Lawyer

About KUB: KUB is one of the largest public utilities in the country providing safe, reliable, and affordable electric, gas, water, wastewater, and fiber services to more than 520,000 customers in Knoxville and parts of seven surrounding counties. We are looking for employees who want to be part of a mission-driven organization with strong values that support a skilled, diverse, and inclusive workforce.

About the role

Join our new Legal Team and help shape the future of KUB! As KUB’s second in-house lawyer, you will assist our General Counsel with managing legal risks, ensuring regulatory compliance, and helping KUB navigate a rapidly evolving utility landscape, all while contributing to the development and implementation of new legal processes.

Why KUB?

• Make a Meaningful Impact – Play a role in decisions that affect our customers and community.
• Help Build a High-Performance Legal Team – Develop a culture and workflow that prioritizes ethical, accurate, candid, timely, actionable, and cost-effective legal services.
• Contribute to a Collaborative Environment – Work with talented, mission-driven colleagues dedicated to integrity, service, and excellence.
• Competitive Compensation & Benefits – Enjoy a strong benefits package, professional growth opportunities, and work-life balance.

Responsibilities

• Legal Advice: Analyze laws, regulations, and precedents; determine whether they apply to KUB; advise the General Counsel and other managers as to KUB’s rights, obligations, and options; and suggest courses of action to mitigate risk and ensure compliance.
• Legal Advocacy: Present (or coordinate with outside counsel presenting) evidence and legal arguments in negotiations and judicial and administrative proceedings.
• Legal Drafting: Prepare and review legal documents, including procurement contracts, land conveyances (especially easements), court filings, employment and other policies, etc.
• Legal Training: Develop and deliver training programs to KUB employees on legal topics.
• Intra/Cross-Department Collaboration: Work closely with the General Counsel and other managers to provide legal guidance on operational matters and ensure all business activities are legally sound.

Requirements

• A juris doctor (JD) or equivalent law degree from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association (or a Tennessee law school approved by the Tennessee Board of Law Examiners) and an active Tennessee law license or eligibility for admission to the practice of law in Tennessee without examination. Law students and law graduates will be considered if scheduled to receive their law degree and take the Tennessee bar examination by no later than July 2027.
• Skill in communicating legal issues to legal and non-legal audiences both orally and in writing; developing creative legal arguments and strategies; exercising discretion, handling sensitive matters, and maintaining confidentiality; taking initiative, setting goals, managing time, prioritizing tasks, meeting deadlines, and working independently; and thinking strategically and applying good judgment and a business mindset to legal issues.
• A valid driver’s license.

Please note that due to job responsibilities, KUB does not provide immigration sponsorship for and/or based on this position.

Preferred Qualifications

• One or more of the following: (a) experience as an in-house or outside counsel or law clerk/legal intern to a public utility, governmental agency, regulated industry, or judge; (b) two (2) or more years of non-lawyer experience in a contract management, public procurement, or regulatory compliance role; or (c) experience on the staff of a law review or law journal.

Benefits

• Strong benefits package
• Professional growth opportunities
• Work-life balance