Senior Counsel, Transactions

This is a role for a deal junkie that didn’t think real deal work happened in house.  

New Leaf Energy, Inc. is seeking a highly motivated and experienced Senior Counsel, Transactions to support our project development business and soon-to-be formed independent power producer (IPP). This position reports to the Deputy General Counsel. 

This position may be filled out of our Boston, MA, Lowell, MA, Chicago, IL, Oakland, CA, and Troy, NY offices. We value in-person collaboration and offer a hybrid work environment. Hybrid employees work in the office at least two out of every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday and are free to work from the office or home on other days.

Position Responsibilities will include but not be limited to: 

• Independently counsel and advise M&A team on structuring transactions to acquire and dispose of renewable energy assets.
• Independently draft, review and negotiate membership interest purchase agreements (MIPAs), asset purchase agreements (APAs), and ancillary documents for the acquisition and disposition of renewable energy projects.
• Proactively and independently identify, counsel and advise New Leaf with respect to the risks arising in connection with purchase and sale transactions.  Develop and effectively implement plans for mitigating such risks.  
• Effectively collaborate with, counsel and advise cross-functional stakeholders (including legal, real estate, project development, M&A, the IPP, interconnection, and policy) on matters relating to purchase and sale transactions and the related financing facilities.
• Proactively and independently identify, design, implement and modify measures to improve the quality and efficiency of New Leaf’s tools and processes relating to due diligence, negotiation, financing, and closing of renewable energy transactions.  Draft, update, and maintain template documents and standard operating procedures.
• Independently draft, review and negotiate other commercial agreements, including joint venture agreements, power purchase agreements (PPAs) and other offtake agreements, interconnection agreements, community solar and other subscriber agreements, and operation and maintenance agreements.
• Provide legal support and assist with various other matters relating to the origination, acquisition, sale, financing, ownership, and operation of renewable energy projects.
• Effective cross-team collaboration and coordination of legal workload with colleagues.
• Supervise and optimize work between in house and outside counsel as needed.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Desired Qualifications:

While no individual will possess them all, the successful candidate will bring many of the following experiences, skills, and attributes. If you’re unsure whether you meet enough of the qualifications below but believe that your experience and skill set is a good match for this position, we invite you to apply!

• Law degree and strong academic record from a leading ABA accredited law school.
• At least 6-8 years of substantial, relevant legal experience at a top-tier law firm, sophisticated corporate legal department, or combination of the two.
• A passion for accelerating the adoption of renewable energy.
• Expert knowledge with respect to the legal issues and key deal points in M&A, specifically MIPAs and APAs.
• Extensive experience in independently structuring, drafting and negotiating purchase and sale agreements for renewable energy projects, specifically MIPAs and APAs.
• Experience in financing structures and transactions, specifically project finance, construction financing, and tax equity is a plus.  
• Ability to independently structure, draft, review and negotiate other project/commercial contracts.
• Ability to translate complex legal concepts into clear, actionable advice for non-lawyers.
• Refined business acumen, exceptional judgment, and the ability to identify and implement practical solutions to complex business and legal problems.
• Hardworking, responsive, and adaptable to what the situation dictates, including possessing the ability to advance matters independently, combined with the strong interpersonal skills necessary to work effectively in a team.
• Ability to independently handle competing deadlines and shift priorities in a fast-paced environment. 
• Exceptional communication skills.
• Excellent organizational, time management, and project management skills.
• Licensed to practice law or registered as in house counsel in the State where the applicable NLE office is located.

Compensation

New Leaf Energy compensates all employees in three ways: market-competitive base salary, plus above-market variable compensation, plus an equity-like program such that all employees experience the benefits of ownership.  We use a data-driven and transparent methodology to calibrate compensation that is externally competitive and internally equitable, guided by the New Leaf Energy compensation manual, which is available to all employees.

Under our compensation framework, the likely base salary range for this position in Oakland is $222,753 - $257,411. The on-target annual cash bonus associated with this position is an additional 20% percent of base salary. Your actual salary may be above, in, or below this range, depending on your location and experience. Our office locations in Lowell, Boston, Oakland, and Chicago all carry geography-based upward adjustments to the base pay range.

We value transparency and can share more during the interview process.