Vice President Of Legal

Overview We are designing the grid of the future!  EPE is seeking a solutions-oriented, strategic legal executive to serve as Vice President of Legal. This is a senior leadership role with broad corporate scope, responsible for building and leading EPE's legal function as the company scales — spanning commercial contracting, intellectual property protection, software and product counseling, corporate governance, employment law, regulatory compliance, M&A, data privacy, cybersecurity, ethics and investigations, and enterprise risk management. Reporting to the Chief Growth Officer, the VP of Legal will serve as a trusted business partner and primary legal advisor across all lines of business, driving a culture of compliance, sound judgment, operational rigor, and proactive risk mitigation while enabling growth.  This position is based at EPE's corporate headquarters in  Austin, Texas , with a hybrid in-office expectation.  Responsibilities Join us in leading the  change! Commercial & Transactional Legal  Lead the drafting, review, and negotiation of key commercial agreements, including client, partner, subcontractor, software, and vendor contracts  Build and improve practical contract templates, clause libraries, playbooks, and approval workflows that support speed, consistency, and sound risk management  Work closely with Sales, Business Development, Proposals, Delivery, and Finance to support deals from pursuit through execution  Create clear contracting guardrails and escalation paths that protect the business while enabling efficient decision-making and growth  Intellectual Property & Software   Lead EPE’s intellectual property strategy, including protecting and managing proprietary tools, software, data, methodologies, and brand assets  Draft and negotiate agreements related to software, licensing, data rights, and intellectual property ownership across commercial and workforce arrangements  Partner with engineering and technology teams to support the development, protection, and commercialization of software, platforms, analytics, and other innovations  Establish practical governance for software, product, and data commercialization, including customer use rights, licensing models, and third-party technology considerations  Oversee IP-related contract protections and coordinate trademark, copyright, and trade secret matters with outside counsel as needed  Corporate Governance & Compliance   Develop, implement, and maintain legal policies, procedures, risk assessments, code of conduct standards, and compliance frameworks across the organization  Advise executive leadership and the Board on corporate governance matters, entity structure, delegated authorities, and fiduciary obligations; support board and committee materials, resolutions, and corporate records as needed  Oversee domestic and international entity management, including formation, maintenance, registrations, and coordination of annual filings and other corporate formalities  Ensure compliance with applicable federal, state, local, and international laws and regulations, including those governing the energy, software, and engineering consulting sectors  Oversee and advise on compliance programs in areas such as anti-corruption, conflicts of interest, gifts and entertainment, trade controls, sanctions, and records management, Data Privacy & Cybersecurity   Review, draft, and negotiate Data Protection Agreements, cybersecurity provisions, AI and data-use terms, and privacy-related contract language  Advise on compliance with applicable data privacy frameworks (e.g., CCPA, GDPR, HIPAA where applicable) and evolving cybersecurity standards, including cross-border data transfer considerations  Partner with IT, Security, and Operations to assess and mitigate data-related legal risk, including vendor risk, security questionnaires, and customer audit requests  Support incident response, breach assessment, notification decision-making, and related remediation in coordination with internal stakeholders and outside experts as needed  Employment & People Matters   Advise HR and People leaders on key employment matters, including hiring, executive agreements, employee relations, investigations, disciplinary actions, and terminations  Support workforce-related legal issues, including incentive plans, worker classification, and confidentiality or restrictive covenant matters  Guide global workforce expansion efforts, including international contractor arrangements, mobility matters, and cross-border employment compliance  Partner on employee policies, handbooks, training, and workplace conduct initiatives to help build a compliant and scalable people infrastructure  Mergers, Acquisitions & Corporate Development   Serve as a key legal resource in M&A transactions, including diligence, deal structuring, negotiation, closing, and post-close integration planning  Build repeatable diligence, risk issue-spotting, and integration playbooks to support a disciplined, scalable corporate development engine  Disputes & Outside Counsel Management   Manage disputes, claims, and pre-litigation matters with a practical, business-focused approach that prioritizes early risk assessment and efficient resolution  Partner with Finance and Operations on insurance, claims, certificates, and other risk-transfer matters tied to client, vendor, and project obligations  Engage and oversee outside counsel and specialized advisors to deliver cost-effective support aligned with company priorities Leadership & Internal Training  Build and lead a high-performing legal function, using the right mix of internal talent, outside counsel, and legal technology as the team grows Establish scalable legal operations, including matter intake, prioritization, knowledge management, budgeting, KPIs, and service Partner with Learning and Development to create practical training and guidance tha