Hybrid Counsel, Land, Title & Permitting bei Fervo Energy Company

Description

The Counsel, Land, Title & Permitting will be responsible for supporting land acquisition, title review, permitting, and regulatory compliance across Fervo’s geothermal development portfolio. This position plays a critical role in enabling Fervo’s rapid project deployment by ensuring land and permitting risks are proactively managed and aligned with commercial timelines. This role will work cross-functionally with internal teams and external partners to structure land deals, manage title and permitting strategy, and ensure legal readiness for project execution. This role will report directly to our Vice President of General Counsel.

Requirements

Responsibilities

Land Acquisition & Structuring 

• Structure and support land acquisitions across federal, state, tribal, and private lands
• Draft and negotiate leases, easements, purchase and sale agreements, and other land-related instruments
• Advise on royalty, marketing, and fluid supply structures aligned with project and commercial objectives

Title Review & Due Diligence

• Conduct and oversee surface and mineral title analysis across multiple jurisdictions
• Lead title curative efforts and manage third-party title consultants or landmen
• Ensure valid, marketable title to support project financing and risk mitigation

Permitting & Regulatory Compliance

• Provide legal guidance on NEPA and state land-use permitting processes
• Support permitting efforts across federal (e.g., BLM), state (e.g., SITLA), tribal, and local levels
• Coordinate with permitting consultants, agencies, and internal stakeholders 

Legal Drafting & Negotiations

• Prepare and negotiate geothermal leases, unit agreements, surface use agreements, ROWs, and joint operating agreements
• Advise on contract compliance and enforceability to support development and operations

Dispute Resolution & Stakeholder Engagement

• Manage disputes with landowners, agencies, and third parties
• Support government affairs, community relations, and regulatory engagements

Commercial Transactions & Project Finance

• Conduct legal due diligence on land-related risks in joint ventures, acquisitions, and financing
• Prepare legal summaries and analyses for internal and external stakeholders

Internal Collaboration & Reporting

• Partner with land, development, and legal teams to track lease obligations, title curative efforts, and risk mitigation
• Support internal land administration with documentation, reporting, and compliance trackin

Required Qualification

• Juris Doctor (JD) from an accredited law school
• Active bar membership in good standing in Utah
• Minimum of 5 years of legal experience in energy, geothermal, oil & gas, mining, or real estate sectors
• Demonstrated expertise in land, title, and permitting issues in Utah and Nevada
• Strong understanding of surface and mineral title review and curative processes
• Solid contract drafting, negotiation, and legal advisory skills
• Familiarity with NEPA and state-level permitting frameworks
• Proven ability to collaborate across departments and manage external counsel

Preferred Qualifications

• Active bar membership in additional Western states (e.g., CO, ID, NM, NV)
• Experience working with SITLA, BLM, and tribal/local permitting agencies
• Background in infrastructure project financing, risk analysis, or commercial structuring
• Experience supporting renewable energy development (geothermal preferred)
• Knowledge of royalty structures, mineral rights, and land-use strategy
• MBA, CPA, or background in finance or accounting
• Experience in environmental permitting or NEPA project coordination

Location

Fervo Energy is headquartered in Houston, TX with satellite offices in the Bay Area, CA, Golden, CO and Reno, NV. This position will be eligible for some hybrid work flexibility, but regular in-office presence at a Fervo office will be required.