Job Announcement: Associate Attorney, Renewable Energy Practice

March 8, 2023

Shute, Mihaly & Weinberger LLP is seeking to hire an Associate Attorney to support its renewable energy practice. The firm is located in San Francisco, although candidates wishing to work remotely full-time from other locations will be considered.

About the Firm

Shute, Mihaly & Weinberger LLP is a law firm specializing in government, land use, real estate, renewable energy, and environmental law. Since 1980, the firm has provided public agencies, non-profits, tribes, community groups, ratepayer advocates, and clean energy businesses with the highest quality legal representation, offering an array of litigation, regulatory, policy, counseling, and planning services. Known for its commitment to promoting environmental and community values, SMW is at the forefront of the major land use, energy, and development issues. The firm strives for a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace. We are proud to be one of the few majority-women-owned law firms in California. More about the firm’s DEI efforts, including changes to hiring practices, can be found here.

Position Summary

We are seeking an attorney with 2 to 6 years of relevant work experience to join our renewable energy practice. This attorney will be a core part of our renewable energy team and will also have opportunities to work in the firm’s other practice areas. They will principally represent non-profit organizations, ratepayer advocates, government entities, and renewable energy companies working to ensure fair and reasonable rates while decarbonizing the United States’ energy use. They will appear before public utilities commissions across the country, at FERC, and in other forums. The work involves substantial research and drafting, along with considerable opportunities for public speaking, negotiations, and other outward-facing tasks. The attorney will work with a team of SMW attorneys engaged on renewable energy issues and will also interface with outside engineers and economic experts.

Responsibilities

A successful candidate may be responsible for any of the following:

• Providing leadership on renewable energy policy issues, with a particular focus on distributed energy resource policies (e.g., distributed solar, energy storage, demand response, community solar, etc.).
• Representing clients before public utility commissions throughout the United States, including drafting comments and testimony, participating in workshops and hearings, coordinating with other stakeholders, and negotiating settlements to advance client goals.
• Producing compelling written work product to inform and persuade readers, including drafting policy white papers and blogs in addition to formal comments in regulatory proceedings.
• Negotiating and drafting contracts (e.g., power purchase agreements, ground leases).
• Public speaking before commissions, in informal workshops and other regulatory settings, at renewable energy conferences, and in other public forums.
• Working independently to advance client goals.
• Collaborating with team members at the firm, with clients and consultants, and with stakeholders in regulatory proceedings.
• Managing and tracking client budgets.

Required Qualifications

• Law degree and license to practice in a state or United States territory.
• Minimum 2 years of experience with renewable energy transactions, policy, or utility regulation. This experience can include experience as an attorney or another relevant role.
• Strong advocacy skills in both written and oral formats.
• Ability to work efficiently and independently and to represent clients with maturity, judgement, and professionalism.
• Demonstrated commitment to public interest advocacy, particularly environmental and social justice.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work as a member of a team.

Desired Qualifications

• Familiarity and understanding of principal policy areas related to distributed energy resources including interconnection standards, grid modernization, net energy metering, community solar rate design, and energy storage.
• Comfort and confidence working with technical issues (particularly regarding distributed energy and grid engineering issues).
• Experience with utility rate cases, including but not limited to consideration of rate spread, rate design, low-income energy assistance programs, and prudence determinations.
• Experience working on different types of public utility commission filings.
• Experience reviewing, drafting, and negotiating agreements to support the development of clean energy projects, including power purchase agreements; property rights agreements (licenses, easements, and leases); engineering, procurement, and construction contracts; and other commercial agreements.
• Experience drafting rules, ordinances, or statutes.
• Ability to travel across the United States as needed.
• Membership in the California Bar, or willingness to seek bar membership in California.
• Project management experience.

Compensation and Benefits

• Expected salary range: $115,735 to $138,666, plus discretionary annual bonus. Compensation is based on years of post law-school experience.
• Generous medical, dental, vision, and disability insurance coverage and vacation/sick/parental leave policies.
• 401(k) plan with employer contribution and discretionary profit-share.
• Commuter, cellphone, and technology subsidy.
• Hybrid workplace, with in-office and remote work opportunities.

Application Procedure

Interested candidates should submit the following to hiring@smwlaw.com:

• Cover Letter. We look for cover letters that go beyond the resume to explain why the applicant is an ideal candidate for the position. As the firm is committed to building a diverse work environment, applicants may include in their cover letter information about how they will further this goal.
• Resume.
• Writing sample, preferably a comment letter, brief, or other document that primarily reflects your advocacy work.
• Law school transcript.
• List of three references (work, rather than academic, references are highly preferred).

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled. We expect to review applications beginning on April 30, 2023 or sooner.

Shute, Mihaly & Weinberger LLP is an equal opportunity employer and highly values diversity.