ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION The Regional Organization for Western Energy (ROWE) is an independent non-profit organization established under Step 2 of the West-Wide Governance Pathways Initiative. ROWE provides independent, West-wide governance over voluntary wholesale electricity market functions—specifically the Western Energy Imbalance Market (WEIM) and Extended Day-Ahead Market (EDAM)—operating in a close, strategic partnership with the California Independent System Operator (CAISO). Governed by an independent Board of Directors and regulated by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) under Section 205 of the Federal Power Act, ROWE serves a vast multi-state footprint designed to enhance grid reliability, maximize economic efficiency, and respect diverse state energy policies across the Western Interconnection.
POSITION OVERVIEW As the inaugural General Counsel & Corporate Secretary, you will serve as the chief legal officer and strategic legal advisor during a pivotal startup transformation. You will build ROWE's legal, regulatory, and corporate governance foundation from the ground up. This executive role demands deep expertise in FERC wholesale electricity market regulation, energy market tariffs, multi-state public policy navigation, and complex inter-entity agreements (particularly with CAISO). Functionally reporting directly to the Chair of the Board of Directors and administratively to the CEO, you will serve as primary legal counsel to the Board, build and lead ROWE's internal legal division, and manage specialized outside regulatory and general corporate counsel.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
FERC Regulatory, Tariff Development & Strategic Partnership
FERC Tariff & Filings Leadership: Lead the drafting, stakeholder review, and FERC Section 205 filings for ROWE's market tariffs, business practice manuals, and corporate charter/agreements required to achieve tariff-funded operational status.
Regulatory Representation: Act as primary legal representative for ROWE before FERC, state public utility commissions (PUCs), and federal appellate proceedings.
CAISO Operational Partnership: Lead the negotiation, execution, and legal oversight of the Coordination Agreement and functional division-of-responsibility framework between ROWE and CAISO.
Federal Power Act Compliance: Serve as the internal authority on Federal Power Act Sections 205 and 206, market oversight rules, and regional market expansion dynamics across the Western Interconnection.
Corporate Governance & Board Operations
Board Advisory & Governance: Provide independent, authoritative legal counsel to the Board Chair and Board of Directors on fiduciary duties, statutory obligations, conflicts of interest, and organizational independence.
Corporate Secretary Duties: Manage all corporate secretarial duties, including board meeting governance, drafting formal board resolutions, ensuring open-meeting and transparency compliance, and maintaining official corporate records.
Stakeholder Governance Oversight: Provide legal guidance to ensure smooth execution and compliance for ROWE's multi-tier stakeholder advisory structures, including the Body of State Regulators (BOSR), Public Policy Committee, and Consumer Advocate organizations.
Legal Team Building & Outsourced Function Management
Internal Team Building: Recruit, structure, and supervise an elite internal team of legal counsel and regulatory analysts.
External Counsel Oversight: Select, retain, and manage external law firms handling specialized regulatory litigation and general corporate matters (e.g., labor/employment, contracts, IT procurement, tax compliance) during the multi-year startup phase.
Enterprise Risk & Compliance: Establish risk management protocols, ethics rules, board/staff independence guidelines, and legal compliance systems tailored for a multi-jurisdictional energy entity.
Key Requirements
QUALIFICATIONS & COMPETENCIES
Education & Bar Admission: J.D. from an accredited law school; active bar admission in the District of Columbia or another jurisdiction with eligibility for in-house registration across Western states.
Energy Law Leadership: 12–15+ years practicing federal energy law, with extensive leadership in RTO/ISO market structures, FERC tariff proceedings, and Federal Power Act litigation.
Western Market Expertise: Deep technical knowledge of WEIM, EDAM, CAISO market design, Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) dynamics, and Western Interconnection operating practices.
Startup Agility: Proven success operating in a high-growth startup environment, with the capacity to build policies, team structures, and regulatory strategy simultaneously.
Stakeholder Alignment: Demonstrated capability to build consensus and maintain political neutrality across state regulators, investor-owned utilities, public power entities, environmental NGOs, and consumer advocates.
Travel Flexibility: Ability to travel extensively throughout the Western region to engage stakeholders, attend board meetings, and participate in regulatory proceedings.
