Associate General Counsel- Birmingham

Southern Company • Birmingham, AL

12d • Onsite

About The Position

The Associate General Counsel (AGC) will serve as a senior-level attorney for Southern Nuclear, providing legal counsel and strategic guidance on a broad range of business, operational, and regulatory matters. The role requires an intellectually curious, resourceful attorney who can quickly learn unfamiliar subject matter, exercise sound judgment, and work independently to develop practical solutions. Working closely with senior leadership, business units, and outside counsel, the AGC will advise on commercial agreements, regulatory matters, litigation and claims, employment and compliance matters, and other legal issues affecting the Company. The AGC will take ownership of matters while keeping the General Counsel informed of significant developments and emerging risks, communicating effectively, and seeking input or escalating matters as appropriate.

The role may support work in commercial agreements and related confidentiality, intellectual property, data use, disclosure restrictions, procurement, and supply-chain matters; litigation, claims, investigations, disputes, and contested matters; nuclear regulatory, licensing, enforcement, compliance, rulemaking, and export-control matters; and employment and personnel issues. The specific mix of responsibilities will reflect the candidate’s experience and strengths and Company needs. Experience in every area is not expected.

The position is based in Birmingham, Alabama, with in-office presence consistent with Company policy, currently four days per week. Occasional travel and availability and responsiveness to clients outside normal business hours are required. Southern Nuclear operates nuclear energy facilities and is a subsidiary of Southern Company.

Requirements

• Graduate of an American Bar Association-accredited law school with a Juris Doctor degree and strong academic credentials.
• Licensed and in good standing to practice law in Alabama, or able to gain admission to practice law in Alabama.
• At least eight years of relevant legal experience handling commercial, regulatory, litigation, employment, compliance, or other business matters.
• Ability to independently manage multiple complex matters with competing priorities and deadlines.
• Strong legal judgment and demonstrated ability to identify and evaluate material legal and business risks and develop practical solutions.
• Excellent legal research, analytical, drafting, negotiation, interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to quickly learn unfamiliar legal, regulatory, and technical subject matter, identify key issues, and translate complex concepts into clear, concise, practical advice.
• Ability to take ownership of matters, work autonomously, and exercise sound judgment about when consultation or escalation is appropriate.
• Ability to engage effectively and frequently with senior Company leadership.
• Ability to establish and maintain constructive working relationships with business clients, subject-matter experts, other attorneys, outside counsel, and external stakeholders.
• High ethical standards and sound professional judgment.
• Ability to work autonomously and in a team environment, as appropriate.
• Availability for occasional travel and responsiveness to clients outside normal business hours.
• Ability to work in the Birmingham office consistent with Company policy, currently four days per week.

Nice To Haves

• Experience working in a highly regulated industry.
• Energy, utility, or nuclear-industry experience.
• Broad legal experience involving multiple substantive areas, gained in-house, in private practice, or in government.
• Experience drafting and negotiating commercial agreements, confidentiality agreements, and information-sharing arrangements.
• Experience managing litigation, claims, investigations, or other contested matters.
• Experience managing and supervising outside counsel.
• Experience with Nuclear Regulatory Commission requirements, proceedings, enforcement matters, or other complex federal regulatory regimes.
• Experience with export-control laws and regulations, including 10 CFR Part 810.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a trusted legal advisor to senior leaders, business units, and functional organizations.
• Assess legal and business risks, recommend courses of action, coordinate appropriate resources, and drive matters toward resolution in coordination with the General Counsel as appropriate.
• Oversee and collaborate with outside counsel, including managing work assignments, budgets, invoices, deadlines, and status reporting.
• Translate complex legal and regulatory concepts into clear, concise, practical advice for executives and non-lawyer clients.
• Manage multiple complex matters with competing priorities and deadlines, keeping the General Counsel informed of significant developments, risks, and open issues.
• Identify and elevate matters involving significant legal, regulatory, financial, reputational, strategic, or precedent-setting considerations.
• Draft, review, and negotiate commercial, confidentiality, information-sharing, collaboration, and other business agreements; advise on related confidentiality, intellectual property, data use, disclosure restrictions, procurement, and supply-chain matters; and coordinate with other Southern Company attorneys and outside counsel when specialized expertise is needed.
• Assess and manage litigation, claims, investigations, disputes, and other contested matters with the General Counsel and outside counsel; recommend strategies; coordinate preservation and collection of relevant information; and support legal holds, discovery, witness preparation, settlement, and related activities as appropriate.
• Provide legal support on nuclear regulatory, licensing, enforcement, compliance, and rulemaking matters in coordination with Regulatory Affairs, Compliance, technical subject-matter experts, business leaders, and outside counsel.
• Develop practical legal approaches and respond to regulatory inquiries, allegations, and enforcement matters, including coordinating internal review and preserving applicable legal privileges.
• Advise on export-control matters, including 10 CFR Part 810 requirements and related contract provisions, policies, processes, training materials, and legal questions.
• Advise Human Resources, Compliance, Employee Concerns, and business leaders on legal issues arising from employment matters, personnel actions, investigations, retaliation concerns, compliance issues, and related matters.

Benefits

• Competitive base salary.
• Annual incentive awards for eligible employees.
• Health, welfare, and retirement benefits designed to support physical, financial, and emotional/social well-being.
• Potential eligibility for additional compensation, such as an incentive program.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree