Molly Barker is an associate at the firm’s Seattle office. She is a member of the environment, land and natural resources practice group. Molly’s practices focuses on environmental regulatory compliance, contaminated sites, renewable energy permitting and development, and natural resource issues.
Molly’s energy experience ranges from permitting matters in front of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and state power siting boards, to preparing solar power purchase agreements for clients working to reduce their overall carbon footprint. She regularly works with timber and agribusiness clients on conservation efforts and natural resource issues. She also advises during the environmental due diligence period on a variety of mergers and acquisitions.
Prior to joining the firm, Molly served as an associate at an environmental and energy law firm where she focused her practice on environmental, real estate, energy, natural resources and land use law. She worked with public and private clients to conduct due diligence for permitting energy projects, obtain regulatory closure for contaminated sites, bring business operations into environmental regulatory compliance, sell or purchase contaminated properties, and evaluate land use issues arising out of development projects.
Molly’s environmental background includes matters involving the Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act, the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act, the Toxic Substances Control Act, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, Endangered Species Act, Marine Mammal Protection Act, Rivers and Harbors Act, Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, National Environmental Policy Act, Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, and a variety of local land use codes and state laws. Having also previously served as a judicial law clerk for four judges at the trial court level, she has touched on nearly every type of legal issue that makes its way through the state superior court system.
- Rising Star in Super Lawyers and Washington Law & Politics Magazine, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017.
- Top Women Attorneys in Washington, Washington Law & Politics Magazine, 2017
- Washington State Bar Association Environmental and Land Use Section: Executive Committee Member (Fall 2019 – Fall 2022); Member (2015 – Present)
- Clean Tech Alliance: Government Affairs Committee Member (2019 – Present)
- Seattle Chapter - Women of Renewable Industry and Sustainable Energy (WRISE): VP of External Affairs (2019 - Present); Member (2018 – Present)
- Northwest Environmental Business Council: Olympic Chapter Committee Member (2017 – Present)
- Women in Environment: Member (2015 - Present)
- KCBA Environmental and Land Use Law Section: Section Chair (2016-17); Communications Chair (2015-16); Member (2015 – Present)
- Washington Women Lawyers: Professional Development VP (2017-18); Membership VP (2016-17); Publicity VP (2014-16)
- Friends of Waterfront Seattle: Member of Founding Ambassador Team (2014-15)
- Co-Moderator, “Just Energy” Women in Renewable Industries and Sustainable Energy Seattle Chapter’s Annual Event (March 23, 24, 25, 2021)
- Co-Presenter, “Prospective Purchaser Agreements for Brownfields Transactions: A Practitioner’s Comparison of Washington and Oregon” King County Bar Association Environmental and Land Use Section’s Lunch CLE, Seattle, WA (June 27, 2019)
- Moderator, “An Update on PFAS: Understanding the Scope of the Challenge and Developing a Solution,” Northwest Environmental Business Council’s PFAS Workshop, Seattle, WA (May 7, 2019)
- Moderator, “Changing the Energy Landscape: How Renewables and Storage are Taking Over the Grid,” Northwest Environmental and Business Council's Energy Workshop, “Powering Our Future: Insight into the Growth of Renewables,” Seattle, WA (June 7, 2018)
- Emcee, “Cleaning Up Water, Air And Dirt: Litigation And Policy Updates,” King County Bar Association’s Environmental And Land Use Section's Half Day Cle, Seattle, Wa (June 8, 2017)
- Author, “Supreme Court Decides Virginia Uranium, Inc. v. Warren: Rejects Preemption Challenge to Virginia’s Moratorium on Mining Uranium Ore on Nonfederal Land,” Marten Law Newsletter (July 15, 2019)
- Author, “The Big Zero: Washington’s Clean Energy Transition Act and the State’s Big Shift to Zero Emissions,” NWLawyer Magazine (July/August 2019)
- Co-Author, “West Coast States and Cities Sprint Ahead with Decarbonization Legislation,” American Bar Association Section on Environment, Energy, and Resources, Renewable, Alternative, and Distributed Energy Resources Newsletter (August 7, 2019)
