Corporate Legal Counsel

Corporate Counsel

Hybrid Role

Jacksonville, FL

About The Energy Authority

The Energy Authority is a public power-owned, nonprofit corporation with offices in Jacksonville, Florida and Bellevue (Seattle), Washington. TEA provides public power utilities with access to advanced resources and technology systems so they can respond competitively in the changing energy markets. Through partnership with TEA, utilities benefit from an experienced organization that is singularly focused on deriving the maximum value of their assets from the market.

SUMMARY

We are seeking an in-house attorney who will enjoy collaborating with colleagues at The Energy Authority (TEA) and providing practical legal advice and support to TEA’s business units. The Corporate Counsel role will have primary responsibility for commercial contracts and financial transactions. The Corporate Counsel will also support the day-to-day operations of TEA’s legal department and assist in providing legal services on a variety of matters, including corporate governance, state registrations, intellectual property, dispute resolution, and other projects and initiatives.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES and RESPONSIBILITIES

- Draft, review, negotiate, and interpret commercial contracts, including commodity agreements, professional services agreements, confidentiality agreements, master service agreements, consulting agreements, technology contracts, lease agreements, and procurement contracts.

- Draft, review, and negotiate credit facilities and financing arrangements, including guaranty agreements, financing agreements, and letters of credit.

- Draft, review, and negotiate a variety of power, gas, transmission, and renewable energy contracts.

- Review and provide feedback on requests for proposals (RFPs) and develop contract templates for new services in collaboration with requesting departments and other Legal team members.

- Provide timely, well-researched, and practical legal analysis and guidance in response to requests for legal assistance from various departments at TEA.

- Collaborate on cross-functional transactions, special projects, and other aspects of TEA’s business requiring legal assistance, such as financings, auditor inquires, insurance matters, public records requests, counterparty insolvencies or bankruptcies, and compliance and regulatory issues.

- Coordinate with Legal team members and external counsel in managing TEA’s intellectual property (IP) portfolio, including trademark registrations, patent prosecution, and other IP matters.

- Assist with tax, dispute resolution, settlements, litigation, employment law, and corporate governance matters.

- Manage contract workflows, approvals, execution, and record keeping in coordination with other Legal team members and departments.

- Collaborate with Legal team members in developing contract templates, playbooks, and workflows and in implementing process improvements to advance the efficiency of the Legal team.

- Confer with external counsel on specialized, complex, and novel legal matters, as needed.

- Stay updated on laws, regulations, and industry best practices to provide relevant advice on an ongoing basis.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE

- Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from an accredited law school.

- 5 to 10 years of experience as a practicing attorney in a corporate in-house legal department, large law firm, or combination of both.

- License to practice law and member in good standing of a state bar; Florida bar preferred.

- Substantial experience in commercial, financial, and/or energy contracting.

- Knowledge of standard and nonstandard commercial contract terms and conditions.

SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES REQUIRED

The ideal candidate will possess the following skills and competencies:

- Commitment to excellence and producing a high-quality work product.

- Strong research, analytical, strategic thinking, and negotiation skills.

- Intellectual curiosity, proactive approach to problem solving, ability to synthesize new information quickly, and desire to propose solutions to complex legal issues.

- Meticulous attention to detail and accuracy.

- Adaptability, resourcefulness, and strong sense of ownership.

- Excellent oral and written communication skills, including the ability to interpret and convey complex legal concepts in a clear and concise manner.

- Collegiality, high responsiveness, openness to other viewpoints, and ability to engender trust of others by communicating openly and proactively.

- Undisputed ethics, integrity, discretion, and good judgment in handling confidential and sensitive information.

- Ability to foster teamwork and collaboration across functions and organizational levels.

- Strong work ethic and demonstrated ability to prioritize, organize, and handle multiple projects simultaneously in a fast-paced environment.

- Ability to develop and maintain business relationships with internal and external stakeholders.

- Understanding of the connection between one’s own job responsibilities and overall organizational goals and needs.

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS PREFERRED

- Experience drafting, reviewing, negotiating, and interpreting commercial contracts required.

- 5 to 10 years of experience as a practicing attorney in a corporate in-house legal department, large law firm, or combination of both highly preferred.

- Financial contract drafting and negotiation expertise preferred.

- Energy contract drafting and negotiation experience, including ISDAs, EEIs, NAEMAs, LEAPs, and/or NAESBs and related confirmations, strongly preferred.

- Familiarity with regional transmission organizations (RTOs) and independent system operators (ISOs) a plus.

TEA Values

TEA employees share a common sense of purpose. When TEA accomplishes its mission, the result is improved quality of life for the citizens and businesses of the communities our clients serve.

TEA employees exceed the expectations of those they serve, deliver services with the highest standards of fair, honest, and ethical behavior, set the standard for service and expertise in our industry, embody a spirit of collaboration, and embrace TEA’s founding entrepreneurial spirit by seizing opportunities to deliver value.

If you are self-motivated, driven to deliver excellence, and passionate about your career, TEA is the perfect place for you.

It’s YOUR Future. It’s OUR Future.