Assistant General Counsel

About the role

RWE Americas, LLC is seeking an Assistant General Counsel to support the U.S. renewable energy business team in the development and construction of projects in various regions of the United States. The role involves providing legal support for real estate, permitting, and land use topics in connection with the development, construction, and operation of energy projects.

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 America.
• Review, draft, and negotiate lease agreements, easements, purchase options, co-tenancy agreements, shared facilities agreements, crossing agreements, and permitting agreements.
• Comprehensively review title commitments and project surveys to determine obstacles to construction, resolve title and survey issues, and negotiate 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.
• Coordinate with business stakeholders and other functional teams as well as local, state, and federal agencies on topics related to permitting, land use, and zoning.
• Support the acquisition, divestiture, or other strategic transactions related to real estate and permitting topics from inception through closing.
• Manage and oversee external real estate and permitting counsel to ensure cost-effective and timely external legal support for energy projects.
• Ensure alignment on project timelines, legal risks, and contract milestones to ensure timely delivery of energy projects.
• Conduct 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.
• Mentor junior counsel and other legal staff in the real estate and permitting department on drafting standards, curative work, and legal process.
• Collaborate with, delegate to, junior counsel, paralegals, real estate specialists, and administrative staff to ensure efficient workflow and task distribution.
• 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.

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
• Specific legal knowledge and experience in energy project development and real estate matters, and preferably experience in 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
• 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

Qualifications

• Office-based role in either Chicago or Austin with some travel and visits to other RWE Americas offices and field locations, including New York, California, Chicago, and Austin
• Must be legally authorized to work in the United States

Benefits

• 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