Assistant General Counsel I

RWE Clean Energy, LLC
To start as soon as possible, full time, permanent

Functional area: Legal / Compliance
Remuneration: Exempt

Provide legal support to the U.S. renewable energy business team (wind, solar, and battery) in connection with the development and construction of projects in certain areas of the United States, as determined by management. 

The Assistant General Counsel will be dedicated to the provision of legal advice associated with real estate topics in connection with the preparation and negotiation of a wide variety of real estate documents required for the development and construction of energy projects, e.g., lease agreements, easements, purchase options, co-tenancy agreements, shared facilities agreements, and crossing agreements.

Work will include review of title documents, resolution of title issues, negotiation of title insurance policies, and related topics, together with the ability to work with support staff and other business partners, collaboratively, to support the Company’s real estate developers in the acquisition of land & development rights for prospective energy projects.

Work will also include significant support and assistance in the discretionary local and state zoning processes and permitting requirements for development project.

Position requires (a) close alignment and cooperation with the Company’s Legal Department’s teams in Austin, Texas, and Chicago, Illinois (which may include travel 5% of the time), (b) close alignment with the business partners that the Legal Department supports, and (c) demonstrated ability to apply a practical, rather than theoretical, focus to legal issues with a view to finding viable business solutions to those legal issues.

Role Responsibilities:

• Provide legal advice associated with real estate, permitting, and land use topics in connection with the development, construction, and operation of energy projects in North American, including:
• • reviewing, drafting, and negotiating lease agreements, easements, purchase options, co-tenancy agreements, shared facilities agreements, crossing agreements, and permitting agreements;
  • comprehensive review of title commitments and project surveys to determine obstacles to construction, resolution of title and survey issues, and negotiation of title insurance policies;
  • identify permitting and land use needs to ensure timely acquisition of all required permits and approvals for the construction and operation of energy projects across multiple jurisdictions; and,
  • coordinating with business stakeholders and other functional teams as well as local, state, and federal agencies on topics related to permitting, land use, and zoning.
• Provide legal support on real estate and permitting topics related to the acquisition, divestiture, or other strategic transaction from inception through closing, including the review of transaction documents, purchase agreements, disclosure schedules, and other ancillary contracts for real estate and permitting topics.
• Manage and oversee external real estate and permitting counsel to ensure cost-effective and timely external legal support for energy projects.
• Coordinate with senior business stakeholders to ensure alignment on project timelines, legal risks, and contract milestones to ensure timely delivery of energy projects.
• Manage legal due diligence, identify legal risks and liabilities, and provide practical recommendations to mitigate risks, including legal advice associated with real estate, permitting, and land use topics in connection with the development, construction, and operation of energy projects.
• Contribute to internal process improvements, templates, and legal best practices across the team to streamline efficiency.
• Collaborate with, delegate to, junior counsel, paralegals, real estate specialists, and administrative staff to ensure efficient workflow and task distribution. Mentor junior counsel and other legal staff in the real estate and permitting department on drafting standards, curative work, and legal process.
• See the big picture – identify how the legal risk of real estate, permitting, and land use topics fit into the overall project lifecycle and risk review of an energy project including the impact of how interconnection, energy marketing, environmental, regulatory, and procurement topics are all necessary to be successful in this role.

Job Requirements and Experience:

• J.D. (Juris Doctor) degree from a U.S. university
• Admission to a state bar in the United States
• Minimum 6 years experience developing energy projects or other similar experience. Successful candidate are (i) required to have specific legal knowledge and experience in energy project development and real estate matters, and (ii) preferably have experience in some or all of the following areas: energy transmission, interconnection agreements, negotiation of tax abatement agreements, conditional use permits, and special use permits.
• Industry experience: energy-related businesses in the U.S., with particular emphasis on legal work associated with the development, construction and operation of energy and/or independent power projects.
• The foregoing requirements are subject to change, and interested applicants are encouraged to apply or reapply for available positions. Hiring Manager may consider applicants with greater or lesser experience than that specified in the foregoing described requirements.
• Strong interpersonal and relationship-management skills, with the ability to work effectively with internal teams, external counsel, title companies, surveyors, utilities, and counterparties
• Highly organized, with the ability to coordinate multiple projects, manage competing priorities, and ensure timely achievement of critical real estate and permitting milestones
• Adaptable and effective in rapidly changing environments
• Demonstrated desire to learn about the Company
• Goal-oriented, and resourceful, with strong problem-solving skills and the ability to identify practical solutions to complex real estate and permitting challenges
• Proven ability to empathize, build relationships, and effectively communicate with people from a diverse set of backgrounds
• This position is an office-based role in either Chicago or Austin with some travel and visits to other RWECE offices and field locations, including New York, California, Chicago, and Austin
• Must be able to sit, walk, or stand for long durations of time

Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States. RWE Clean Energy is unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of employment visas at this time.

Pay range: The annual base salary range for this position in Illinois is $185,000 - $212,000. The listed salary range represents our good faith estimate for this position and represents the range for new hire salaries across all U.S locations. Please note that the salary information is a general guideline only. RWE considers factors such as (but not limited to) scope and responsibilities of the position, candidate’s education & work experience, training & certifications, and key skills as well as market and business considerations at the time of the offer.

Benefits offered: Medical, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, Short-Term Disability, Long-Term Disability, 401(k) match, Flexible Spending Accounts, EAP, Education Assistance, Parental Leave, Paid time off, and Holidays. Eligible employees also participate in short-term incentives, in addition to salary.

Apply with just a few clicks: ad code 91839. Any questions? Contact HR: rwece_recruiting@rwe.com

We look forward to meeting you. Of course, you can find us on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and Xing, too.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, disability, veteran status, or other legally protected status.

RWE Clean Energy is the third largest renewable energy company in the United States, with a presence in most U.S. states from coast to coast. RWE’s team of about 2,000 employees in the U.S. stands ready to help meet the nation’s growing energy needs. With its homegrown and fastest-to-market product, RWE supports the goal of American Energy dominance and independence. To that end, RWE Clean Energy is committed to increasing its already strong asset base of over 10 gigawatts of operating wind, solar and battery projects, focusing on providing high-quality jobs. RWE invests in local and rural communities while strengthening domestic manufacturing supporting the renaissance of American industry. This is complemented by RWE’s energy trading business. RWE is also a major offtaker of American liquified natural gas (LNG).