Legal Counsel - renewables

Taylor Hopkinson | Powered by Brunel; Deutschland; On-site; EUR 90,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Taylor Hopkinson | Powered by Brunel is seeking a Senior Legal Specialist / Legal Counsel to support advancing renewable energy projects in Germany. You will provide end-to-end legal guidance across PV, wind, energy storage, and AIDC initiatives, including due diligence, contracts, and dispute avoidance.

The role requires a German Staatsexamen, a Rechtsanwalt license, and at least 5 years in-house or comparable experience, with strong English contract review skills and optional Chinese

Qualifications

• German law background with completed Staatsexamen and Master of Law or above.
• Valid German Rechtsanwalt license; EU qualifications preferred.
• Minimum 5 years as in-house counsel in Germany or equivalent.
• Fluent German; strong English for contract review; Chinese a plus.

Responsibilities

• End-to-end legal and risk support for renewable energy & AIDC projects in Germany across initiation, due diligence, M&A, construction, operation and asset disposal.
• Draft, review and negotiate German and English contracts including SPA, EPC, real-estate, O&M, PPAs and service agreements; manage contract versions and negotiations.
• Handle disputes in Germany, coordinate with local counsel, oversee governance, compliance due diligence, POA and related documents.
• Implement global compliance policies in line with German and EU laws; conduct risk assessments and provide training.
• Oversee German subsidiaries, permits, licenses, and real-estate/title due diligence; ensure timely project milestones.

Skills

German law

In-house counsel

M&A transactions

Contract drafting

Regulatory compliance

Due diligence

Education

Staatsexamen

Master of Law+

Job description

Opportunity to join a global leading renewable energy developer and investor company as Senior Legal Specialist / Legal Counsel / Senior Legal Counsel , based on experience.

Location : willing to be on site

Key Responsibilities

• End-to-end legal and risk support for renewable energy & AIDC projects in Germany Provide full-cycle legal support for PV, wind, energy storage and AIDC projects in Germany, covering project initiation, legal due diligence, M&A transactions, construction, commercial operation and asset disposal. Deliver legal opinions to identify, assess and mitigate project-related legal risks.
• End-to-end contract lifecycle management Independently draft, review and revise German-language and English-language commercial agreements, including SPA, EPC contracts, real-estate & land agreements, O&M agreements, power purchase agreements and AIDC-related service contracts. Participate in commercial negotiations, manage contract versions, monitor performance and proactively prevent contractual disputes.
• Dispute resolution and non-litigation legal matters Handle project-related disputes within Germany, manage local litigation and arbitration proceedings. Coordinate with external local counsel to formulate dispute resolution strategies and monitor case progress. Take charge of corporate governance, compliance due diligence, Power of Attorney (POA) and other non-litigation legal documentation.
• Local compliance and risk control system implementation Implement global group compliance policies while complying with German and EU regulatory frameworks, including EU export control, anti-bribery, GDPR data protection, energy-sector regulations and ESG compliance. Conduct risk reviews, prepare risk assessment reports and deliver compliance training & policy awareness sessions for business teams.
• Local entity, permit and license management Oversee incorporation, amendment, liquidation and corporate governance compliance for German subsidiaries and project SPVs. Track and secure industry permits, administrative approvals, registrations and real-estate titles required for renewable energy and AIDC projects to ensure compliant project milestones.
• External stakeholder & cross-functional collaboration Manage external third-party resources including local law firms, notaries and regulatory authorities. Collaborate with local business development, investment & finance and supply-chain teams to resolve legal-compliance issues and support business expansion in Germany.
• Legislative monitoring and risk early-warning Monitor updates of German and EU laws and regulations for energy and AIDC industries. Prepare country-specific legal research reports and provide compliance advice and risk alerts for business stakeholders.

Job Requirements

• Education Background German law background with completed German State Legal Examination (Staatsexamen); Master of Law or above.
• Qualifications Valid German Rechtsanwalt (German lawyer) license; qualifications from other EU jurisdictions are preferred.
• Professional Experience Minimum 5 years working experience as in-house counsel in Germany or practicing in local law firms. Prior hands-on experience in renewable energy (PV / wind / energy storage), AIDC data center, energy-sector M&A or EPC projects is highly preferred.
• Language Skills Native-level German; fluent working English for contract review and business negotiation. Chinese language proficiency is a strong plus.
• Core Competencies Practical experience covering both dispute resolution and non-litigation transaction work. Solid knowledge of German civil & commercial law, energy regulatory rules and EU compliance frameworks. Proven capability in legal due diligence, cross-border transactions and commercial contract review. High risk awareness, rigorous logical thinking and strong attention to details.
• Soft Skills Strong cross-cultural communication and collaboration skills, willingness for short-term business travel. High sense of responsibility, execution, coordination and learning agility. Strict adherence to confidentiality and professional ethics.
• Preferred Qualifications Prior experience supporting Chinese-invested businesses operating in Germany; familiarity with business models and development workflows of PV, wind, energy storage and AIDC data-center projects.