Senior Counsel - Regulatory

SDG&E is not just an energy company, we are the architects of a brighter, cleaner future. Our employees power everyday life for 3.7 million people – bringing the energy to support their passions, ambitions, and the heartbeat of our community.

We call Southern California our home. It’s where we chase our dreams and raise our families. That’s why the people who live here deserve an energy company unlike any other, and that’s why every day, SDG&E employees strive to be at the forefront of innovations to reduce emissions, modernize the electric grid, and enable our customers to make the transition to clean technologies. We’re redefining sustainability, advancing zero-emissions solutions, and driving the electric vehicle revolution.

It takes the best to build the best – join us!

Career Level: P4

Primary Purpose:
Advises on complex legal issues and develops practical solutions that balance risk management with strategic business priorities.

Under the guidance of department leadership, this Senior Counsel position provides and oversees complex regulatory legal services for various SDG&E business units, with emphasis on proceedings before the California Public Utilities Commission.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Represents SDG&E in a variety of regulatory proceedings, including hearings before administrative law judges, that involve defending company witnesses and cross-examining witnesses for other parties.
• Prepares memos, briefs, motions, comments, affidavits, and various legal pleadings and documents as directed or as required for assigned cases or material transactions; maintains related document files and legal correspondence.
• Provides legal and strategic advice on highly complex regulatory issues, including both technical and policy-based issues; this often involves working with other legal departments.
• Creates innovative legal solutions to facilitate business growth while managing compliance and risk exposure.
• Leads the provision of legal advice on aspects of strategic initiatives while driving cross-functional alignment.
• Resolves disputes with regulatory agencies, ensuring compliance while minimizing financial penalties and reputational damage.
• Oversees and develops legal strategies and coordinates with external counsel to resolve disputes.
• Implements a structured system for legal documentation.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications:

• Requires a Juris Doctor (J.D.) or Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) degree.
• Typically requires 8 years of related experience.

Licenses and Certifications:

• Member in good standing with the California Bar or eligibility for certification to practice in California.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Legal Drafting - Prepares written legal documents, including a motion, a letter, a brief, a memo, or a contract.
• Contract Management - Streamlining the creation, execution, storage or renewal of contracts, with a focus on compliance, often via software or other automated means.
• Legal Research - The process of identifying and retrieving information necessary to support legal decision-making.
• Legal Advisory - Providing an opinion regarding the substance or procedure of the law in relation to a particular factual situation.
• Regulatory Compliance - Ensuring an organization's adherence to laws, regulations, guidelines and specifications relevant to its business processes.
• Litigation Management - The act, process, or practice of settling a dispute in a court of law.
• Corporate Governance - Corporate governance is the collection of mechanisms, processes and relations used by various parties to control and to operate a corporation.
• Legal Due Diligence - Conducting an assessment of legal risks associated with a business transaction, such as a merger or acquisition. It involves reviewing relevant documents, contracts, and agreements to identify any potential liabilities, obligations, or issues that could impact the outcome of the transaction.
• Documentation and Records Management - Creating, distributing, using, maintaining and disposition of recorded information maintained as evidence of business activities and transactions.
• Commercial Negotiation - The planning, reviewing, analysis and other activities that a buyer and seller conduct to reach an agreement.

Preferred Experience:

• Experience as an in-house litigator/counsel before regulatory agencies and/or as outside counsel representing clients before such agencies or in civil court proceedings involving regulatory issues.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, citizenship, disability or protected veteran status.