Senior Counsel (hybrid)
$160,100–$240,100 year
HybridColumbus, Ohio, United States
Job Summary
Provide proactive, strategic legal advice on complex commercial matters, including real estate, supply chain, and transactional issues impacting utility operations. Manage outside counsel, review and negotiate contracts such as leases, purchase agreements, and M&A documents, and lead due diligence for real estate acquisitions and divestitures. Address local municipal laws, zoning, and permitting requirements while coordinating cross-functionally to ensure consistent business positions. Some travel (5-10%) is required, and employees may support emergency response efforts outside normal hours. NiSource serves nearly four million customers in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic, energizing homes and businesses across the region.
Required Qualifications
- Juris Doctor Degree from an accredited law school
- Licensed to practice law in at least one state in the U.S. and a member in good standing with the state bar
- Minimum of 5+ years of experience, with meaningful exposure to at least two of the following: real estate transactions and land rights, supply chain/procurement, or M&A/transactional law
- Exemplary personal and professional integrity and business ethics
- Commitment to diversity and respect for others
- Experience with independent matter handling responsibility and outside counsel management
- Ability to advise senior leadership
- Ability to balance the legal issues of a matter or project with the goals of the business through the demonstration of strategic counsel, pragmatic business acumen and the ability to recognize the business consequences of legal advice
- Strong, logical legal mind with the ability to apply abstract concepts of law to make timely, well-reasoned and appropriate decisions to solve problems with minimal supervision
- Ability to work with cross-functional teams, to take a leadership role in driving solutions, and to work under pressure to meet short deadlines
- Ability to work efficiently under time pressures and deadlines in a fast-paced environment
- Has significant experience and subject matter expertise drafting and negotiating commercial, technology, supply chain, real estate, land rights, and M&A transaction-related agreements
- High level of engagement and leadership, and the ability to counsel and work closely with clients
- Strong oral and written communication skills
- Strong problem solving and negotiating skills
- Knowledge of interaction between state and federal laws and agencies
- Presentation skills
- Sound judgment
- Strong interpersonal skills, including ability to engender trust, respect and confidence
- Some travel (5-10%) is required
- Work Authorization: Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States and must not require employer sponsorship now or in the future
Desired Qualifications
- Foundational training as a lawyer either in-house in the energy sector or at a large law firm is strongly preferred
- Experience in the utility industry or other regulated industry
- Experience at a law firm or publicly traded corporation
- Experience advising on real estate transactions and property-related matters, including easements, leases, license agreements, acquisitions, dispositions, encroachments, municipal permitting, land rights, title and survey review, and real estate due diligence
- Experience with supply chain related matters, including procurement regulations, import/export controls, supplier risk management, and operational contracts
- Experience with mergers, acquisitions, and complex transaction structuring, including asset purchases, joint ventures, and partnership arrangements
Hiring someone like this?
Get your role in front of qualified candidates on Sorce.