General Counsel

Makani is working to make clean energy accessible for everyone by developing energy kites that harness energy efficiently from the wind.

ROLE:

We are hiring a General Counsel for Makani, the wind energy project within X. We’re a team of makers, entrepreneurs, engineers and scientists with deep technical expertise who love the challenge of the seemingly impossible. Makani's vision is to accelerate the global adoption of renewable energy by developing airborne wind power, and its mission is to do this by creating kites that efficiently harness energy from the wind.

You will be responsible for managing and overseeing General Commercial, Intellectual Property, Regulations and Compliance, Corporate Governance, Litigation, and Corporate matters for Makani.

You will be a member of the Makani leadership team, and you will be responsible for managing all aspects of the legal function and develop functional mission, strategic objectives, as well as policies and operating plans. You will serve as a thought partner and legal advisor to Makani leadership, and provide analysis, education, and counsel that allows key stakeholders to make informed decisions based on a full understanding of legal and regulatory issues.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Advise leadership team on all potential legal or regulatory risks, problem solve in areas of the highest complexity and take action to resolve issues.
Establish policies and procedures that ensure project compliance with laws and regulations relevant to the project’s business today and in the future.
Manage corporate governance and ethics and compliance programs.
Manage intellectual property transactions and strategy.
Manage litigation activity and advise and direct outside counsel in bringing legal actions to conclusion.
Manage employment matters and advise HR business partners, oversee the work of outside counsel on employment-related litigation, and advise in employee relations investigations.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

Juris Doctor from an ABA accredited law school or global equivalent, with a strong academic record.
10 years of broad-based legal experience.
Must be admitted to the bar in which the role is located in and are in good standing or otherwise authorized to practice law (e.g., have registered in-house status) in the state in which the role is located.
Broad-based legal experience including corporate governance, commercial / corporate transactions, litigation, intellectual property, international law and product / regulatory compliance.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

Experience in the following: renewable energy projects, aviation, energy infrastructure development, and environmental matters.
Outstanding strategic planning and execution capabilities.
Demonstrated ability to work closely and partner with senior management and cross functional teams.
Ability to think critically and make clear and well-reasoned decisions.
Ability to manage multiple work streams simultaneously and efficiently.
Ability to think like a business person and integrate legal and business issues, so as to partner effectively with business leaders.
ABOUT X, THE MOONSHOT FACTORY

X creates radical new technologies to solve some of the world’s biggest problems. We develop uncomfortably ambitious, potentially world-changing new ideas such as self-driving cars, balloon-powered Internet and smart contact lenses. We’re a team of makers, entrepreneurs, engineers, designers and scientists with deep technical expertise who love the challenge of the seemingly impossible. X was formerly known as Google[x] and is part of Alphabet.

At X, we don't just accept difference - we celebrate it, we support it, and we thrive on it for the benefit of our employees, our products and our community. We are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements.

If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please contact us at: [email protected].