Description
MISSION
The In-House Counsel serves as a strategic legal and business advisor to A-C Electric Company, integrating legal, operational, financial, and risk strategies to protect and advance enterprise value.
This role is responsible for overseeing corporate legal matters including contracts, employment law, risk management, insurance claims, M&A activity, governance, and regulatory compliance. The In-House Counsel partners closely with Executive Leadership and the Board, providing context on the business climate, legal landscape, and associated risks and opportunities impacting the company’s strategic direction.
This leader will build and scale a high-performing contracts and legal operations function, establish systems that reduce enterprise risk, and develop frameworks that enable disciplined, growth-oriented decision-making.
KEY RESPONSBILITIES
Enterprise Legal Strategy & Advisory
- Serve as primary legal advisor to the Executive Team and Board.
- Translate legal risk into clear business implications, options, and recommended paths.
- Monitor California and federal legal developments (construction, employment, corporate law) and proactively advise leadership on impact.
- Integrate legal strategy with corporate growth plans, operational execution, and capital strategy.
Contract Governance & Legal Operations
- Oversee all commercial contracts including construction agreements, MSAs, NDAs, joint ventures, procurement agreements, and strategic partnerships.
- Establish standardized contract templates, negotiation playbooks, and approval workflows.
- Build and develop an internal contracts team and scalable legal infrastructure.
- Implement systems that create visibility into risk exposure, contractual obligations, and performance tracking.
Employment Law & HR Partnership
- Partner with HR on employment matters, investigations, claims, and policy development.
- Provide counsel on wage/hour compliance, employee relations, workforce risk, and workforce structuring.
- Manage sensitive employee disputes and guide pre-litigation strategy.
- Coordinate with external counsel when litigation or specialized expertise is required.
Risk, Insurance & Claims Administration
- Collaborate with CEO, COO, CFO and Safety to manage claims strategy and exposure.
- Evaluate litigation posture and settlement strategy in coordination with carriers and outside counsel.
- Develop proactive risk mitigation frameworks to reduce recurring claims patterns.
- Working with the CFO and COO, develop and implement best practices and strategies for insurance given the business risk climate as the company scales. Review insurance plans to confirm alignment with company risk strategy.
Mergers & Acquisitions Support
- Support due diligence, transaction structuring, and post-acquisition integration.
- Identify contractual, regulatory, and employment-related risks in acquisition targets.
- Align transaction strategy with long-term enterprise integration objectives.
Governance & Board Engagement
- Support Board governance processes, documentation, and compliance.
- Provide forward-looking insight into regulatory trends, industry risk shifts, and strategic legal implications.
- Contribute to capital strategy discussions, partnerships, and structural decisions.
REQUIREMENTS, SKILLS, AND QUALIFICATIONS
Education
- Juris Doctor (JD) from an accredited law school.
- Active member in good standing with the California Bar (or with another state and capable of become a member with the California Bar within the first year).
Experience
- 10+ years of legal experience.
- Prior in-house or law firm experience supporting construction, infrastructure, energy, or industrial sectors preferred.
- Strong working knowledge of contract law and employment law required, California preferred.
- Experience supporting M&A, corporate transactions, and strategic growth initiatives strongly preferred.
- Experience working with Boards or executive leadership teams preferred.
Technical & Functional Skills
- Deep understanding of construction and commercial contracting.
- Employment law compliance and claims management.
- Litigation management and outside counsel oversight.
- Risk and insurance claim strategy.
- Governance documentation and compliance oversight.
- Strong financial literacy and business acumen.
Pay Range: $200,000 - $275,000. Pay offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors, including market location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. The total compensation package for this position may also include other elements dependent on the position offered.
*A-C Electric Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer; women, veterans, and minorities are encouraged to apply.