Job Description
The Legal Counsel at Acumen will provide legal support related to fund formation, transactional law, and organizational risk management, primarily focusing on impact investment funds, while collaborating with internal teams and outside counsel to ensure compliance and effective operations in a mission-driven environment.
Key Responsibilities
- Provide legal support throughout the lifecycle of pooled investment vehicles, including development, formation, investor diligence, funding, negotiation, operationalization, reporting, and liquidation.
- Manage and coordinate activities of outside counsel related to fund formation, marketing, and compliance.
- Draft, review, and negotiate fund documentation, term sheets, and investor side letters to ensure funder requirements are met.
- Support and oversee legal aspects of fund marketing, formation, and oversight, ensuring regulatory compliance.
- Handle contractual needs for fund teams, including grants, vendor agreements, technical assistance, and nondisclosure agreements.
- Monitor fund activities to ensure alignment with investor notices and consent requirements.
- Assist in structuring and developing legal documentation for venture capital and impact investments.
- Collaborate with internal legal team on governance, compliance, ESG, and operational initiatives.
Requirements
- Minimum of 4 years of experience practicing funds and transactional law and managing legal projects across various stakeholders.
- Experience with governmental funders, including the Green Climate Fund or development finance institutions, is a plus.
- Experience working with an impact or charitably oriented organization is a plus.
- Exposure to US and/or UK investment adviser regulations is a plus.
- Must be licensed to practice law in the US, with a JD or equivalent.
- Must be authorized to work in the US.
- Strong organizational and diplomacy skills, with the ability to work and deliver various, simultaneous projects independently, proactively, and under pressure.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Commitment to accuracy, attention to detail, and follow-through.
- Ability to understand and support the legal aspects of fund formation, including development, marketing, investor diligence, funding proposals, formation, negotiation, implementation, operationalization, reporting, and liquidation of pooled investment vehicles.
- Knowledge of fund documentation across fund products, liaising with investment, fundraising, finance, ESG, and compliance teams, and outside counsel for existing and new pooled investment vehicles.
- Experience in negotiating new fund offerings, reviewing marketing and reporting materials, and ensuring compliance with applicable regulatory frameworks.
- Ability to communicate complex legal issues and implications with various team members to support decision-making.
- Experience confirming that returnable fund investments meet funder requirements, including creating investee side letters, reviewing term sheets and diligence summaries, and final documentation review in coordination with outside counsel.
- Handling contractual needs for returnable fund teams, including grants, vendors, technical assistance, and nondisclosure agreements.
- Monitoring fund activities alongside fund teams to ensure alignment with investor notice and consent requirements.
- Ability to support the legal team in structuring and developing term sheets and documentation for venture capital debt and equity investments, and driving investments to efficient closing.
- Drafting and reviewing contracts for various functional teams and engaging in initiatives to promote operational sustainability.
- Strong organizational and diplomacy skills, with the ability to work and deliver multiple projects independently, proactively, and under pressure.
- Aptitude for and comfort navigating ambiguity, creating clarity, and maintaining integrity and ethical behavior.
- Ability to remain calm and resilient in unexpected or emotionally charged situations, using education and pragmatism to stay aligned with organizational goals.
- Willingness to work across different time zones efficiently.
- Self-reflective and aligned with Acumen values.
Benefits & Perks
Salary range of 90,000 to 120,000 USD plus a performance-based bonus
Hybrid work model with 3 days in the office per week
Ready to Apply?
Join Acumen and make an impact in renewable energy
Stay Updated on Sustainability Jobs
Get the latest renewable energy jobs and career tips delivered to your inbox.
Job Alerts
Get notified about new sustainability jobs
More jobs at Acumen
Data Systems Lead
Acumen
Not specified
Full Time
Dec 25
Communications Manager, Energy Access
Acumen
New York City
Full Time
Dec 29
$75k-97k
Manager, Government Partnerships
Acumen
New York
Full Time
Dec 21
$86k-103k
More jobs in Location not specified
Energy Advisor- Commercial Sales
5
Remote
Full Time
Nov 9
Energy Advisor- Commercial Sales
5
Remote
Full Time
Dec 5
Energy Advisor- Commercial Sales
5
Remote
Full Time
Dec 29