General Counsel

Job Description: General Counsel

LiveWire is looking for General Counsel for our multi-divisional construction firm to oversee the enterprise-wide legal strategy involving specialized commercial, industrial, utility, and renewable energy sectors. They will govern diverse trade operations including electrical, concrete, fencing, and infrastructure, while standardizing risk mitigation for complex multi-million-dollar capital projects. The General Counsel will help shape enterprise-wide direction, manage multifaceted operational risks across different divisions and drive key initiatives to protect profitability.

Compensation / Benefits

• Base salary range of $195k - $220k
• Sign-on bonus
• STI and LTI executive compensation program
• Healthcare 75% company paid
• 401k

Key Responsibilities

Corporate Legal Management

• Form corporate organizational structure that supports efficiency and expansion while minimizing tax liability.
• Act as advisory partner to CEO regarding strategic growth, mergers, and acquisitions.
• Evaluate target companies and oversee due diligence to expand into new geographic markets or complementary service lines.
• Manage legal and operational integration post-acquisition while standardizing corporate policies across all divisions.
• Provide legal oversight and guidance of affiliate non-profit organizations to ensure regulatory and tax compliance; support advocacy efforts as needed.

Divisional Contract & Commercial Management

• Structure, draft, and negotiate complex prime contracts, Master Service Agreements (MSAs), and Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) agreements for utility-scale and renewable projects.
• Formulate robust subcontract templates specifically tailored to individual trade risks, managing structural liability for concrete, safety protocols for fencing, and complex liability for electrical installations.
• Draft and govern joint venture, consortium, and teaming agreements for massive, multi-divisional municipal or utility-scale infrastructure bids.

Regulatory Compliance & Risk Management

• Navigate complex regulatory frameworks, including federal energy regulations, state utility commissions, interconnection agreements, and renewable energy tax credit requirements.
• Ensure corporate compliance with state and federal labor and employment laws. Oversee complex labor strategies across multiple trade divisions, ensuring strict compliance with multi-employer collective bargaining agreements, union grievances, and prevailing wage laws (Davis-Bacon Act).
• Manage corporate-wide safety compliance across unique divisional risks, coordinating directly with environmental and safety teams on OSHA regulations for heavy industrial, electrical, and concrete environments. File and maintain all required state and municipal licensing and certification compliance requirements.

Litigation, Claims & Dispute Resolution

• Direct the enterprise approach to complex construction claims, including design defects, project delays, differing site conditions, and change-order disputes.
• Oversee the proactive management of mechanic’s liens, payment bonds, and performance bonds across varying state jurisdictions to secure corporate receivables.
• Select, retain, and manage specialized outside trial counsel, optimizing the legal spend budget across highly technical litigation matters.

Corporate Training & Education

• Educate Project Managers (PMs) and Estimators on the nuances of standard industry contracts, flow-down clauses, indemnification obligations, and change order protocols.
• Train operational teams on proper documentation, Notice of Delay requirements, and dispute escalation processes to preserve the firm’s rights and avoid litigation.
• Instruct division leaders on state-specific requirements for mechanic's liens, stop notices, and payment bond claims.
• Ensure site supers and safety directors are educated on OSHA regulations, incident reporting, and handling regulatory inspections.
• Train HR, division presidents, and field leaders on prevailing wage laws (e.g., Davis-Bacon Act), anti-harassment, union labor rules, and worker classification.
• Educate operations teams on EPA regulations, stormwater pollution prevention plans (SWPPPs), and hazardous waste disposal to prevent costly stop-work orders.
• Conduct regular FCPA and anti-bribery training for executives, procurement teams, and estimators interacting with public or private project owners.
• Train procurement and project teams on vetting subcontractors, verifying insurance certificates, and enforcing indemnity obligations.

Position Requirements

• Education & Licensure: Juris Doctor (JD) degree from an accredited law school and an active, good-standing license to practice law in Illinois.
• Experience Profile: 12+ years of progressive legal experience, combining foundational training at a top-tier construction law firm with senior in-house leadership at a major contractor or developer.
• Sector Expertise: Proven track record managing legal operations for diversified portfolios spanning commercial building, electrical infrastructure, and utility-scale solar, wind, or battery storage systems.
• Contract Proficiency: Deep operational mastery of standard industry frameworks alongside heavily customized owner-authored agreements.
• Labor & Employment Law Expertise: Deep subject-matter knowledge in areas such as wage and hour laws (FLSA), FELA, FMLA, workplace accommodations, discrimination, and executive compensation.