Nathan Hotes

Litigation Fellow |

Environment & Natural Resources

Nathan Hotes is a litigation fellow for Pacific Legal Foundation’s Environment and Natural Resources Group, where he works with PLF’s attorneys to defend individual liberty from government overreach and abuse.

Nathan’s interest in the liberty movement began while pursuing his undergraduate American Studies degree at Christopher Newport University. Classes on constitutional history, foundational American philosophy, and the failures of socialism helped him see law as an avenue to protect individual liberty, create a more efficient government, and form a better future.

In law school at the Antonin Scalia School of Law at George Mason University, Nathan continued with educational opportunities toward this goal. He participated in both the Free Speech Clinic and Administrative Law Clinic and was an articles editor for the Civil Rights Law Journal, which also produced his first legal publication, a piece on Penn Central takings. Nathan became involved in the liberty movement, and remains involved, through the Federalist Society, Fund for American Studies, and Students for Liberty.

Professionally, Nathan has worked primarily in the cross-section between law and policy. In addition to working as a law clerk for Pacific Legal Foundation, Nathan has spent time at the Republican National Committee, with the American Council of Trustees and Alumni, and in multiple positions at the local government level in Virginia. He most recently worked as a law clerk in the 15th Judicial Circuit of Virginia, where he drafted judicial opinions and gained insight into the process of litigation.

Nathan is barred in the State of Virginia. During his free time, he enjoys spending time with his wife and their cat, playing chess, reading about history, and hiking.