Summer Legal Associate

New Energy Equity•Annapolis, MD

3d•$20 - $20•Onsite

About The Position

New Energy Equity is seeking a Summer Legal Associate to support our in-house Legal team during Summer 2026. This role is designed for a law student interested in renewable energy and commercial transactions. The Summer Legal Associate will work directly with New Energy Equity attorneys on active matters and produce practical, business-facing work product (memos, issue spotting, redlines, and playbooks). This role is only available to rising ILs only.

Requirements

Currently enrolled in a J.D. program at an ABA-accredited law school (rising 1Ls ONLY).
Demonstrated interest in commercial transactions, real estate, renewable energy, or infrastructure.
Excellent legal research, writing, and communication skills (ability to translate legal risk into business-friendly guidance).
Strong attention to detail and comfort working with contract markups/redlines.
Ability to manage multiple priorities, meet deadlines, and work effectively with a team.
Ability to work on-site in Annapolis, MD for the duration of the program (no remote option).
Applicants must be authorized to work for any employer in the U.S. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of employment visas at this time.

Nice To Haves

Coursework or experience in real estate, energy law, environmental law, corporate law, or contract drafting.
Prior internship/clinic experience (in-house, law firm, government, or renewable energy sector).
Comfort working with spreadsheets or organizing diligence trackers (helpful but not required).

Responsibilities

Support real estate and site control matters, including review of solar leases, easements, access rights, and related exhibits (under attorney supervision).
Assist with title and survey review by identifying and summarizing potential legal issues and recommended next steps.
Review and redline commercial agreements such as NDAs, vendor MSAs/SOWs, consulting agreements, and other project-related contracts (scope will vary based on experience).
Support transaction diligence and closing processes by maintaining checklists, tracking deliverables, and drafting short diligence summaries.
Conduct targeted legal research and write concise, practical issue memos on topics relevant to renewable energy development (e.g., permitting, land use, contract risk allocation).
Help improve internal legal tools such as playbooks, clause libraries, templates, and intake/checklist workflows.
Participate in internal meetings with cross-functional stakeholders (Development, Construction, Finance, Operations) to understand business context and timelines.