Associate Counsel

Brightcore Energy provides end-to-end energy efficiency and clean energy measures to commercial, industrial, and institutional clients. We have the intellectual and financial capital to develop, implement, fund, operate, and maintain clean energy solutions. Our diverse solutions range from lighting, controls, geothermal heating and cooling, and other energy efficiency measures to renewable energy solutions such as solar and battery storage. We are about Building Energy Performance.

Summary/Primary Role:

The Associate Counsel will play a critical role in Brightcore’s growing energy efficiency business and legal team, supporting our geothermal, energy efficiency and solar verticals. Reporting directly to the General Counsel, you will be primarily responsible for drafting, negotiating and managing Brightcore’s project and commercial agreements in close collaboration with internal business teams. The ideal candidate will have a combination of law firm and in-house transactional experience in energy or construction, be a self-motivated and pragmatic team player, and be passionate about accelerating the transition to a clean energy future.

Principal Duties & Responsibilities:

• Review, draft, negotiate and manage a variety of construction, project development, and other commercial and strategic agreements (including engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contracts, operations & maintenance agreements, subcontract agreements, vendor agreements, and NDAs).
• Manage the contract lifecycle, from negotiation through execution and ongoing compliance, ensuring that contractual relationships are well-managed.
• Support the company's tax credit and incentive programs, working with finance and outside advisors to document and preserve eligibility.
• Build collaborative partnerships with Brightcore’s project development, engineering, construction, finance and other internal teams to analyze, communicate and mitigate legal risks, provide legal advice and support sustainable business growth.
• Stay abreast of regulatory developments in the renewable energy sector to ensure compliance with relevant regulations.
• Contracting is the core of this role, but Brightcore's legal department is small and full-service so the Associate Counsel will have the opportunity to contribute across the full range of the legal department’s initiatives and workflows, including financing, M&A, corporate governance, insurance, real estate, intellectual property, employment, dispute resolution and litigation, and the department's compliance and policy initiatives.
• All other duties and projects as assigned.

Qualifications:

• J.D. from an ABA-accredited US law school.

• An active and good-standing license to practice law in New York State (or ability to waive in).

• Minimum of 4 years of post-law school transactional experience, ideally both in a law firm and in-house.

• Strong track record of drafting, negotiating and reviewing a variety of commercial contracts.

• Construction and/or energy experience highly preferred.

• Exceptional communication, organization, prioritization and collaboration skills.

• Courteous, responsible, self-driven and flexible team player.  

• Ability to work in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.

Supervisory Responsibility: 

• This position does not have supervisory responsibility.

Expected Hours of Work & Compensation: 

An employee is expected to work a minimum of forty (40) hours per week. Non-exempt employees are eligible for overtime pay in accordance with applicable wage and hour laws, while exempt employees may be required to work additional hours as necessary to fulfill their job responsibilities. Overtime requirements will be determined based on the operational needs of the organization. The salary range and/or hourly rate listed is a good faith determination of potential base compensation that may be offered to a successful applicant for this position at the time of this job advertisement and may be modified in the future. When determining an employee’s base salary and/or rate, several factors may be considered as applicable (e.g., location, specialty, years of relevant experience, education, credentials, and internal equity). Brightcore also offers a comprehensive set of benefits to complement the base salary. The base annual salary range for this position is $180,000-$200,000 and is eligible for an annual performance-based bonus.

Travel Requirements:  

• Office presence required at least three (3) days per week, unless otherwise agreed upon with final approval by direct supervisor.

Work Environment:

• Office setting.

Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

• Sitting/desk work.
• Standing/walking.

Drug & Alcohol-Free Workplace:

Brightcore Energy is committed to a safe workplace free of drugs and alcohol. All Brightcore Energy positions require a pre-employment background check that includes prior employment verifications, a criminal history check, and a pre-employment drug screen.

In accordance with DOT regulations (49 CFR § 40.25), Brightcore Energy is required to obtain prior drug and alcohol testing records for applicants/employees intending to perform safety-sensitive duties for covered Department of Transportation positions. If an applicant/employee refuses to provide written consent for Brightcore Energy to obtain these records, the individual will not be permitted to perform safety-sensitive functions.

Office/Remote/Field Work:

We offer a variety of structured work arrangements, including remote, hybrid, and field-based assignments, aligned with organizational needs and role-specific requirements. Work arrangements are role-dependent, with guidelines established based on position requirements and business needs. This policy is subject to change at Brightcore's discretion.

Brightcore Health Benefits Overview:

Brightcore offers a full slate of medical, dental, and vision benefits including options to enroll in a Flexible Spending Account (FSA) and a Health Savings Account (HSA).

401k Plan:

Brightcore currently offers both traditional and Roth 401k plans with a dollar-for-dollar match of up to 3% of contributions and $0.50 on the next 2% for a total potential match of 4% annually.

Other Benefits & Perks:

• PTO
• Financial Wellness Benefits
• Benefit Concierge Program through Health Advocate
• EAP - Employee Assistance Program
• Disability, Life, & AD&D Benefits
• Access to Marketplace for Discounted Goods & Services

Brightcore Energy is committed to bringing together individuals from different backgrounds and perspectives. 

Brightcore Energy is an Equal Opportunity Employer, providing equal employment and advancement opportunities to all individuals. We recruit, hire and promote into all job levels the most qualified applicants without regard to race, color, creed, national origin, religion, sex (including pregnancy), parental status, age, disability, genetic information, citizenship status, veteran status, gender identity or expression, transgender status, sexual orientation, marital, family or partnership status, political affiliation or activities, military service, domestic violence victim status, sexual or reproductive health decisions, caregiver status, traits historically associated with race, including but not limited to hair texture and protective hairstyles or any other status protected under applicable federal, state and local laws. Brightcore Energy is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all aspects of employment, including job assignment and compensation.

We respect the laws enforced by the EEOC and are dedicated to going above and beyond in fostering diversity across our company.

This job description provides a general overview of the expectations and basic duties of the job and is not a comprehensive list of all duties and responsibilities. Brightcore Energy will assign additional duties and tasks that it deems necessary to meet the requirements of the position. To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed above are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.