Lead Principal Attorney - Transactions and Employment Section

Join the diverse and dynamic team that powers Michigan's largest energy provider and one of the nation's largest gas and electric combination utilities. Consumers Energy services 6.8 million of Michigan's 10 million residents - caring for our friends and neighbors in all 68 Lower Peninsula counties. We embrace a cleaner and leaner utility vision focused on eliminating energy waste and adding renewable energy from sources such as wind and solar.

Location:

This position is preferred hybrid (virtual/onsite) assigned to One Energy Plaza located in Jackson, Mi (remote opportunity may be considered as well). The selected candidate must be within commutable distance from the location or willing to relocate (relocation package available for those who qualify).

We are looking for: Lead Principal Attorney - Transactions and Employment Section

We are seeking a highly motivated Lead Principal Attorney for a dynamic role in the Transactions and Employment Section of the legal department for Consumers Energy. The Lead Principal Attorney leads large business transactions, including asset sales and purchases, purchases of renewable energy projects, and major construction contracts. The Lead Principal Attorney also handles matters related to routine procurement, consulting, software, IT, and other contracts for Consumers Energy.

The Lead Principal Attorney sets the standard for an individual-contributor role by leveraging an in-depth knowledge of multiple legal specialties or areas of law to provide superior advice and recommendations to executives and management on highly complex matters which have or may have a material financial impact on business activities and operations. They are regarded as a CMS Energy and industry subject matter expert of the highest degree, as well as a demonstrated leader in their area of expertise due to the combination of highest-level legal and business knowledge. They regularly provide advice and counsel to the General Counsel and assist clients in developing and meeting strategic plans and objectives. The cases and projects assigned to the Lead Principal Attorney are unique and non-recurring which require proactive, original, creative, and concise legal solutions are of the greatest importance to the organization, are vigorously contested and routinely require consultation with outside counsel and other experts. The Lead Principal Attorney has frequently demonstrated the skills, experience, initiative, and demeanor to (i) serve as a leader within the Company and the Legal Department, advising and assisting other attorneys, including attorneys with less experience, as well as Legal Department staff and (ii) organize, lead, and manage the work of a large or diverse group of internal partners on complex legal projects and/or business projects with significant legal implications (which may involve co-leading projects with other internal subject-matter experts). Consistently exhibits positive and collaborative mindset and behaviors, and consistently demonstrates ability to perform and lead that reflects the entirety of the Company's cultural values.

The knowledge and skills involved with this position include but are not limited to:

• Expert level drafting, negotiation, review, and interpretation of contracts of various subject matters Expert level verbal and written communication ability
• Ability to handle legal work of the highest complexity and to analyze and advise on acceptable deviations from the routine in novel circumstances, including the demonstrated ability to form reasonable and defensible legal opinions, advice, and recommendations on issues lacking clear legal answers
• Has demonstrated dependability characteristics of a Principal Attorney
• Standard-setter in their practice area and a leader of cases or projects at the highest level of complexity, including the ability to handle multiple critical projects without compromising deadlines or quality of representation
• Knowledge of state and federal laws and regulations in legal specialty
• Ability to analyze, and through appropriate inquiry, develop facts and provide advice on the applicable law
• Ability to advise clients on strategic decisions important to the client

We encourage you to apply if you have:

• Juris Doctorate with admission to Michigan's or other acceptable jurisdiction's state bar with ten (10) or more years of experience as an attorney with a law firm and/or or in-house counsel, with a superior level of demonstrated leadership, management skills, and/or experience in utility, energy, or other related businesses

In this role, you will:

• Lead large business transactions, including asset sales and purchases, purchases of renewable energy projects, and major construction contracts
• Provide expert level support for routine procurement, consulting, software, IT, and other contracts for Consumers Energy
• Provide expert legal advice to client groups by conducting legal research, interpreting rulings and analyzing difficult and novel legal questions

• Keep clients abreast of developments in the relevant legal practice area, explains legal concepts, develops strategies to mitigate legal risk
• Serve as an expert leader and advisor, providing legal counsel on a broad range of significant corporate and business matters of the highest complexity
• Carry out assignments independently and makes final legal determinations in matters of critical importance to the Company
• Draft, review, and negotiate a wide variety of contracts and other legal documents, ensuring that the organization's interests are protected
• Draft legal memoranda, opinions, and pleadings
• Contribute to the development and implementation of policies and procedures to ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations
• Provide guidance to lower-level Attorneys and Paralegals to assist them in accomplishing their work
• Oversee the work of other legal staff to provide support on active cases of greater complexity
• Manage outside counsel and legal vendors
• Expert-level understanding of the business and industry to advance and lead the company's strategy, while weighing risks and benefits to advise on business decisions
• Handle the most complex matters within their area of legal expertise. Represents the company externally, on highly complex matters dealing with negotiations, regulatory, or court proceedings, or meetings with customers or other stakeholders
• Regularly lead litigation, transactions, regulatory or legislative projects of the highest complexity
• Meet regularly with clients to adviseon matters of critical importance to CMS Energy
• Convey a deep understanding of the utility regulatory business model to clients and weighing risks and making decisions of critical importance to CMS Energy and ensure line of sight as to how legal options and actions affect the business