Associate General Counsel- Birmingham

Southern Company•Birmingham, AL

12d•Onsite

About The Position

The Associate General Counsel (AGC) serves 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 position requires an intellectually curious, resourceful attorney who can quickly learn unfamiliar subject matter, exercise sound judgment, work independently, and develop practical solutions. The AGC works closely with senior leadership, business units, and outside counsel, advising on commercial agreements, regulatory matters, litigation and claims, employment and compliance matters, and other legal issues affecting the Company. The AGC takes 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 work may cover commercial matters, litigation, nuclear regulatory matters, export controls, and employment/personnel matters. Responsibilities will be assigned based on the candidate’s experience and strengths and the Company’s 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.

Requirements

Juris Doctor degree from an American Bar Association-accredited law school, with 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.
Demonstrated 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.
Ability to work in-office in Birmingham, Alabama, consistent with Company policy, currently four days per week.
Availability for occasional travel and responsiveness to clients outside normal business hours.

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, develop recommended 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.
Assess and manage litigation, claims, investigations, disputes, and other contested matters; recommend strategies; coordinate preservation and collection of relevant information; and support legal holds, discovery, witness preparation, and settlement, as appropriate.
Provide legal support on nuclear regulatory, licensing, enforcement, compliance, and rulemaking matters; work with relevant internal groups and outside counsel on practical approaches and regulatory responses; coordinate internal review and preserve 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 employment matters, personnel actions, investigations, retaliation concerns, compliance issues, and related matters.
Maintain occasional travel availability and respond to clients outside normal business hours.