Legal Advisor

ESP Utilities Group Ltd; Leatherhead; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company in the utilities sector seeks a legal professional to manage land rights transactions, supervise junior staff, and provide legal advice. The role involves negotiating contracts and ensuring compliance with legal frameworks for significant energy projects.

Benefits

26 days holidays, increasing with tenure

Bonus

Enhanced Pension

Private Medical Insurance

Life insurance

Company training programmes

Employee Rewards Portal

Enhanced Family Friendly benefits

Volunteering day

Qualifications

• Experience managing and negotiating leasehold and freehold transactions.
• Experience dealing with easements and legalities of developments.

Responsibilities

• Manage utilities leases and provide legal advice.
• Supervise junior legal team members and interact with stakeholders.

Skills

Communication

Problem Solving

Organizational Skills

Education

Chartered Institute of Legal Executives

Qualified Solicitor

Tools

MS Office

Job description

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Full Job Description

ESP operates as an Independent Distribution Network Operator (IDNO) and Independent Gas Transporter (IGT) in a highly competitive sector. We own and operate over 900,000 electricity and water assets providing “last mile” connectivity to residential and commercial premises.

Our business model is to adopt networks constructed by our accredited partners and to operate and manage these networks safely and efficiently. These arrangements are subject to contractual and legal arrangements which must be robust and well managed to ensure the best outcomes for ESP.

Role Purpose

• Managing and negotiating land rights transactions from instruction to completion.
• Supervising junior members of the legal team.
• Identifying risks in relation to legal matters and developing and implementing appropriate mitigations.
• Assisting with the resolution of complex legal matters.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage utilities leases, transfers, and wayleaves, from instruction to completion.
• Provide ad-hoc legal advice and support to ESP colleagues relating to legal matters.
• Provide instructions to external counsel on land rights projects.
• Develop and draft bespoke contract terms for land rights where appropriate to reflect the needs of ESP.
• Be involved in the negotiation of the legal framework supporting major and minor Gas/Electricity/Water/Heat schemes which are nationally significant.
• Supervise Paralegals and Legal Assistants on land rights transactions, helping them assess the risk of proposed amendments to ESP deeds/leases; and
• Interact with internal and external stakeholders to provide updates and guidance on the status of legal matters.

Person Specification

• Experience managing and negotiating leasehold and freehold purchase and sales.
• Experience dealing with easements, deeds of covenants, licences to alter.
• Experience dealing with the legalities of large-scale residential and/or commercial developments.
• Experience within the energy and/or utility sector (desirable).
• Experience supervising or managing junior members of staff (desirable).
• Strong communication and inter-personal skills with the ability to work effectively and collaboratively with colleagues and external parties. Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Strongly analytical, with well-developed problem-solving skills and proficient with MS Office.
• A good organiser with a natural ability to plan and organise to achieve objectives and targets.

Qualifications:

• Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (or working towards), or Qualified Solicitor.

Benefits include:

• Holidays: 26 days, increasing to 27 after 3 years and 28 after 5 years of employment. The company offers the opportunity to buy/sell up to 3 days per year.
• Bonus
• Enhanced Pension
• Private Medical Insurance
• Life insurance
• Company training programmes to support your development.
• Employee Rewards Portal: access to exclusive discounts and flexible benefits such as Cycle to Work and EV car Salary Sacrifice Scheme.
• Enhanced Family Friendly benefits: maternity and paternity pay and paid time off for fertility treatment.
• Volunteering day: one paid day per year.