Senior Counsel - Enterprise Regulatory Legal Su...

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Duke Energy is seeking a driven and collaborative Senior Counsel to join its Office of General Counsel and provide legal support for major electric and natural gas regulatory proceedings across the company's jurisdictions. This is an exciting opportunity for a mid-level attorney to take on substantial responsibility in one of the most dynamic periods the energy industry has seen, working on proceedings that shape how the company invests in its system and serves its customers.

The Enterprise Regulatory Legal Support organization is a specialized team within the Office of General Counsel supporting major regulatory proceedings, compliance obligations, and enterprise initiatives across Duke Energy's jurisdictions, working alongside jurisdictional legal teams, business partners, and outside counsel on significant matters before state and federal regulators. Attorneys in this group carry meaningful ownership of their matters and are expected to develop into subject matter experts in energy regulatory law.

The portfolio spans base rate cases, multiyear and performance-based ratemaking, periodic rate adjustment filings, securitization and other structured cost recovery matters, certificate and resource planning proceedings, regulatory proceedings arising from corporate transactions, and other areas of energy law developing rapidly across the industry. Few in-house positions offer this range of regulatory work in a single portfolio.

As a member of a team headed by the Vice President, Enterprise Regulatory Legal Support, the Senior Counsel will support a portfolio of regulatory proceedings and enterprise initiatives across jurisdictions. The role calls for a flexible, can-do attorney who steps in where the need is greatest, whether leading a matter, filling a critical gap, or supporting a jurisdictional lead. The successful candidate will be a collaborative teammate and an effective leader who builds trust across legal, regulatory, and business teams, develops litigation and regulatory strategy, makes sound decisions under pressure, and is ready to draft and defend testimony, examine witnesses, and carry contested proceedings from filing through hearing.

Responsibilities:

• Lead or support assigned electric and natural gas base rate cases; multiyear and performance-based ratemaking proceedings; periodic rate adjustment filings; securitization and other structured cost recovery transactions; resource planning; and regulatory proceedings arising from corporate transactions.
• Develop hearing strategy; draft, review, and defend pre-filed testimony and exhibits; and prepare and present witnesses at evidentiary hearings.
• Manage discovery and production for assigned proceedings, including requests, objections, responses, collection, privilege review, discovery disputes, vendor coordination, and defensible process documentation.
• Prepare and review briefs, motions, petitions, applications, proposed orders, pre-hearing and post-hearing submissions, and other advocacy filings before state and federal regulatory agencies.
• Develop settlement positions and draft settlement and stipulation terms in coordination with legal leadership.
• Support implementation of regulatory commitments and post-approval obligations, including coordination with business owners on assignments, due dates, and reporting requirements.
• Serve as the primary day-to-day legal contact for assigned subject matter experts across regulatory, finance, engineering, and operations.
• Direct outside counsel on assigned matters, including scope, staffing, and billing.
• Provide regulatory legal support to legal teams in other Duke Energy jurisdictions as enterprise needs require.
• Support the adoption of legal technology and artificial intelligence tools within the regulatory practice.
• Monitor regulatory and legislative developments and advise leadership on matters that may affect the business.

Required/Basic Qualifications

• Juris Doctor (JD) degree from an accredited law school.
• Minimum of three (3) years of experience practicing law.
• Experience in one or more of the following areas: regulatory law, energy law, administrative law, or litigation.
• Membership in good standing with the bar of any state in which Duke Energy operates, and the ability to obtain bar licensure or appear pro hac vice in additional jurisdictions as required.

Specific Requirements

• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively, collaborate across diverse teams, and exercise leadership in fast-moving, high-stakes matters.
• Sound judgment, strategic thinking, and the ability to make decisions under pressure.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience litigating regulatory, administrative, or other contested proceedings, including developing case strategy, drafting and defending pre-filed testimony, preparing witnesses, managing discovery disputes and large-scale document production, and presenting at evidentiary hearings.
• Experience representing clients in regulatory proceedings before state or federal agencies, such as state utility commissions or the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, particularly in more than one jurisdiction.
• Experience with base rate cases, multiyear rate plans, or performance-based ratemaking mechanisms.
• Experience with securitization, financing orders, or storm cost recovery; resource planning proceedings; or regulatory proceedings arising from corporate transactions.
• Demonstrated flexibility, initiative, and a can-do approach, including a willingness to lead, support, or fill gaps as enterprise needs require while managing competing priorities and meeting deadlines.
• Strong legal research, writing, and analytical skills, with a demonstrated ability to manage complex legal matters with limited supervision.
• Exceptional communication, interpersonal, and teamwork skills, with the ability to build trust across internal teams and with external stakeholders.
• Experience in a corporate legal department or a law firm serving energy or utility clients, including directing outside counsel and managing legal spend against budget.

Working Conditions:

• This position may be based in any Duke Energy jurisdiction, including North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio, and Kentucky.
• Hybrid Mobility Classification – Work will be performed from both remote and onsite locations after the onboarding period. However, hybrid employees must live within a reasonable commute to their designated Duke Energy facility, not greater than 50 miles one way. Employees are expected to report to their assigned Duke Energy facility as required and directed by their manager, on average 3 full workdays per regular workweek.
• Up to 25% travel is required, including travel to regulatory hearings that may last several days or, in major proceedings, longer. Travel to other jurisdictions within Duke Energy's service territories may also be necessary.