Real Estate Attorney

Description

RIC Energy, a global leader in renewable energy development, is seeking a skilled full-time Real Estate Attorney to support its Legal Department in North America. This attorney will work closely with the General Counsel and cross-functional teams to provide legal oversight of complex real estate transactions across the full lifecycle of utility-scale renewable energy projects, including due diligence, title and all real estate-related support for mergers, acquisitions, and project sale transactions.

This opportunity is ideal for an experienced real estate attorney interested in impactful legal work that advances the clean energy transition.

Key Responsibilities

Real Estate Transactional and Title Work

• Review, analyze, and provide legal advice on title commitments, prepare title memo, ALTA surveys, subsurface rights, and other property diligence materials.
• Lead real estate due diligence for project sale transactions, including preparation of disclosure schedules, title and survey reports, and property condition assessments for buyer review.
• Identify and resolve title and survey issues; draft and negotiate title curative documents, including easements, affidavits, estoppel certificates, SNDAs, and other instruments.
• Coordinate with title companies, surveyors, and external counsel to resolve pre-closing title matters, obtain title policies, and ensure smooth transaction closings.
• Advise internal stakeholders on real estate risk allocation and mitigation strategies throughout development and M&A phases.

Transactional Support and Project Diligence

• Lead real estate due diligence for project sale transactions, including preparation of title and survey reports, and site control condition assessments for buyer review.
• Provide concise legal summaries and risk assessments for internal use and external counsel review.
• Draft and prepare real estate disclosure schedules for purchase and sale agreements, including schedules related to real property interests, encumbrances, title exceptions, survey matters, and property condition issues.
• Review and advise on real estate provisions in purchase agreements, asset purchase agreements, membership interest purchase agreements, and related transaction documents.
• Collaborate with project finance and M&A teams to manage real estate due diligence for project acquisitions or divestitures, and financings.
• Coordinate pre-closing activities including title updates, survey revisions, satisfaction of closing conditions, preparation of closing checklists, and assembly of real estate closing deliverables.
• Prepare closing documents such as deeds, assignment and assumption agreements, estoppel certificates, landlord consents, and other real estate instruments required for transaction closings.
• Conduct post-closing activities including recording of documents, delivery of owner's title policies, and organization of final closing sets.

Drafting and Negotiating Real Estate Agreements

• Draft and negotiate a variety of real estate instruments, including site control agreements such as lease options, purchase options, ground leases, and easements (including memoranda, amendments, and terminations).
• Analyze counterparty comments and propose revisions in line with project objectives and internal risk tolerances.
• Finalize agreements in coordination with business teams and outside counsel.

Document and Process Management

• Ensure proper execution, recordation, and storage of real estate documents; coordinate signature processes and notarization.
• Support implementation of document management best practices and internal tracking systems.

Requirements

Qualifications

Required

• Juris Doctor (JD) from an accredited law school.
• Licensed and in good standing with at least one U.S. state bar.
• Minimum 3 years of legal experience with a strong focus on commercial real estate transactions.
• Demonstrated expertise in title and survey review, real estate contract drafting and negotiation, and curative title work.
• Exceptional legal writing, communication, and organizational skills.
• Ability to work independently and exercise sound legal judgment in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
• Demonstrated ability to manage complex real estate workstreams in time-sensitive M&A and project sale transactions.

Preferred

• Experience in renewable energy, energy infrastructure, or environmental land use matters.
• Experience supporting project finance and M&A transactions or project sales.

Compensation

• Salary Range: $150,000-$190,000, plus short term bonus and long term incentives

Additional Details

• Location: New York City office
• Work Schedule: Hybrid (3 days in-office: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday; 2 days remote)
• Travel Requirement: None expected

Equal Opportunity Employer Statement

RIC Energy is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.