Senior Associate, Country Legal - India

Do you want to join a global leader in renewable energy infrastructure? If so, CIP Fund Solutions is looking for a Senior Associate, Legal to join our office in Mumbai

Team

You will join the India legal team, led by the Legal Counsel and made up of 3–4 lawyers. The team provides integrated legal support across CIP’s Indian renewable energy portfolio, covering project contracts, financing, JV and shareholder matters, real estate and regulatory work, and corporate governance. It works closely with the investment, debt finance, commercial and finance teams, and with external counsel, and collaborates with CIP colleagues in Europe, the Americas and Asia-Pacific.

Role

Reporting to the Legal Counsel, you will provide legal support to CIP and the CIP-managed funds’ renewable energy portfolio in India, with a high level of self-management. You will oversee transactions and workstreams end to end, act as a trusted adviser to the India business teams, and be a key point of contact for our global legal, investment and finance colleagues across Europe, the Americas and Asia-Pacific. You will also guide and review the work of junior team members and external counsel .The workload varies, so flexibility is expected from both sides, particularly for calls with colleagues in Europe, the Americas and Asia-Pacific. We will support your learning and development, and you will have room to help shape the function, its processes and its templates as the team grows .T his is a full-time, office-based position at our Mumbai office in BKC, working closely with the India team and collaborating with colleagues across time zones.

Responsibilities will consist of, but are not limited to:

• Manage the drafting, negotiation and management of EPC, O&M, supply, and other construction and operations contracts for wind, solar and storage projects, including escalated issues and claims.
• Lead legal workstreams on project financing and project development, including reviewing and negotiating financing, security creation and perfection documents, and coordinating legal opinions and conditions precedent with lenders’ and external counsel.
• Negotiate and manage general commercial contracts, including power purchase agreements, lease and land agreements, and other project agreements, and advise on risk allocation.
• Support JV management, including advising on shareholders’ and JV agreements, governance, transfer and exit mechanics, and day-to-day JV matters.
• Support M&A and acquisition-related activity for projects and portfolio companies, including legal due diligence, transaction documents and closing processes, in coordination with the investment team and external counsel.
• Advise the projects team on regulatory approvals, permits and real estate matters, including title diligence and land acquisition, and manage disputes and regulatory issues with local counsel.
• Manage litigation and disputes (where they arise), including briefing, supervising and reporting on matters handled by external counsel.
• Advise on India-specific company secretarial, Board and Executive Committee matters, insurance, and ethical and governance issues, and ensure compliance with internal CIP/CIP FS policies and procedures.
• Support operational legal matters for CIP FS India, such as NDAs and engagement letters, and advise on HR and admin issues.
• Monitor regulatory and legislative developments in the Indian renewables sector, assess their impact and advise the business.
• Manage, brief and review the work of external counsel, including cost-effectiveness, and guide and mentor junior team members.

You:

You have graduated from a reputed law school in India and are qualified to practise law in India, with 4–6 years of post-qualification experience, including at least 2 years at a reputable law firm. You have experience in energy, infrastructure, project finance, M&A and real estate, with direct exposure to renewable energy projects such as wind, solar or energy storage considered a significant advantage. You also have demonstrated experience leading the drafting, review and negotiation of complex commercial contracts and managing transactions with little supervision.

We look for the following in a candidate:

• Close attention to detail and a high level of accuracy.
• Sound commercial judgement and the ability to give clear, practical advice to non-lawyers.
• Good organization and prioritization across multiple matters, with the ability to work with minimal supervision and take initiative.
• Ability to guide and mentor junior colleagues and to manage external counsel effectively.
• Interest in renewable energy assets and in regulatory changes and updates.
• Fluency in English, both spoken and written, with effective communication skills.
• Willingness to work in an international, fast-paced and varied environment across time zones.

The process

Please apply online as soon as possible as applications will be processed on an ongoing basis. For questions related to the role, please reach out to our Talent Acquisition team at recruitment@cipfs.com. We do not include CV's and Cover Letters sent by email. 

As we continue to improve our candidate experience, diversity and avoid unconscious bias, please avoid having a photo in your CV. We commit to an inclusive recruitment process and equality for all applicants. 

Please be aware that we will not accept speculative CV submissions for any of our roles from recruitment agencies, and any unsolicited candidate submissions will be exempt from any payment expectations and ownership. 

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CIP Fund Solutions’ commitment to diversity and inclusion 

CIP Fund Solutions is committed to securing a diverse and inclusive work environment where everyone feels respected and heard.  

A diverse workforce allows CIP Fund Solutions to achieve results through different approaches and solutions to task execution and problem solving. We want all our employees to have equal opportunities for personal growth and career opportunities regardless of age, gender, sexual orientation, disability, religion, nationality, or ethnicity. 

CIP Fund Solutions 

CIP FS’ purpose is to enable CIP’s ambition to scale rapidly over the coming strategy-period - supporting our colleagues with professional and efficient financial, legal, tax and business operations through the cycle from fund formation and capital raising, to deploying investments into construction of large-scale greenfield renewable energy assets, as well as M&A. 

For more information, please visit CIP Fund Solutions.