Senior Counsel

Status: Exempt (salaried)

Department: Legal

Position Summary

The Senior Counsel will support Plug’s commercial expansion and mission to grow the green hydrogen economy. This role will work directly with Plug’s General Counsel and Managing Counsel advising Plug’s commercial teams on legal and regulatory matters arising from Plug’s business and the international expansion of its products and services. This individual will collaborate and coordinate across the Finance, Engineering, Sales, HR, Business Development, Manufacturing, and Operations sections of the Company. This individual must be self-motivated, able to handle multiple competing priorities at once, and willing to adapt within a dynamic, fast-paced organization. This is a full-time position located in the Company’s headquarters in New York.

Core Duties and Responsibilities

• Assist the General Counsel and Managing Counsel on all legal aspects of operating Plug’s domestic and international energy solutions and material handling business, including development of, construction of, and operation of Plug’s green hydrogen generation plants, refueling infrastructure, and generally all construction and engineering related matters. 
• Draft, review, and negotiate a wide variety of contracts, including utility contracts, power purchase agreements, land lease and development agreements, construction contracts, EPC contracts, O&M agreements, subcontractor contracts, engineering agreements, equipment purchases, and PILOT agreements and other tax abatement agreements with state and local governmental agencies.
• Lead or support internal project development (engineering, procurement, operations, legal strategy, and finance) to help drive business strategy and execution of hydrogen generation projects, electrical substations interconnected with local utility grids, facility contracts, and PPAs.
• Advise on energy law, utility law, and construction matters and/or construction risk allocation.
• Manage Federal, State and local environmental regulations compliance, permitting and land use processes.
• Supervise and direct outside counsel as needed.
• Ensure work product of the highest quality that furthers Plug Power’s strategic goals.
• Open to domestic and international travel as and when required.
• Represent Plug in a professional manner at all times and in all interactions.
• Perform all other duties as assigned.

Education and Experience

• J.D. degree and membership in at least one U.S. state bar (preferably NYS).
• A minimum of four (4) years’ experience in an in-house legal department of a publicly traded corporation, or five (5) years’ experience in a law firm or a combination of law firm and in-house legal department.
• Experience working directly with business clients, providing day-to-day input on business, commercial and financial strategies, resolving issues that arise in commercial relationships, and responding to legal inquiries in a timely manner.
• Working knowledge of contract, commercial, real estate, technology, energy, or intellectual property law in a technology and business-growth context and broad ranges of experiences of advising on commercial, transactional and technology issues.
• Experience in the Oil and Gas, Chemical and/or Renewable Energy sectors welcome.
• Knowledge of domestic and foreign policy as pertains to emerging renewable energy/hydrogen markets welcome.