Director Legal

Job Description

We are looking for a Legal Director to serve as one of the company's primary transactional attorneys. You will support our continuing expansion into the Commercial & Industrial (C&I) space and energy infrastructure for data centers.

Reporting to the General Counsel, you'll work a hybrid schedule in either our Ridgewood, NJ, HQ, our NYC office (Union Square area), or our California offices (Oakland and Santa Monica).

Key responsibilities will include:

• Microgrid & Data Center Architecture: Support our business development and other cross-functional teams involved in deploying complex microgrid, energy center, and power infrastructure offerings tailored for data centers and large-scale industrial facilities.
• Commercial Contract Negotiation: Lead legal negotiations for a wide range of industry contracts, including Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs), Microgrid/Energy Services Agreements (MSAs/ESAs); Real property leases, easements, and licenses; Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC), equipment purchase, asset management, and Operations & Maintenance (O&M) agreements; Hedges of Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) and other environmental attributes; Membership Interest Purchase Agreements (MIPAs) and Development Services Agreements (DSAs).
• Project Finance Alignment: Ensure all project and energy agreements strictly conform to project financing requirements.
• Regulatory & Compliance Oversight: Support the management of compliance matters related to licensing and registrations, industry rules/regulations (e.g., FERC, RTOs/ISOs), and evolving policy frameworks impacting data centers and microgrids.
• Strategic Advisory: Provide regulatory, permitting, and policy guidance/training on pertinent topics for cross-functional teams to streamline project development.
• External Counsel Management: Manage engagements with outside counsel when needed, balancing time, efficiency, and expertise with the cost of such engagements.
• Diligence & Acquisitions: Support acquisition and financing activities, including performing early-stage legal diligence on target assets, portfolios, or developers, and assisting in negotiations with third-party financiers.
• Process Optimization: Propose and implement process improvements related to legal document management and contractual workflows to help the business scale efficiently.

The Ideal Candidate

• Possess a JD from an accredited law school and be barred in at least one US state
• 7+ years post-JD transactional experience, or 5+ years of transactional experience from a nationally recognized law firm
• Extensive experience structuring and negotiating arrangements in the Commercial & Industrial (C&I) space, and/or the specialized development and power procurement frameworks required for data centers.
• Deep understanding of the U.S. energy landscape, grid interconnection, and utility dynamics.
• Substantive experience negotiating relevant industry contracts, including utility, power purchase, energy services, off-taker agreements, or other customer contracts.
• Exceptional business acumen, critical thinking skills, and professional cadence
• Ability to manage ambiguity and communicate complex legal concepts and strategic goals in a simplified manner to non-lawyers
• Strong negotiation skills
• Proven ability to manage multiple projects and priorities, work independently, and operate in a fast-paced, dynamic, entrepreneurial environment

This is a great opportunity to have a long-term impact on a fast-paced, private equity-backed growth business. Some of the core virtues embraced by Scales' employees include:

• Do the Right Thing
• Act Like an Owner
• Hustle
• Demand Results
• Go Together
• Evolve or Disappear

We offer a competitive compensation package and a comprehensive benefits program including medical benefits, paid vacation and holidays, and 401K matching.