Areas of Expertise: Litigation, National Environmental Policy Act, Endangered Species Act, FOIA

Ellen Medlin Richmond advocates to protect imperiled species and their habitat across the West.

Ellen came to Defenders in 2021 with over a decade of experience, including seven years as a litigator in private practice. At Defenders, Ellen has built a practice making strategic use of administrative law to protect species and habitat, including through litigation and regulatory advocacy. For example, she is working to secure the future of iconic western wildlife such as the Canada lynx, gray wolf, and rare montane fox species. Ellen is an experienced first-chair trial lawyer and has handled every aspect of complex civil litigation, from case development through appeal. 

While in private practice, Ellen maintained a vibrant environmental pro bono docket. Among other matters, she litigated multiple FOIA cases against the U.S. Department of Interior for Sierra Club and advocated to strengthen California’s restrictions on lead in ammunition for Ventana Wildlife Society, a condor protection group. Ellen also handled a full criminal trial docket during a secondment to the San Francisco Public Defender’s Office and received a California Lawyer Attorney of the Year (CLAY) award in 2018 for a pro bono appellate victory that expanded access to jury trials for millions of tenants facing eviction. She began her litigation career as an associate attorney with the Sierra Club Environmental Law Program.

Ellen clerked for the Honorable Raymond C. Fisher on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. She holds a J.D. from Stanford Law School, an M.S. from the Stanford Interdisciplinary Program on Environment and Resources, and a B.A. from Brown University. 

Although still very fond of her native North Carolina, Ellen loves the West with the fervor of a convert. She spends her time outside work learning more about native plants and birds with her husband and two young daughters.