Attorney III

Essential Utilities, Inc.•Lower Merion Township, PA

10d•Hybrid

About The Position

Essential Utilities, Inc. delivers safe, clean, reliable services that improve quality of life for individuals, families, and entire communities. Operating as the Aqua (water and wastewater services) and the Peoples and Delta (natural gas) brands, Essential serves approximately 5.5 million people across 10 states. We are committed to sustainable growth, operational excellence, a superior customer experience, and premier employer status - including a competitive and comprehensive benefits package as well as a commitment to career growth opportunities. We are advocates for the communities we serve and are dedicated stewards of natural lands, protecting more than 7,600 acres of forests and other habitats throughout our footprint. Our company is one of the most significant publicly traded water, wastewater service and natural gas providers in the U.S. We have an exciting opportunity to join our legal team as Attorney III/Sr. Counsel reporting to the VP and Sr. Managing Counsel. This position is directly responsible for the legal affairs of the Company’s operating subsidiaries, including providing legal counsel to specified business units of the Company and serving as the subject matter expert for certain specified legal topics.

Requirements

Juris Doctorate degree required.
Minimum ten(10) years of Legal practice experience; Utility Industry preferred
Minimum two (2) years’ experience in corporate environment required.
Experience with corporate transactional and Mergers & Acquisitions (utility industry preferred)
Experience leading an acquisition from inception to closing
Experience leading due diligence; drafting and negotiating acquisition documents and overseeing outside counsel.
Licensed to practice in Pennsylvania.
Outstanding ethics; supports Aqua’s core values of Integrity, Respect, and Pursuit of Excellence.
Proficient in MS office (Word, Outlook etc.) and online legal research tools.
Strong verbal and written communications, analytical, and advocacy skills.
Ability to work well under pressure
Ability to work on multiple projects simultaneously and adapt to changing priorities in a fast-paced environment
A team player able to work effectively in a team fostered multi-tasking environment

Responsibilities

Provide legal advice and counsel regarding Company affairs as the primary responsible legal counsel to certain specified business units of the Company, including advice on contracts, acquisitions, litigation, employee matters, real estate transactions and public utility matters (excluding rate cases).
Review laws and regulations affecting the Company’s business and utility operations and provide guidance to management on such matters.
Responsible for acting as the primary in-house legal expert for certain legal affairs of the Company, as designated in conjunction with the General Counsel.
Prepare, negotiate and/or review contracts and other documents to be executed by the Company, in accordance with the rules and regulations applicable to the Company, including utility service requirements, and other procedures and practices.
Draft, negotiate and review documents in preparation of Company acquisitions and related regulatory approvals.
Retain and manage the use of outside legal counsel for specific projects, acquisitions, litigation, corporate activities, and daily operation of the Company.
Serve as primary responsible legal counsel to certain subsidiaries and/or geographic regions as designated by the General Counsel.
Formulate and/or review policies and procedures to guide operating departments on legal-related issues.
Work on special projects at the request of various Company officers and provide coordination between various Company departments.
Managed the legal matter management, case tracking, e-billing, and analytics systems for the company.
Provide periodic reports to various Company officers on matters of interest.