Former DOJ Deputy Assistant Attorney General Seth Barsky Joins Bracewell's Environment, Lands and Resources Department

Washington, D.C.–(Newsfile Corp. – September 22, 2025) – Bracewell LLP announced today that Seth M. Barsky has joined the firm’s environment, lands and resources department as a partner in the Washington, DC office. Barsky joins after a distinguished career with the US Department of Justice (DOJ), where he served for over three decades and held senior roles within the Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD), most recently as Deputy Assistant Attorney General (DAAG).

“We are thrilled to welcome Seth to the firm,” said Bracewell Managing Partner Gregory M. Bopp. “Seth joins a highly regarded Bracewell practice adding unparalleled insights from his decades with the DOJ across multiple administrations.”

As a member of the Department of Justice’s ENRD senior leadership team overseeing 450 attorneys, Barsky supervised the Wildlife and Marine Resources Section (WMRS), Environmental Defense Section (EDS) and Environmental Crimes Section (ECS). He was responsible for civil enforcement, criminal prosecution and defensive litigation under federal environment and natural resources law, which often involved significant constitutional and administrative law issues.

“Having managed hundreds of federal attorneys and overseen cases that set national precedent, Seth knows how agencies think and act,” said Jason B. Hutt, chair of Bracewell’s environment, lands and resources department. “Seth can spot regulatory pressure points early on and help companies structure operations to stay ahead of potential issues.”

Barsky is widely recognized as one of the nation’s leading authorities on species protection laws, such as the Endangered Species Act and the Marine Mammal Protection Act. His expertise extends to matters related to the Clean Air Act (CAA); Clean Water Act (CWA); Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA); National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA); and the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). He also has deep experience in administrative law and litigation, including overseeing the defense of challenges to numerous high-profile rulemakings and supervising the litigation that culminated in the Supreme Court’s watershed decision in Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo (2024).

At Bracewell, Barsky will advise clients on federal environmental and natural resources law, including permitting, regulatory counseling and litigation, and interagency policy coordination.

“Seth’s arrival reflects the continued growth of Bracewell’s Washington, DC office and our commitment to serving clients at the intersection of law and policy,” said Mark K. Lewis, managing partner of Bracewell’s Washington, DC office. “Seth’s experience enhances our ability to provide companies with practical, government-facing advice on complex regulatory and enforcement matters from the nation’s capital.”

“Successful companies understand and work with regulators. They monitor agency priorities and incentives, and build strategies that support business growth,” said Barsky. “After three decades of working in the public sector, I chose Bracewell because it has the regulatory depth and litigation firepower to help clients get ahead of trends rather than reacting after it’s too late.”

Barsky originally joined ENRD in 1990, serving as a trial attorney and senior attorney in EDS, where he litigated cases under the major federal pollution control statutes. He moved to WMRS in 1999 to become an Assistant Section Chief before serving as the Section Chief from 2011 to 2022, conducting civil litigation in federal courts brought under federal wildlife and marine resource statutes.

Barsky is the second partner to join Bracewell’s environment, lands and resources department this month, following the arrival last week of Shailesh “Shai” Sahay.

Barsky received his J.D. from the University of Pennsylvania Law School in 1990 and earned his B.A. in Biological Basis of Behavior from the University of Pennsylvania in 1986. He also has served as an adjunct law professor teaching courses in Natural Resources Law and Administrative Law at the University of Michigan Law School; Washington College of Law, American University; and Columbus School of Law, Catholic University of America.

Seth M. Barsky, Bracewell LLP, Partner

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/9451/267308_ebade18ff45be994_001full.jpg

About Bracewell LLP

Bracewell is a leading law and government relations firm primarily serving the energy, infrastructure, finance and technology industries throughout the world. Our industry focus results in comprehensive state-of-the-art knowledge of the commercial, legal and governmental challenges faced by our clients and enables us to provide innovative solutions to facilitate transactions and resolve disputes.

###

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/267308