Contract Attorney -- Solar & Energy (Temporary)

SMA America

4d • $140 - $160 • Remote

About The Position

The Contract Attorney will independently provide interim legal support to SMA America's legal department during a planned leave of absence. This position will provide legal analysis and advice, assess the legal consequences of business decisions, and monitor business transactions and projects for compliance and potential risks. The Contract Attorney will focus primarily on procurement contracts in the solar and energy sector, OEM and white label agreements, distributor agreements, and antitrust matters arising from distributor relationships. As an integral member of the procurement and contract management functions, this role will support the contract lifecycle from requests for proposals through contract execution, coordinating with all relevant internal functions and managing complex commercial contracts under the direction of the General Counsel.

Requirements

• Juris Doctor required; active bar membership in good standing with applicable state bar association.
• Licensed to practice law in relevant U.S. jurisdictions.
• Minimum 8 years of experience in procurement contracts, preferably in the solar energy sector. Candidates with experience in technology OEM contracts or white label agreements representing the reseller or buyer will also be considered.
• Minimum 10 years of experience with distributor agreements in the energy sector, including antitrust experience arising from distributor relationships, preferably representing the seller.
• Familiarity with antitrust law, particularly as it applies to distributor and reseller relationships, employment, tariffs, and bankruptcy laws.
• Knowledge of energy and federal procurement regulations.
• Understanding of the risks that arise in an EPC / infrastructure contracting environment.

Nice To Haves

• In-house legal counsel experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• Independently draft, analyze, review, revise, and negotiate a variety of contracts -- including procurement agreements, OEM and white label agreements, distributor agreements, letters of intent, confidentiality agreements, and sales agreements -- while assessing commercial risks holistically before and during project execution. Ensure all contracts comply with SMA's legal, commercial, and compliance policies and contractual requirements.
• Serve as a key point of contact and coordinate with contract management, procurement, project management, applications engineering, sales, service, finance, and senior management.
• Proactively provide creative and business-oriented guidance to internal teams on corporate goals and legal risk.
• Develop negotiation strategies and support the negotiation team on complex contracts.
• Advise on procurement contracts with a focus on solar energy, technology OEM, and white label agreements, primarily representing the reseller or buyer.
• Advise on distributor agreements in the energy sector, with particular emphasis on antitrust matters arising from distributor relationships, primarily representing the seller.
• Interpret laws, rulings, and regulations -- including those related to energy, federal procurement, and antitrust -- in the context of solar energy for utility, commercial, and residential products and services. Assume full professional responsibility for responding to both internal and external inquiries with minimal supervision.
• Participate in organizational risk reviews, providing useful and detailed input on legal and commercial risks.
• Manage claims and other legal matters as directed by the General Counsel, including analyzing risk, supporting dispute resolution, and advising on settlements.
• Provide reports on the status of legal matters, claims, and contract activity.
• Perform other duties as needed and assigned.

Benefits

• Pay rate: $140 -- $160/hr (negotiable based on experience and profile).
• Flexible, part-time remote engagement: 20 -- 30 hours per week.
• Engagement duration: 3 months minimum, up to 9 -- 10 months.
• Fully remote position; U.S.-based candidates only.
• Opportunity to work directly with an experienced General Counsel on high-impact commercial and energy sector legal matters.
• Inclusive and collaborative work environment at a leading global solar technology company.

What This Job Offers

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