scientists, and public agencies to manage legal risk and move matters to resolution.

Experience

Work history, roles, and key accomplishments

Deputy Attorney General

State of Delaware Department of Justice

Apr 2022 - May 2026 (4 years 1 month)

Represented the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) before state and federal courts on offshore wind development, energy and property law, contractual disputes, and environmental enforcement actions. Drafted and reviewed contracts and advised on legislation affecting large-load energy users and state parkland preservation, including coordination to mitigate l

Environmental Law Offshore Wind Policy Contract Drafting Administrative Advocacy Legal Research Risk Mitigation

Legal Fellow

New York University School of Law

Feb 2024 - Apr 2025 (1 year 2 months)

Contributed to environmental legal work, including multistate Attorney General responses to proposed federal environmental regulations and participation in amicus briefs in environmental litigation. Completed training on legal issues including civil rights, plastics pollution, appellate arguments, data center proliferation, and concentrated animal feeding operations.

Environmental Litigation Administrative Law Civil Rights Law Legal Research

Associate Attorney

Barnes & Thornburg

Jun 2021 - Apr 2022 (10 months)

Managed real estate development projects through the land use process, including work involving local land use regulations and procedures. Developed land use litigation experience in Delaware Superior Court, Court of Chancery, and Supreme Court, including motion practice, document review and discovery, and legal research and briefing on property-law issues.

Real Estate Development Litigation Motion Practice Discovery Legal Research Property Law Legal Writing Document Review

Judicial Clerk

Delaware Superior Court

Sep 2017 - Aug 2018 (11 months)

Observed civil and criminal hearings and trials after reviewing and analyzing underlying legal arguments. Conducted research on civil, criminal, and complex commercial litigation matters and prepared legal memoranda.

Legal Research Civil Litigation Criminal Law Commercial Litigation Legal Memoranda Case Analysis Trial Observation

Judicial Intern

Delaware Supreme Court

May 2016 - Aug 2016 (3 months)

Researched corporate, family, and criminal legal matters and prepared memoranda synthesizing appellate arguments before the Court. Supported legal analysis through written summaries focused on appeal issues.

Legal Writing Corporate Law Family Law Criminal Law Case Summaries