Description:
The Counsel or Senior Counsel, Forestry, will report to the Assistant General Counsel, Forestry and will provide advice and counsel to forest resources and land-based solutions businesses. This includes responsibility for commercial activities, litigation, real estate transactions and land use matters.Primary Responsibilities:
- Serve as counsel to the forestry business regarding legal matters in assigned geography.
- Provide legal support to the land-based solutions businesses, including minerals, pipelines, hunting and recreation, solar, communication towers, and carbon projects.
- Draft, review and negotiate contracts and other documents to be used by the business units and work closely with management to structure business transactions, including acquisitions, dispositions and ventures.
- Review and negotiate company corporate procurement contracts to mitigate risk and support operational needs.
- Provide litigation support for business units and coordinate with Assistant General Counsel and outside counsel, as applicable, to ensure alignment with company objectives.
- Assist environmental and real estate personnel on issues relating to land management and real estate development, including wetland delineation, mitigation and permitting.
- Assist in training management and clients on compliance with applicable law.
- Assist with implementing the Company's compliance program with respect to the businesses.
- Help manage outside counsel and other legal consultants (and their budgets).
Required Qualifications:
- B.A. or B.S. undergraduate degree and J.D. degree from a respected law school with indicia of academic achievement, and admission to the bar of at least one state (Florida or Georgia would be preferred but not required for hire).
- The ideal candidate will have at least 3 years of law firm or in-house legal experience, preferably with exposure to the forestry, real estate, renewable energy or land use sectors.
- Ability to manage outside counsel and work collaboratively with business teams.
- Strong organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills, be detail oriented, able to prioritize work and multi-task in a busy legal office, meet deadlines, be an excellent communicator (both verbal and written), and be capable of working independently with little direct supervision.
- Strong work ethic, show initiative (i.e., a self-starter), be a team player with excellent interpersonal skills.
- Ability to maintain confidentiality within a strictly confidential environment.
- Strong Microsoft Word experience, familiar with Microsoft Excel, and ready, willing and able to learn new or unfamiliar technology resources (e.g., Gemini, Legal Tracker and Contract Management Software).
- Must be willing to work in the Atlanta, Georgia office at least 3 days per week.
