Director, Associate General Counsel

About the role

The Director, Associate General Counsel serves as a senior legal advisor to California Water Service Group and its subsidiaries with a primary and substantial focus on complex commercial real estate transactions.

Responsibilities

• Serves as the legal advisor and negotiator on complex commercial real estate transactions, including acquisitions, dispositions, easements, rights-of-way, development projects, and leasing.
• Leads and manages real estate due diligence, including oversight of appraisal, title, survey, environmental, zoning, and land use and other entitlements review.
• Reviews, negotiates, and prepares commercial contracts related to real estate, construction, and capital projects.
• Supports the real estate department, engineering, facilities, and operations on both legal and non-legal matters, including acquisitions, dispositions, and the management of the Group's real property assets for secondary uses, including telecommunications leasing.
• Reviews, negotiates, and prepares commercial contracts, including the procurement of goods and services.
• Interacts with and addresses the various legal needs of the organization; analyzes and provides guidance regarding a wide range of legal matters.
• Serves as key liaison between outside counsel and supported business units concerning legal issues, large claims, and personal injury/property damage litigation; participates in the successful negotiation of resolutions or settlements of various pre-litigation business disputes.
• Responds to legal requests and queries from individuals in all areas and all levels within the organization and proactively recognizes and addresses potential legal issues as they arise.
• Maintains awareness of pending legislation, regulations and legal developments that are relevant to the Company's business interests.
• Interfaces with executives and outside counsel with respect to employment and labor relations, employee/customer health and safety, and environmental compliance matters.
• Advises on compliance and legal issues for subsidiaries that operate as regulated public utilities in their respective states.
• Effectively manages legal expense budgets through active oversight of outside counsel.

Requirements

• Juris Doctorate degree from an accredited school of law.
• Current California Bar admission.
• 10 years+ of progressive experience as legal counsel at a publicly held company, law firm, regulatory agency, or equivalent experience.
• 5+ years of senior-level responsibility for land use issues and real estate transactions, such as purchase and sale agreements, easements, licenses and leases, title review and real estate closings.
• In-depth knowledge of one or more of the following additional areas: utility regulation, corporate governance, litigation, and contract law.
• Experience in negotiating complex commercial transactions such as multiyear goods and services contracts along with major construction contracts, including indemnity clauses and other risk shifting terms.
• Ability to multi-task in a fast-paced environment with keen attention to detail, excellent organizational skills, and ability to work both independently and as part of a team.
• Good judgment with an understanding of when to ask for guidance or input, and how to spot and solve issues.
• Cool cooperative attitude with the ability to work both independently and as part of a team.
• Exceptional negotiation, written and verbal communication skills.

Qualifications/ Requirements

• Juris Doctorate degree from an accredited school of law.
• Current California Bar admission.
• 10 years+ of progressive experience as legal counsel at a publicly held company, law firm, regulatory agency, or equivalent experience.
• 5+ years of senior-level responsibility for land use issues and real estate transactions, such as purchase and sale agreements, easements, licenses and leases, title review and real estate closings.
• In-depth knowledge of one or more of the following additional areas: utility regulation, corporate governance, litigation, and contract law.
• Experience in negotiating complex commercial transactions such as multiyear goods and services contracts along with major construction contracts, including indemnity clauses and other risk shifting terms.
• Ability to multi-task in a fast-paced environment with keen attention to detail, excellent organizational skills, and ability to work both independently and as part of a team.
• Good judgment with an understanding of when to ask for guidance or input, and how to spot and solve issues.
• Cool cooperative attitude with the ability to work both independently and as part of a team.
• Exceptional negotiation, written and verbal communication skills.