EDF Renewable Energy

Counsel, Projects

EDF Renewable Energy$135K — $226K *
Legal & Accounting
Less than 5 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Juris Doctorate (J.D.) from an ABA-accredited U.S. law school or equivalent from a Canadian law school.
  • Active bar admission in good standing in at least one U.S. state or Canadian province/territory.
  • Minimum of three years of law firm or in-house experience; five years preferred.
  • Experience with a renewable energy company or associated client base is preferred.
  • Proven experience in drafting and negotiating complex renewable energy documents.

Responsibilities

  • Lead negotiation and drafting of commercial contracts and M&A agreements.
  • Support due diligence for project-related financial transactions.
  • Manage in-house counsel and external legal advisors as needed.
  • Develop and lead compliance training programs across North America.
  • Assist in federal and state regulatory compliance and guidance.
  • Provide legal advice on corporate contracts and project-related matters.

Benefits

  • Access to ongoing professional development and training opportunities.
  • Opportunities for participation in industry conferences and events.
  • Flexible working conditions, including remote work opportunities.
  • Supportive and collaborative work environment promoting legal compliance.
Full Job Description
Scope of Position

The Counsel role handles matters related to corporate governance, procurement, and Engineer Procurement and Construction agreements, along with mergers and acquisitions (M&A) activities and compliance issues. This role requires expertise in reviewing and negotiating service agreements and non-disclosure agreements as business needs arise, while supporting the development, construction, acquisition, financing, operation, maintenance, and disposition of infrastructure and renewable energy projects. Specifically, the role focuses on corporate law, M&A—including joint ventures and partnerships—project finance, procurement and construction contracts, offtake agreements, interconnection and transmission agreements, real property agreements, permitting matters, and organized energy markets (i.e., ISOs/RTOs). Emphasizing grid-scale projects, this position addresses activities prior to commercial operations by ensuring compliance with all related contracts and governmental approvals essential for successful renewable energy projects.

  • Leads the negotiation, drafting, and critical review of commercial contracts, merger and acquisition agreements (including cash equity sales, buying and selling of projects, joint ventures, and partnerships), project debt finance documents, offtake agreements, and interconnection and transmission-related documents while supporting general project development and construction activities, including permitting and strategic planning. Provides counsel and advice to cross-functional stakeholders to set the company’s legal strategy on specific transactions and other corporate, transactional, and regulatory matters.
  • Supports internal clients and other legal team members with the due diligence process for transactions related to project debt financing, project equity financing, purchase and sale agreements, build-transfer agreements, and design-build-sell agreements. Supports mergers and acquisition activity and financial transactions, as well as providing legal support over compliance initiatives.
  • Manages in-house counsel (if applicable), support staff, and/or outside legal corporate counsel engaged to represent the Company when necessary. Provides legal support over compliance initiatives.
  • Leads training programs related to company policies for North America employees, maintaining training programs that promote compliance and best practices. Recommends improvements to legal department processes to increase efficiency and mitigate legal risks.
  • Leads, assists, and supports others in the legal department on an as-needed basis while contributing to federal and state regulatory strategy and compliance, and developing state-specific regulatory guidance.
  • Lead negotiations, drafting, and critical review of construction contracts, contracts involving the sale or purchase of renewable energy generation and related equipment, and real property documents. Delivers legal advice to commercial counterparts on a variety of legal topics, including all corporate and project contracts, legal entity maintenance, company, project and transaction structuring, litigation risks, and employee matters.
  • Other duties as assigned.

In all cases, Counsel is responsible to ensure company compliance with all applicable laws, regulations, and standards within scope of responsibility.

Supervision of Others:

No direct reports

Qualifications
  • Education & Credentials:

    • Juris Doctorate (J.D.) from an ABA-accredited U.S. law school or a J.D./LL.B. from an accredited Canadian law school.

    • Active bar admission in good standing in at least one U.S. state or Canadian province/territory.

  • Professional Experience:

    • Minimum of three (3) years of law firm and/or in-house experience required; five (5+) years preferred.

    • Strong preference for background with a renewable energy company or client base.

    • Proven track record drafting, negotiating, and reviewing complex renewable energy project documents, including PPAs, financial hedging agreements (e.g., VPPAs), tax credit transfers, interconnection agreements, ISO/RTO tariffs, O&M, and asset management agreements for solar, wind, and battery storage.

    • Direct experience handling M&A transactions (e.g., PSA, MIPSA, APA, ECCA), joint venture structures (LLCAs, SHAs), and project financing/security agreements.

    • Demonstrated oversight of outside litigation counsel and adversarial proceedings.

Skills, Knowledge, & Abilities

  • Commercial & Legal Expertise: Advanced drafting and negotiation skills across major transactional agreements and routine corporate contracts (MSAs, consulting agreements, NDAs, and engagement letters).

  • Strategic Advising & Communication: Superior written and oral communication skills; adept at advising senior leadership and internal stakeholders on complex legal matters, setting expectations, and challenging ideas constructively.

  • Prioritization & Execution: Ability to manage high-volume, complex assignments with fine detail under tight deadlines in a fast-paced environment.

  • Judgment & Collaboration: Outstanding business judgment and problem-solving capabilities paired with a strong team-first, respectful approach to building internal and external relationships.

Work Environment & Physical Demands

  • Physical Requirements: Prolonged periods of sitting or standing at a computer screen, typing, reading, and moving through an office environment. Daily operation of standard office technology, including phones and enterprise software (Microsoft Office Suite).

  • Working Conditions: Primary office-based role (85%–100% office environment) with periodic travel required for vendor visits, corporate meetings, and industry conferences.

  • Fiscal Responsibility: Occasional contributions to the Legal department budget and financial planning.

About EDF Renewable Energy

EDF Renewable Energy is a leading North American independent power producer specializing in renewable energy. The company develops, constructs, owns, and operates renewable energy projects throughout the United States, Canada, and Mexico. EDF Renewable Energy has a portfolio of more than 9 GW of developed projects and more than 4.5 GW under service contracts. The company is a subsidiary of EDF Energies Nouvelles, a global renewable energy company headquartered in France.
Learn more about EDF Renewable Energy
Size
1,196 employees
Market Cap
$3.1 billion
Industry
Net Income
$122.8 million
Founded
1987
5 Year Trend
+9.7%
Revenue
$2.1 billion
NASDAQ

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