Senior Legal Counsel - Projects

Country United States / US City HOUSTON Workplace location HOUSTON-LOUISIANA STREET(USA) Employer company TotalEnergies American Services, Inc. Domain Legal Affairs Type of contract Regular position Experience Minimum 6 years

Context & Environment

Work cooperatively in a cross-functional setting providing excellent legal advice and solutions while collaborating with colleagues, supervising and training junior team members, and realizing potential for innovation and improvements.

• Delivering high quality legal services to each branch of the TotalEnergies Company in the US within the established time and budget while mitigating the client’s legal risk.
• Working collaboratively with the other functional legal teams in support of excellent legal service and equitable allocation of work over time among the legal service providers.

Activities

Provide legal and transactional support (both directly and by supervising junior team members) to develop and finance the Projects, including: 

• Advise on all aspects of the Projects from site control through development and construction to commercial operation and financing.
• Negotiate, draft and review both simple and complex commercial contracts, including, but not limited to: 
  • NDAs, consulting agreements, acquisition agreements, strategic cooperation and joint venture agreements, real property agreements, interconnection agreements, power purchase agreements (PPAs) and other offtake agreements, feedstock agreements, equipment supply agreements, engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) agreements, debt and tax equity financing agreements, tax credit transfer agreements and operation and maintenance agreements.
• Advise clients and colleagues in relation to Federal and State energy regulatory matters, specifically FERC, ERCOT and PJM, including the interconnection process, obtaining the necessary approvals and registration, and compliance with matters such as CEII.
• Advise on legal and regulatory issues and compliance (including in relation to tax credits and permitting), perform research and oversee the performance of research by junior team members in relation to such regulatory issues, and support the commercial team in developing and maintaining policies and procedures and monitoring to ensure compliance.
• Support M&A activities by performing due diligence on target Projects and assisting with partial and complete sell downs of Projects.
• Manage day-to-day legal requests from the Project’s commercial teams.
• Advise senior management and subordinates on all legal, regulatory, policy, and commercial law matters related to Project activities, propose effective solutions, and suggest improvements to approach and processes.
• Engage and manage outside legal counsel in accordance with company policies and within agreed budgets and caps.
• Provide comprehensive and concise legal memos to support Projects as they navigate internal governance and approval processes.

Provide additional legal support including:

• In conjunction with the Corporate, Commercial Law, HSSE, Litigation, Trade & Compliance, and M&A teams, work cooperatively on all aspects of the TotalEnergies Company business activities in the U.S.
• Supervise junior members on delivery of client advice and work product and train junior members in areas of subject matter expertise.
• Prepare and deliver updates on legal developments and requirements to various audiences and provide ongoing advice on applicable laws and regulations governing commercial activities.
• Lead legal know-how initiatives, including by producing and maintaining templates and playbooks and arranging trainings.
• Suggest and oversee the implementation of creative solutions to the delivery of legal services, whether through the adoption of AI or otherwise.
• Perform other tasks and takes on additional duties as reasonably assigned by supervisor, project manager and/or group unit.
• Periodically travel between project offices as well as travel to and from respective project facilities.
  

Candidate Profile

• Juris Doctorate from ABA accredited law school or international equivalent.
• Admission to practice law in at least one U.S. state.
• A minimum of 5 years of experience negotiating, drafting, and reviewing complex commercial agreements.
• Experience negotiating commercial transactions and tax equity financings in the renewable energy space is strongly preferred.
• Experience with regulatory, real estate and environmental is preferred.
• Ability to analyze and summarize complex development topics, aggregate decision-relevant information to convey messages clearly and concisely, and objectively develop, challenge, and verify conclusions.
• Comfortable working in cross-cultural teams, collaborating across country boundaries. 
• Ability to lead and manage multiple projects, work independently, and meet deadlines.
• Strong interpersonal and teamwork skills.
• Highest standards of ethics and integrity.

Additional Information

TotalEnergies values diversity, promotes individual growth and offers equal opportunity careers.

Working at TotalEnergies 

At TotalEnergies we are committed to balancing flexibility while fostering strong relationships among our team members. Our office-based employees work together from dynamic workspaces 3 days per week to build teamwork through collaboration while also having the flexibility to work from home 2 days per week. TotalEnergies Renewables USA currently has offices in San Francisco, Boston, Austin, Houston, and NYC. 
 

What We Provide

TotalEnergies offers a competitive salary, the opportunity to contribute to innovative and responsible energy solutions, and the chance to work alongside dedicated experts across disciplines. Employees are eligible for a comprehensive benefits package that includes employer‑subsidized Medical, Dental, Vision, and Life Insurance; Short‑ and Long‑Term Disability; a 401(k) plan with both matching and non‑matching employer contributions; Flexible Spending and Health Savings Accounts; Employee Assistance Program (EAP); Educational Assistance; a generous fitness reimbursement; Parental Leave, Paid Time Off, and 12 Paid Holidays.

International Consideration

TotalEnergies regrets that it is unable to sponsor employment Visas or consider individuals on time-limited visa status for this position.