Vice President & Deputy General Counsel

Join our Growing Team and see why Summit Utilities, Inc was named as one of the Fastest Growing Denver Area Private Companies 2019 and 2020; Best Places to Work in Maine 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023; and Best Places to Work in Arkansas 2020 and 2023, Oklahoma 2022 and 2023 and Missouri 2023. Summit was also recently named one of Forbes 2023 America’s Best Small Employers.

Summit is a growing natural gas utility company providing safe, reliable and clean burning natural gas service to homes and businesses in Arkansas, Colorado, Maine, Missouri and Oklahoma. Being part of the Summit team means embracing excellence, diversity and innovation, committing to safety each and every day, and doing all that we can to serve each other, our customers and the communities where we live. We aim to bring warmth and energy to everything we do.

We are pleased to offer an exciting opportunity for a Vice President & Deputy General Counsel. This hybrid role will be based out of one of our offices in Little Rock, Fort Smith, or Fayetteville, Arkansas; or Portland, Maine.

POSITION SUMMARY

Summit Utilities’ Legal Department is seeking a dynamic and experienced legal executive to join our team as Vice President & Deputy General Counsel. This is a senior leadership role responsible for overseeing the company’s litigation and corporate legal functions. Reporting to the Chief Legal Officer (CLO), the Deputy General Counsel will be a strategic partner to the executive team and play a critical role in mentoring legal staff, leading legal initiatives, and supporting the organization’s continued growth. Ideal candidates will bring significant law firm and in-house corporate experience, exemplary legal and leadership skills, and the ability to continuously adapt in a fast-paced environment.

PRIMARY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

- Provide day-to-day legal counsel on general corporate, litigation, regulatory, and compliance matters

- Lead and mentor legal team members across functional areas, including transactions, financing, disputes and claims, employment, insurance, and records management

- Partner with the CLO and executive leadership to manage legal aspects of mergers and acquisitions, including due diligence and integration

- Serve as a key member of the Senior Leadership Team, helping to execute company strategy through cross-functional collaboration

- Select, engage, and oversee outside counsel, ensuring effective, high-quality, and cost-efficient legal representation

- Identify and implement process improvements in partnership with internal legal and business stakeholders

- Build and maintain productive, cross-functional relationships across the enterprise

- Develop and maintain a deep understanding of Summit’s business operations, including the regulatory requirements of each jurisdiction served

- Perform other duties as assigned

EDUCATION AND WORK EXPERIENCE

- Juris Doctor (JD) from an accredited law school

- Licensed and in good standing to practice law in at least one U.S. jurisdiction

- Minimum of 10 years of legal experience, with a blend of law firm and in-house or regulatory agency experience

- Demonstrated experience in litigation, corporate governance, transactions, and legal team leadership

- Prior experience in the energy sector is preferred

- Law firm experience strongly preferred

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILITIES

- Strong business acumen with a pragmatic, solutions-oriented approach to legal problem-solving

- Proven ability to provide concise, creative, and practical legal counsel in a fast-paced, evolving environment

- Demonstrated leadership and mentoring skills, with experience managing a geographically dispersed legal team

- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build trust, influence stakeholders, and collaborate across all organizational levels

- Ability to develop strong cross-functional partnerships and work cooperatively with colleagues across departments and locations

- Highly organized and detail-oriented, with the capacity to manage multiple complex projects, set priorities, and meet deadlines

- Strong judgment and strategic thinking, with the ability to anticipate issues and develop effective, business-aligned solutions

- Self-starter with intellectual curiosity, a desire to learn the business, new areas of law, and a proactive, mission-driven mindset

- Technologically adept and able to utilize virtual collaboration tools to maintain productivity across locations

Willingness and ability to travel as needed based on business requirements

Summit offers competitive pay and medical/dental/vision and other benefits that provide flexibility, choice, and support to our employees when they need it most. We understand that home and family are essential pieces of your life, and our benefits are designed to support you both at work and at home.

Summit Utilities, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, status as a protected veteran, or status as a qualified individual with disability.