Clair Leonard

Senior Staff Attorney

clair@coastkeeper.org

Clair is a Senior Staff Attorney at Orange County Coastkeeper, dedicated to protecting the coastal waters and communities she calls home.

Prior to joining Coastkeeper, Clair served as a Deputy Attorney General with the California Department of Justice, where she helped prosecute environmental cases and handled civil defense litigation regarding torts. She earned her Juris Doctor from UC Irvine School of Law in 2022, where she co-led the Environmental Law Society and externed with Earthjustice, Sierra Club, and the Honorable David O. Carter of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. Clair holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with a minor in Mandarin Chinese from New York University (2017).

When she’s not in the office, Clair can be found longboard surfing at Orange County’s beaches, exploring local farmers’ markets for fresh ingredients to cook with, and spending time with her dog, Lottie.