Associate Legal Counsel - Real Estate and Project Development

Silicon Ranch is a fully integrated provider of customized renewable energy, carbon, and battery storage solutions for a diverse set of partners across North America.

• We are known for putting community partnerships first, and are the only renewable energy company in the U.S. that owns and operates all of its solar ranches and has a 100% track record for successful delivery.

• We have the largest utility scale agrivoltaics portfolio in the country under Regenerative Energy®, our nationally recognized holistic approach to project design, construction, and land management. Our model incorporates regenerative ranching and other regenerative land management practices to restore livelihoods and soil health, biodiversity, and water quality.

• Through our subsidiary, Clearloop, we are able to help businesses of all sizes reclaim their carbon footprint with a direct investment in building new solar projects while also helping bring renewable energy and economic development to distressed communities.

By joining Silicon Ranch, you will be joining a team of experienced and dedicated individuals who have proven time and again that it is indeed possible to not only “make solar do more”, but to make the promise of carbon-free, renewable energy that benefits people right where it comes from a tangible, measurable, and replicable reality. 

Silicon Ranch is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace that is reflective of the communities in which we work and serve. We are an equal opportunity employer and will consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, and other legally protected characteristics.

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Job Description

Position: Associate Legal Counsel, Real Estate and Project Development 

Location: Nashville, TN (remote considered on a case by case basis)

Silicon Ranch Legal Department Mission Statement: The Silicon Ranch Legal Department, leveraging years of legal practice and a deep and holistic understanding of Silicon Ranch’s business and structure, is committed to providing support to all business units by providing law firm quality, company-tailored legal services and counsel in an efficient, reliable, practical, professional, comprehensible, and approachable manner, thus enabling our internal stakeholders to: 

• Execute their commercial and operational objectives in a risk-appropriate fashion; 

• Employ sound decision-making in all facets of company operations;

• Comply with applicable laws, regulations, internal policies, and best practices; and 

• Appropriately reduce exposure to formal disputes, reputational harm, and associated costs through the effective identification, mitigation, and allocation of legal and commercial risks.

Role Overview: We are seeking a commercial real estate attorney (4-7+ years’ experience) to support legal aspects of the Company’s project development, external affairs and real estate business functions. This role partners closely with the Senior Legal Counsel, Real Estate & Project Development and Legal Counsel, Real Estate & Project Development, and several cross-functional business teams within the Company to negotiate, diligence, and de-risk the real estate operations of the Company. As such, the ideal candidate is proactive and demonstrates subject matter mastery of title, survey and real estate purchase and sale transactions.  The right candidate can independently identifying risk and effectively communicate sound legal advice that is tailored to the practical needs of the Company.  

Core Responsibilities: As Associate Legal Counsel, Real Estate & Project Development, the candidate will support the real estate, project development and external affairs functions of the Company, including a combination of the following:

• Site Control Transactions: Independently manage the negotiation and administration of purchase options, easement agreements, and their subsequent closing transactions.  This includes title and survey diligence and de-risking; closing document drafting and negotiation; and independently managing transaction logistics. 

• Project Finance Support: Draft, negotiate, and administer key real estate agreements and title and survey deliverables for project financing transactions.  This includes easements, affiliate ground leases, and complex title and survey requirements.  

• Land Use Permitting Support: Advise and support the Company’s External Affairs and Project Development teams on local land use permitting and zoning ordinance review and strategy. 

• Outside Counsel Management: Efficiently supervise outside counsels where engaged, though expect that much of the legal work will be managed in-house by the candidate.

• General Diligence Support: Serve as a trusted legal advisor to the Project Development, External Affairs, and Project Finance teams and provide legal support on broader real estate-related topics as needed in support of the growth of the Company.  This may include regulatory, environmental or corporate governance matters.

Execution Expectations: As Associate Legal Counsel, Real Estate & Project Development, the candidate will: 

• Manage multiple transactions and deadlines simultaneously.

• Effectively identify business risks facing the Company.

• Deliver practical, balanced legal advice to the Company’s business units.

• Communicate clearly and effectively, both in writing and orally, with internal and external stakeholders of mixed levels of sophistication.

• Represent the organization professionally with landowners, local officials, financing partners, and other project stakeholders.

Education: J.D. degree from an ABA-accredited US law school; active bar admission in good standing in at least one state.

Experience:

• Minimum of 4 years of experience as a real estate attorney at a top-tier law firm or in-house legal department.

• Substantial experience with real estate purchase and sale transactions, title and survey review, including experience leading transactions and diligence independently.  This position has an emphasis on the fundamentals of real estate and property law, executed at a high level of complexity. 

• Significant emphasis is placed on mastery of the basic tenets of real estate and property law, but executed at a high level of complexity.  Renewable energy experience preferred but not required.

• Demonstrated ability to: 

• Manage multiple priorities concurrently with strong attention to detail and organization.

• Provide pragmatic, business-oriented advice.

• Build relationships with internal stakeholders.

• If remote, maintain strong relationships and collaboration with both remote colleagues and in-office teams.

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Our interview process:

A typical interview process at Silicon Ranch might include the below stages. Please note that we may make changes to these steps as needed, and details will be provided to you early on in the process.

1. Introductory Interview with our recruiter
2. Hiring Manager Interview to dive into technical skills and behavioral questions
3. Panel Interview to assess cross-functional skills and dive deeper into technical skills
4. Executive Interview to answer high-level questions about SRC and the team