Associate General Counsel | Renewable Energy Power Producer

Posted 08 July 2022
Salary $DOE
LocationUnited States of America
Job type Permanent
Discipline Renewable Energy & InfrastructureEnergy, ESG & Green Tech Finance
ReferenceRCLI-3JUL
Contact NameRory Chandler

Job description

​Our client, a growing renewable energy power producer, is looking for an Associate General Counsel to join the existing legal team.

The firm are a well-established Renewable Energy Power Producer, with an extensive development pipeline throughout the US.The operating portfolio includes battery storage, hydro, solar and hybrid projects, with the current dev pipeline at over 1000MW (mix of solar, battery and offshore wind).

The firm were recently successful in the NY offshore lease auction so this is truly a rare opportunity to join a collaborative, lean team of industry experts who are truly at the forefront of the US energy transition. This individual will support the development and operation for one of the first offshore wind projects in the US.

Position Purpose:

Our client is seeking an [Assistant]/[Associate] General Counsel to manage various aspects of the company’s legal portfolio as they grow and expand.

With this newly created position, our client seeks an [Assistant]/[Associate] General Counsel to strengthen, and bring greater efficiency to, its efforts to develop a more robust legal group. The ideal candidate will have a broad range of skills that supports deliverables across all legal functions.

The Associate General Counsel will report to the General Counsel and will work across various business units including the Operations, Finance, Business Development, Government Relations, Communications and Commercial teams, among others, and must be able to forge partnerships with colleagues across the organization, as well as outside legal counsel.

The Associate General Counsel will be the second lawyer on the legal team and will join a highly motivated and collaborative organization at a moment of transition for the company, as we aim to decarbonize the electric grid as fast as possible. The Associate General Counsel will work directly with company executive leadership, with an opportunity to grow professionally as the company expands. The company is therefore focused on finding candidates with the requisite experience, commitment and energy to be a key participant in the firm's evolution from large clean power IPP to a company that will design, create and deliver integrated clean energy solutions to meet tomorrow’s needs.

Key Responsibilities Include:

Core responsibilities will include, but not be limited to:

Corporate Activities

  • Providing general legal and business advice and assistance to key business units (e.g., finance, operations, commercial, business development, government relations, communications and human resources) in connection with day-to-day operations, contract interpretation and enforcement, and regulatory matters

  • Negotiating and drafting complex commercial contracts, e.g., power purchase agreements, renewable energy certificate agreements, vendor/supplier agreements

  • Ensuring contractual and regulatory compliance by suppliers, landowners and offtake customers

  • Negotiating, drafting and managing intercompany agreements and complex credit and debt facilities across multiple corporate entities

  • Managing Board and entity governance across the organization

  • Assisting with employment/HR/labor issues and policies

Transactions

  • Work with senior team members on potential acquisition, expansion and investment opportunities

  • Assisting with due diligence including reviewing data room materials and disclosure schedules

  • Drafting and reviewing transaction documents, including NDAs, asset purchase agreements, stock/membership purchase agreements, merger agreements, joint venture agreements, partnership agreements, financing agreements

  • Overseeing and drafting deliverables for closings and post-closing matters

  • Working with all business units to ensure smooth integration of new business units and assets

Real Estate and Tax matters

  • Managing portfolio of 14,000+ acres of real estate

  • Assisting with annual property tax filings, abatement filings, documents and processes

  • Negotiating and drafting land management and land use contracts, licenses and settlements with outside parties

Operational and other business matters

  • Assisting with various operational matters, including contract and policy review, drafting and implementation

  • Developing, maintaining and updating forms for commercial documentation

  • Assessing and improving business processes

  • Managing outside legal counsel

  • Overseeing federal, state and local regulatory matters, including filings with Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Federal Communications Commission, state and local environmental and public utility agencies

Qualifications / Skills Sought:

Our client requires candidates to have a law degree from an accredited U.S. law school and to be a member of the bar in at least one state, preferably Massachusetts.

Out client seeks candidates with [3-][5] years or greater of experience (at least 3 of which have been with a top tier law firm), working directly with operations, commercial, finance, and business development teams, as well as suppliers, customers, vendors and partners.

Experience with energy markets, project development. project finance or FERC experience a plus.