In-house Legal Counsel

Job Description:

The Legal Counsel will be responsible for providing legal support and strategic guidance for the organization’s solar and renewable energy projects across India. The role involves advising on legal matters, reviewing and drafting contracts, managing regulatory compliance, handling disputes, and ensuring the organization operates within the applicable legal frameworks, especially those governing the energy sector.

The candidate will work closely with internal teams and external counsel to support land acquisition, power purchase agreements (PPAs), project development, environmental clearances, and government liaison efforts.

Key Responsibilities:

• Legal Advisory: Provide specialized legal advice on matters related to solar project development, energy regulations, land acquisition, environmental laws, and commercial agreements.
• Project Contracting: Draft, review, and negotiate a wide range of contracts including:
• Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs)
• EPC (Engineering, Procurement & Construction) Contracts
• O&M (Operations & Maintenance) Agreements
• Land Lease/Acquisition Agreements
• Financing Agreements with lenders/investors
• Regulatory Compliance: Ensure compliance with national and state-level policies including but not limited to:
• Electricity Act, 2003
• Renewable Energy Tariff Regulations
• MNRE Guidelines
• SECI/State DISCOM bidding requirements
• Land and Environmental Clearance Laws
• Dispute Resolution: Handle disputes related to land, contracts, or regulatory compliance, and represent the company before relevant legal forums, tribunals, or arbitration panels.
• Licensing & Permits: Assist in obtaining required legal approvals from central/state authorities (e.g., MNRE, SECI, state electricity boards).
• Risk Management: Identify legal risks in project execution and advise mitigation strategies.
• Stakeholder Coordination: Liaise with external legal counsel, regulatory bodies, consultants, and internal project teams.
• Policy & Legal Updates: Monitor legal developments in the renewable energy space and advise management accordingly.
• Legal Documentation: Maintain proper documentation and records of all legal matters for audit and compliance purposes.

Additional Responsibilities (Based on Role Level):

• Corporate Governance: Ensure compliance with applicable corporate laws, board resolutions, and ethics policies.
• Intellectual Property: Safeguard proprietary technologies or project documentation.
• Project Site Legal Support: Resolve legal issues at project locations, including land disputes or local regulatory issues.
• Training: Conduct internal training sessions on legal and regulatory obligations.
• Audit & Compliance: Support legal audits and investor/legal due diligence exercises.

Skills and Qualifications:

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Law (LL.B); Master’s in Law (LL.M) is a plus.
• Bar Admission: Enrollment with a recognized Bar Council in India.
• Experience: 5+ years of legal experience in the infrastructure, renewable energy, or power sector. Experience with solar/green energy projects is highly preferred.
• Knowledge of Sector: Solid understanding of Indian energy laws, policies from MNRE, SECI, and CERC/SERC.
• Contract Management: Proven experience in drafting and negotiating project-related agreements.
• Regulatory Understanding: Familiarity with land laws, environmental clearances, and electricity regulations in different Indian states.
• Research Skills: Strong legal research capabilities for project-related legal issues.
• Communication Skills: Excellent written and oral communication skills; ability to convey legal risks clearly to non-legal stakeholders.
• Judgment: Ability to exercise sound legal judgment with commercial acumen.

Preferred:

• Experience handling legal matters in large-scale solar parks or rooftop solar installations.
• Understanding of government tender processes, bidding documentation, and regulatory filings.
• Multilingual capability (especially Hindi and regional languages) for ease of dealing with local authorities and landowners.

Job Types: Full-time, Permanent

Pay: From ₹50,000.00 per month

Benefits:

• Cell phone reimbursement
• Health insurance
• Provident Fund

Work Location: In person