Assistant General Counsel I - South (Chicago)

RWE Americas, LLC

To start as soon as possible, full time, permanent

Functional area: Legal / Compliance

Remuneration: Exempt

The Assistant General Counsel I provides legal support to the U.S. renewable energy business team (wind, solar, and battery) in connection with the development and construction of projects in certain areas of the United States, as determined by management. This role will serve as the primary point of contact on the legal team for the applicable development team. An attorney who excels in this role will provide proactive, business-oriented counsel from initial site control until commercial operations for each project.

Work will be dedicated to the provision of legal advice associated with real estate and permitting aspects of renewables development, including the drafting, negotiation, and management of a wide variety of real estate documents required for the development and construction of renewable energy projects, e.g., lease agreements, easements, purchase options, co‑tenancy agreements, shared facilities agreements, crossing agreements, and permitting agreements.

Work will also include oversight and performance of due diligence analyses and curative efforts related to project development, including review of title and survey documents, negotiation of curative instruments with third parties, and negotiation of title insurance solutions and policy forms with title insurance companies.

Work will also involve oversight of the discretionary local and state zoning processes for renewable development projects, requiring proactive coordination of internal teams, outside counsel, consultants, and community stakeholders.

This role involves managing a high volume of work in a fast‑paced environment with competing priorities and tight deadlines. A successful candidate will have strong project‑management capabilities and experience effectively prioritizing competing deadlines while maintaining accuracy. This role will also require effective collaboration with, and management and direction of, support staff and other business partners to support the Company’s real estate developers in connection with the various real‑estate legal issues related to the acquisition of land & development rights for prospective renewable energy projects.

Position requires (a) close alignment and cooperation with the Company’s Legal Department’s teams in Austin, Texas, and Chicago, Illinois (which may include travel 5% of the time), (b) close alignment with the business partners that the Legal Department supports, and (c) demonstrated ability to apply a practical, rather than theoretical, focus to legal issues with a view to finding viable business solutions to those legal issues.

Role Responsibilities

• General:
  • Paramount is the ability to see the big picture as to how real estate and permitting risks fit into the overall project lifecycle and risk review, thus a willingness to develop an understanding of interconnection, energy marketing, environmental, regulatory, and procurement topics is necessary to be successful in this role.
  • Serve as regional or department legal lead for certain projects to support development and construction.
  • Collaborate with, delegate to, and provide meaningful mentorship to junior attorneys and other legal staff in the real‑estate and permitting department to ensure efficient, cost‑effective workflow and task distribution.
  • Proactively resolve real estate and permitting challenges by identifying practical, risk‑mitigating solutions rather than merely escalating issues.
  • Coordinate closely with engineering, development, procurement, and transmission teams to align project milestones, attending regular project meetings and providing updates on real‑estate and permitting risks.
  • Support development team in connection with the negotiation of various real‑estate documents (including site control agreements, permit documents, and title curative instruments), analyzing counterparties’ positions related thereto, and developing pragmatic resolutions that balance business needs with risk management.
• Site Control Efforts:
  • Prepare forms of various real‑estate documents (including leases, purchase agreements, easements and crossing agreements) and oversee a high volume of draft production.
  • Facilitate the purchase of property for renewable project assets like substations, BESS sites, and O&M buildings.
• Real Estate Legal Due Diligence:
  • Manage relationships with title companies and surveyors to secure pro forma title commitments and survey deliverables on schedule.
  • Oversee comprehensive review of title commitments and ALTA project surveys to determine obstacles to construction and recommend curative actions to facilitate development.
  • Work with third‑party utilities, banks, and other parties to secure necessary crossing agreements, SNDAs, or other curative items.
• Permitting and Approvals:
  • Support development team in identifying scope of permitting approvals required or advisable for each project.
  • Ensure timely acquisition of all required permits to support development, construction, and operation of renewable projects across multiple jurisdictions. Collaborate with external counsel and permitting consultants to identify permitting needs and support the development team in securing approvals.
• Funding, Investment, and Divestment:
  • As a project’s development advances in maturity, this position will work closely with legal and business leadership to identify, understand, and resolve risks in connection with the company’s long‑term plan for the project, supporting the business in readying the project for construction, financing, or divestment.
  • Ability to see big picture of project development and construction timelines, identifying and analyzing open risks to provide leadership team feedback as to project readiness.
  • Ensure projects are ready for divestment or tax equity investor involvement, working with the M&A or structured finance teams to answer diligence questions, create datarooms, and provide inputs to transaction documents and disclosure schedules. Provide legal support for the North American renewable energy business team (BESS, wind & solar) in connection with the development, construction, and operation of renewable energy projects in the United States.

Job Requirements and Experience

• J.D. (Juris Doctor) degree from a U.S. university.
• Admission to a state bar in the United States.
• Minimum 6 years experience as a real estate lawyer in the renewable space, other energy, or large‑scale infrastructure. Successful candidates are (i) required to have specific legal knowledge and experience in BESS, solar and wind permitting and real estate matters, and (ii) preferably have familiarity with the nexus of various other aspects of renewables development with real estate legal issues, such as energy transmission, interconnection agreements, tax abatement agreements.
• Strong interpersonal and relationship‑management skills, with the ability to work effectively with internal teams, external counsel, title companies, surveyors, utilities, and counterparties.
• Highly organized, with the ability to coordinate multiple projects, manage competing priorities, and ensure timely achievement of critical real‑estate and permitting milestones.
• Adaptable and effective in rapidly changing environments.
• Demonstrated desire to learn about the Company.
• Goal‑oriented, and resourceful, with strong problem‑solving skills and the ability to identify practical solutions to complex real‑estate and permitting challenges.
• Proven ability to empathize, build relationships, and effectively communicate with people from a diverse set of backgrounds.
• This position is an office‑based role in either Chicago or Austin with some travel and visits to other RWEA offices and field locations, including New York, California, Chicago, and Austin.
• Must be able to sit, walk, or stand for long durations of time.

Pay range: The annual base salary range for this position in Illinois is $190,000 - $225,000. The listed salary range represents our good faith estimate for this position and represents the range for new hire salaries across all U.S. locations. Please note that the salary information is a general guideline only. RWE considers factors such as (but not limited to) scope and responsibilities of the position, candidate’s education & work experience, training & certifications, and key skills as well as market and business considerations at the time of the offer.

Benefits offered: Medical, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, Short‑Term Disability, Long‑Term Disability, 401(k) match, Flexible Spending Accounts, EAP, Education Assistance, Parental Leave, Paid time off, and Holidays. Eligible employees also participate in short‑term incentives, in addition to salary.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, disability, veteran status, or other legally protected status.