Commercial Counsel

Job Description

Job Description

As the first dedicated Commercial Counsel at a nature-based solutions company committed to developing high-quality voluntary carbon credit projects, this highly skilled and experienced person will have substantial contract experience, a desire to work on a broad range of commercial legal matters, and an interest in advancing climate solutions through innovative business models.

This position will report to the General Counsel. The person will primarily be responsible for serving internal clients that are tasked with enrolling landowners in our Improved Forest Management project and selling carbon credits to corporate buyers.

Chestnut was founded and backed by Kimmeridge, a US-based private equity firm with offices in New York and Denver. The role is based in Chestnut’s headquarters in New York, NY. The role is expected to be based on-site in the NYC office, but there may be flexibility for the perfect candidate who lives withing 100 miles of NYC and is willing to be in office 3 days a week or more.

Key Responsibilities

Contract Review & Management

• Manage, review, draft, and negotiate a high volume of commercial agreements, including long-term carbon lease agreements, NDAs, carbon purchase and sale agreements, and a wide variety of other contracts.
• Provide business-oriented product counseling to commercial teams while addressing contract issues and risks. You will need to be or become familiar with the key protocols of the relevant carbon credit registries, and how they interact with legal matters.
• Act as a thought partner and implementer as we scope and explore new business models for our existing Improved Forest Management business, as well as our burgeoning Afforestation-as-a-Service, and technology licensing product lines.
• Advise on structuring and implementation of novel agreements and business arrangements in these areas.

General Legal Support

Cross-Functional Collaboration

Qualifications

The base salary range for this position is expected to be between $175,000 - $200,000 annually, subject to the candidate’s experience, skills, certifications and qualifications.

All employees are eligible to participate in health insurance, and 401K plan benefits on their first day of employment. Chestnut Carbon pays 100% of the cost of the employees’ health / dental / vision insurance. During each fiscal year of employment, employees will be eligible to earn a discretionary annual incentive bonus, based on company and individual performance targets. The position is eligible to participate in the Company’s equity incentive program.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion are central to everything we do. Chestnut Carbon thrives on and celebrates different views, beliefs, and values. We are committed to our talented team and partners, regardless of background or affiliation, and to actively promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion throughout our business. We strive to be a place where you can be you and bring yourself to work.

Chestnut Carbon is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to affirmative action planning and encourages diversity in the workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, age, religion, mental or physical disability, sexual orientation, genetic information, veteran, or marital status.

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.