Staff Attorney or Senior Counsel (Hybrid - La Crosse, WI)

Job description

Are you ready to join an organization where we focus on People First, have fun at work and make a difference in what we do? Dairyland is proud of our People First culture centered around appreciation, celebrating wins and collaboration. We’ve worked hard to ensure alignment between our culture and our processes and systems, learning and development and rewards and recognition programs. As a team, we work together to leverage the team’s diverse perspectives, ideas and experiences to deliver nothing less than the best. We are collaborative, transparent and committed to our People and their work experience, growth and professional development. Hiring Salary Range: $132,100 - $227,900 Compensation is determined by a combination of factors, including but not limited to education, work experience, and certifications. The actual offer may vary, reflecting the candidate's unique blend of experience, educational background, and skill level. This role is Hybrid in La Crosse, WI (minimum of 2 days per week in the office.) The Staff Attorney will provide legal advice, counsel, and services to all organizations within Dairyland Power Cooperative, covering a wide range of activities. The primary responsibilities include ensuring procedural and legal compliance in various areas such as Supply Chain, Environmental, Industrial Safety, and Ethics. Oversee and manage major contractual transactions and litigation matters. The role involves assisting with general cooperative legal matters, transactional work, and special projects as assigned, under the direction of the Vice President and Deputy General Counsel. ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS : 1. Provide legal support and advice on all aspects of procurement and contracting for materials, equipment, supplies, and services in support of Dairyland’s varied system needs. This work includes the ability to draft and review a wide variety of contracts, leases, waivers, and other legal documents, negotiate modifications and amendments as necessary, assist Dairyland in addressing warranty claims, contract terminations, defaults, and contract disputes, as needed, and coordinate with internal stakeholders, Supply Chain and the Deputy General Counsel and/or General Counsel to finalize as appropriate. 2. Provide legal support and advice to Dairyland management and staff on legal consequences or risks as they relate to Dairyland business, compliance and regulatory activities. Serve as internal legal counsel on project teams as necessary. 3. Collaborate with the Legal Services Team to continuously improve Legal Services processes and operations and provide necessary legal support to enable Dairyland to achieve strategic goals in support of Dairyland’s mission and vision. 4. Ensure compliance issues and concerns within the organization are appropriately evaluated, investigated, and resolved and/or mitigated consistent with Dairyland’s policies and procedures. 5. Assist in the development and drafting, review and maintenance of corporate procedures and policies. 6. Review state and federal statutes and regulatory dockets; prepare and file comments, petitions, applications, interventions, and other documents, as needed, with appropriate governmental agencies as directed. 7. Manage legal activities in certain divisions of the organization as assigned. Draft legal letters and other legal communications documents. 8. Assist Legal Services Department in developing and growing internal legal services’ portfolio. 9. Assists, as directed, in conducting litigation on behalf of Dairyland or monitoring the conduct of such litigation by outside legal counsel. Prepare budgets for extensive transactional matters and ongoing major litigation and assure that, to the extent practicable, those matters are conducted within the approved scope and budget. 10. Manage and provide effective reporting to Staff and Board of Directors on significant matters, as directed by the Deputy General Counsel and General Counsel. 11. Performs any other related duties as assigned. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: Education & Experience: Juris Doctorate Degree from accredited law school. Must be in good standing with a U.S. state bar and willing and qualified to seek admission to the bar in Wisconsin at the earliest opportunity required. Minimum of 3 years of active legal practice in the area(s) of electric/public utilities, energy, regulatory compliance, corporate, cooperative, or real estate law. Experience in the state of Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa or Washington D.C. preferred. Required Knowledge and Skills: Direct experience in one or more of the following areas and working knowledge of the other areas: Real property law/real estate transactions (including condemnation litigation), electric/public utilities/cooperatives law, energy law, commercial transactions/commercial law, environmental permitting/environmental law, and general business and corporate law. Strong contract drafting and negotiating skills, paying close attention to details. Possess strong critical thinking, interpretation, problem-solving, and analytical skills. Must be capable of reading, analyzing and interpreting complex documents, and responding effectively. Must be capable of accurately assessing needs and guiding others in determining and developing strategies. Superior communications skills with the ability to interface effectively with individuals at all levels, both internally and externally. Strong listening, reasoning, influencing and facilitating skills. Ability to uphold the highest standards of discretion and confidentiality and adhere to the Wisconsin Rules of Professional Conduct. Maintains familiarity with Wisconsin Public Service Commission and/or Minnesota Public Utilities Commission laws, rules, and regulations, as well as Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and Regional Transmission Organization laws, rules, and regulations, including the ability to advise the organization on the interplay between State/Federal issues. Demonstrated ability to assess and balance commercial/legal risks against business objectives to ensure timely and appropriate results and outcomes. Preferred Qualifications: Proven experience navigating complex regulatory environments, with a demonstrated understanding of the unique compliance needs of electric cooperatives, including FERC, NERC, and state utility commissions. Expertise in advising cooperative boards of directors on governance and legal matters, ensuring adherence to fiduciary responsibilities and supporting democratic decision-making that prioritizes member interests. Demonstrated ability to assess and mitigate legal risks while safeguarding the cooperative’s assets, reputation, and long-term member-focused operations. Familiarity with the cooperative business model and the ability to align contracts, policies, and legal strategies with cooperative principles of transparency, fairness, and member service. Dairyland Benefits: We are committed to providing our greatest asset, our People, with as many perks and benefits as possible. Some benefits of working with us include: - Health & disability benefits (medical, dental, vision, short & long-term disability) - Life insurance - Generous 401(k) and Pension Plans - Paid Time Off - Robust Wellness Program - New Flexible Work Program - Tuition Reimbursement - So much more! Dairyland Power Cooperative is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, age, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status. If you are an individual with disabilities who needs accommodation or you are having difficulty using our website to apply for employment, contact our HR Department at 608-788-4000.