Senior Counsel

Hiring Salary Range: $151,900 - $227,900

Compensation is determined by a combination of factors, including but not limited to education, work experience, and certifications. The actual offer may vary, reflecting the candidate's unique blend of experience, educational background, and skill.

We are looking for an experienced attorney to provide legal advice, counsel, and services to Dairyland with an emphasis on development, permitting, and construction of Long Range Transmission Planning (LRTP) Projects, without significant oversight or supervision. Provide legal advice and counsel to Dairyland's Regional Transmission Projects team, management and executive team, and the Dairyland Board of Directors, as needed, in consultation with, and at the direction of, the Office of General Counsel

The Impact You Will Make in this Role:

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

1. Lead the in-house legal support function in providing legal advice and counsel to Dairyland's project team dedicated to permitting regional transmission projects in the Mid-West, in consultation and collaboration with the Deputy General Counsel, and General Counsel, as needed.

1. Provide legal advice and counsel to Dairyland's Regional Transmission Project team either directly or through appropriate outside counsel regarding environmental review, permitting, and compliance processes for regional electric transmission projects across state and federal lands.

2. Manage and oversee outside counsel supporting Dairyland's Regional Transmission Projects to ensure legal deliverables and services are being timely provided, with high quality, and within scope and budget.

3. Work collaboratively with multi-disciplinary teams including but not limited to engineers, in house and outside legal counsel, planners, project managers, permitting and environmental specialists, and real estate experts.

4. Report regularly to the Deputy General Counsel, and General Counsel, as needed, on status of legal activities being performed for Regional Transmission Projects including providing status on budget and deliverables of outside counsel supporting the project, any compliance, safety or environmental concerns, or other legal risks or impacts associated with the project to ensure such are managed, mitigated and/or eliminated.

5. Provide legal support and advice to Dairyland management and staff on legal consequences or risks as they relate to Dairyland business, compliance and regulatory activities associated with its Regional Transmission Projects either directly or through appropriate outside counsel.

6. Draft and review a wide variety of contracts and other legal documents, negotiate modifications as necessary, and obtain necessary approvals, as appropriate, without significant oversight or supervision either directly or through appropriate outside counsel.

7. Review state and federal statutes and regulatory dockets; prepare and file comments, petitions, applications, interventions, and other documents, as needed, with appropriate governmental or administrative agencies either directly or through appropriate outside counsel.

8. Provide training to Dairyland staff on substantive legal topics, agreements and programs, as needed, and in consultation and collaboration with the Deputy General Counsel, and General Counsel.

9. When utilizing outside legal counsel, ensure budgets are prepared for extensive transactional matters and ongoing litigation and assure thatthose matters are conducted within budget and on schedule.

10. Work closely with the Deputy General Counsel and General Counsel to develop legal strategies that align with corporate goals with respect to Regional Transmission Projects.

11. Perform additional responsibilities as required by business needs.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

Education & Experience: Juris Doctorate Degree from accredited law school. Must be in good standing with a U.S. state bar and willing and qualified to seek admission to the bar in Wisconsin at the earliest opportunity required. Minimum of six (6) years of active legal practice in the area(s) of electric/public utilities, energy, regulatory compliance, corporate, cooperative, or real estate law. Experience in the state of Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois, Iowa or Washington D.C. preferred.

Knowledge and Skills:

• Direct experience in one or more of the following areas and working knowledge of the other areas: Electric/public utilities, cooperative law, energy law, commercial transactions/commercial law, real property law/real estate transactions, environmental permitting/environmental law, and general business and corporate law.
• Strong contract drafting and negotiating skills, paying close attention to details.
• Possess strong critical thinking, interpretation, problem-solving, and analytical skills. Must be capable of reading, analyzing and interpreting complex documents, and responding effectively. Must be capable of accurately assessing needs and guiding others in determining and developing strategies.
• Superior communications skills with the ability to interface effectively with individuals at all levels, both internally and externally.
• Strong listening, reasoning, influencing and facilitating skills.
• Ability to complete a high volume of work with a consistently high standard of quality.
• Ability to uphold the highest standards of discretion and confidentiality and adhere to the Wisconsin Rules of Professional Conduct.

Physical Demands: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to stand/sit; walk; use hands/fingers to handle or feel; and reach with hands and arms. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.