Osborne Clarke
Projects Associate Director/Legal Director
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Projects Associate Director/Legal Director
Senior Energy Lawyer – Energy Projects Team
A firm of great experience in energy matters and has a thriving renewable energy practice
Overview
We are seeking an experienced energy lawyer to join our market-leading Energy Projects team based in Bristol or London. As a central senior member of our practice, you will focus on commercial and regulatory advisory mandates, including:
- Grid connection and system use agreements
- Energy offtake agreements (including corporate PPAs)
- Complex optimisation and route-to-market structures (covering power, renewables, and storage)
The role combines high-calibre transactional support with cutting-edge regulatory advice in a fast-evolving energy landscape. You will contribute to client relationships and business development while thrive within a supportive team environment, supervising junior talent and collaborating with partners.
Team Context
The Energy Projects team operates across both Bristol and London, partnering with the broader Energy and Energy Transition sector. The team is renowned for expertise in Renewable Energy (including storage), with active mandates in conventional power and energy transition technologies.
Key Responsibilities
As a senior lawyer, your core focus will be on delivering complex, commercial energy advice. This includes:
1. Regulation & Market Design
- Advise generators, developers, investors, and market participants on:
- UK energy regulation, policy, and market frameworks (e.g., Electricity Act, Ofgem rules, Capacity Market, CfDs)
- Licence conditions, industry codes (e.g., CUSC, BSC, Grid Code)
- Emerging revenue support mechanisms (RAB, cap and floor)
- Coordination with European colleagues on cross-border regulatory issues
- Anticipate and share expertise on regulatory reforms (e.g., network charging, REMA, electricity market design)
- Assist clients in engaging with regulators and industry bodies
2. Grid Connection & Network Arrangements
- Draft, negotiate, and advise on grid connection and use-of-system agreements, including:
- Haulage fees, connection off-take agreements, grid sharing arrangements
- Integration with CUSC/Ofgem schemes
- Conduct due diligence on grid connections for M&A and project finance
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3. Offtake & Route-to-Market
- Structure, negotiate, and draft PPAs and offtake instruments, including:
- Corporate PPAs (virtual, synthetic, and sleeved)
- Utility & renewables PPAs, private wire arrangements
- Tolling, balancing markets, and ancillary services agreements
- Revenue optimisation for storage, co-location, and constraint-based solutions
- Evaluate ensurance provisions, merchant opportunities, and nuclear risks
4. Transactions & Projects
- Support M&A and project finance with tailored regulatory/commercial due diligence
- Collaborate with internal specialists (competition, public law, planning, tax) and local counsel for multi-jurisdictional advice
Client & Team Leadership
- Act as a trusted advisor, leading negotiations and managing complex workstreams
- Supervise junior lawyers and trainees, contributing to precedent development
- Produce thought leadership (client alerts, case studies, training materials) on regulatory trends
- Support business development, pitches, and key client engagement
Risk & Financial Stewardship
- Manage matters to scope, budget, and timelines
- Ensure compliance with internal risk, confidentiality, and data security protocols
- Contribute to team profitability and financial targets
Candidate Profile
Essential Experience
- Minimum 7+ years’ experience in energy regulation and transactional advisory, ideally at a leading law firm or with an energy company.
- Track record advising on:
- Grid connections, PPAs, market reforms, and emerging energy technologies
- Important workstreams: off-take agreements, merchant risk, M&A/risk-based due diligence
- Strong negotiation skills, interfacing with developers, financiers, and engineering teams.
- Exceptional drafting ability, with a focus on clear, commercially pragmatic advice.
- Collaborative leadership: Superior supervisory skills, experience mentoring junior lawyers, and team coordination.
- Exposure to innovative energy transition technologies:
- Hydrogen, CCUS, long-duration storage
- Behind-the-meter structures
- Heat networks and UK/EU/Swiss interconnectors
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What We Offer
- High-impact work across renewables, storage, hydrogen, flexibility, and emerging technologies.
- Strategic significance: A leading role in an evolving sector.
- Career growth: Opportunities for mentorship, high-profile assignments, and early responsibility from day one.
- Competitive pay aligned with OSC strengths in Energy & Energy Transition.
- Flexible/hybrid working and career development support.
- Osborne Clarke’s multi-award-winning career programme, featuring:
- Clear progression paths with targeted support
- Individualised training and assessment
- Financial rewards based on contribution and potential, not tenure.
About Osborne Clarke
Osborne Clarke is a global practice with 330 Partners and 1,260 lawyers across 26 offices*. Known for achieving the best outcomes for our clients through a sector-specialist, client-focused approach, we drive innovation with a unique "open culture".
Serving clients at every stage of their journey, we combine depth of expertise with inclusive values, including a strong network of employee interest groups and diversity initiatives designed to amplify individual perspectives.
Services in India are provided by a relationship firm.
Inclusion & Diversity
At Osborne Clarke, difference drives our success, and we encourage applications from all backgrounds.
For further details or applications, please:
- Contact Angharad Jenkins (angharad.jenkins@osborneclarke.com) or call +44 117 917 3127. Your submission will remain confidential.
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