Associate General Counsel - Transactions

Please note the job posting will close on the day before the posting end date.

Job Summary:
The Associate General Counsel will provide legal support, advice, and counsel to AEP's operating companies and commercial operations professionals. The Associate General Counsel will be responsible for managing the review and negotiation of multiple corporate transactions, including acquisitions and divestitures and other commercial transactions, and identifying legal and business risks and corresponding solutions.

Applicants must possess strong communication and interpersonal skills, a good working knowledge of how to negotiate and document various corporate transactions, and sound legal judgment, as well as a proven ability for initiative, creativity, and working independently of direct supervision, while being aligned with the goals of the AEP legal department.

The Associate General Counsel position reports to the Associate General Counsel - Transactions and Finance.

Job Description:
Key Duties and Responsibilities:

• Draft and negotiate agreements for various corporate transactions, including acquisitions and divestures, new construction, joint ventures, and various customer-facing transactions.
• Provide legal advice and counsel to AEP operating companies and business leaders, including with respect to the legal requirements of proposed transactions and projects, identification and allocation of legal risk, compliance, customer relationships, and credit risk.
• Oversee team that structures, drafts, negotiates, and closes a broad range of transactions (M&A, joint ventures, and commercial arrangements)
• Manage outside counsel on transactional matters, oversee budgets and billing, and monitor outside counsel performance
• Coordinate with tax, accounting, regulatory and business stakeholders to manage legal risk allocation and close complex transactions.
• Monitor legislative, regulatory and market developments affecting industry-specific transactional issues and provide actionable guidance to the business.

Legal Requirements:

• Demonstrated experience structuring, negotiating, and closing corporate transactions.
• Ability to follow-up on transactional issues, negotiate agreements with opposing counsel, and advise AEP commercial teams regarding same.
• Big picture oriented, yet focus driven, with strong attention to detail.

Communication Skills:

• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Strong advocacy and negotiation skills.
• Ability to communicate cross functionally with all business units.
• Ability to relate to many different constituencies in a positive, proactive manner that will engender confidence from company management and attorney colleagues.
• Problem solver coupled with good conflict resolution skills.
• Extremely organized, self-starter, and results oriented.

Work Location:

• This position's primary work location will be AEP's offices in Columbus, Ohio.
• The position will be expected to be in the office 5 days a week.

Education and Professional Background:

• J.D. required. Eligible to practice in Ohio.
• Minimum10 years' applicable professional experience as a practicing transactional attorney, preferably with a law firm or in a corporate legal department. (Associate General Counsel Grade 13)
• Admission to practice in one or more states.