Commercial Lawyer (Projects)

Uniper; Birmingham; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Uniper seeks a commercially minded qualified solicitor to provide legal support across the development, construction, operation, refurbishment, optimisation, and decommissioning of electricity generation assets. The role collaborates with project teams, procurement, finance, and senior management to identify legal risks while enabling complex project delivery.

The successful candidate will advise on risk allocation, negotiate major contracts, and support land and financing aspects for power

Qualifications

• Qualified Solicitor in England & Wales with current practising certificate.
• 5+ years' PQE in private practice or in-house.
• Experience advising on infrastructure, energy, construction or engineering projects.
• Strong drafting and negotiation skills.
• Experience of complex commercial contract negotiations.
• Strong understanding of risk allocation in project contracts.
• Ability to work independently and manage multiple priorities.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Provide legal support for development and delivery of power generation and energy infrastructure projects.
• Support project financing requirements, including lender-related documentation and direct agreements.
• Advise on risk allocation and contractual structures throughout the project lifecycle.
• Support land opportunities, including data centres on land owned or controlled by the business.
• Draft and negotiate documentation relating to land use, power supply, grid capacity and long-term operational support.
• Lead negotiations with contractors, suppliers, consultants and joint venture partners.
• Support operational assets, outages, modifications and major maintenance programmes.
• Provide commercially pragmatic legal advice aligned with business objectives.
• Advise on legal and regulatory matters affecting electricity generation businesses.
• Provide company secretarial support across the business, including board meetings.
• Manage pre-dispute matters and contentious project issues.
• Support adjudications, arbitration proceedings and litigation when required.
• Build strong relationships across engineering, commercial, procurement, finance and executive teams.

Skills

Drafting and negotiation

Contract negotiations

Risk allocation

Stakeholder management

Infrastructure/energy projects

Education

Qualified Solicitor (England & Wales)

Job description

We are seeking a commercially minded qualified solicitor to provide legal support across the development, construction, operation, refurbishment, optimisation, and decommissioning of electricity generation assets. The role focuses on major energy and infrastructure projects, supporting business stakeholders from project inception through to delivery and operation.
The successful candidate will work closely with project teams, engineering, procurement, commercial, finance, insurance, and senior management functions to identify and manage legal risk while enabling the successful delivery of complex projects.

Your responsibilities

• Provide legal support for the development and delivery of power generation and energy infrastructure projects.
• Support project financing requirements, including lender-related documentation and direct agreements.
• Advise on risk allocation and contractual structures throughout the project lifecycle
• Support powered land opportunities, including the development of data centres on land owned or controlled by the business, including site assembly, land rights, planning interfaces, grid connection and enabling infrastructure.
• Draft and negotiate documentation relating to land use, power supply, grid capacity, private wire arrangements, development collaboration, exclusivity and long-term operational support.
• Lead negotiations with contractors, suppliers, consultants and joint venture partners.
• Support the business in relation to operational assets, outages, modifications and major maintenance programmes.
• Provide commercially pragmatic legal advice aligned with business objectives.
• Advise on legal and regulatory matters affecting electricity generation businesses.
• Provide company secretarial support across the business, including organising and supporting board and committee meetings.
• Manage pre-dispute matters and contentious project issues.
• Support adjudications, arbitration proceedings and litigation when required.
• Build strong relationships across engineering, commercial, procurement, finance and executive teams.

Your profile

Essential

• Qualified Solicitor in England & Wales with current practising certificate.
• Typically 5+ years' PQE gained in private practice or in-house.
• Significant experience advising on infrastructure, energy, construction or engineering projects.
• Strong drafting and negotiation skills.
• Experience of complex commercial contract negotiations.
• Strong understanding of risk allocation in project contracts.
• Ability to work independently and manage multiple competing priorities.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills.

Desirable

• Experience in the electricity generation, power, renewables or wider energy sector.
• Experience of EPC, EPCM, FIDIC, NEC or IChemE forms of contract.
• Knowledge of project finance structures.
• Experience supporting carbon capture, gas-fired generation, renewables, battery storage or low-carbon energy projects.
• Experience of dispute resolution in construction or major projects.