First Wind, an independent U.S.-based wind energy company, has hired Michele Beasley as senior vice president and general counsel.

Beasley comes to First Wind with extensive experience in the development and financing of wind and other energy projects. In her role, she will oversee the company's legal affairs and manage its legal team.

Beasley most recently served as senior counsel at Wells Fargo Bank, serving as senior legal counsel to the Securities Investment Group of its division of Wholesale Division, supporting a multi-billion high-yield investment portfolio and large street- and customer-facing sales and trading groups. She served on the Securities Investment Risk Management and Firewall Committees, and represented commercial real estate financing teams.

Prior to Wells Fargo, Beasley spent more than a decade working on all aspects of the development and financing of energy projects at Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe and Chadbourne & Parke, including the structuring, negotiation, and documentation of equity investments, project contracts, and third-party limited- and non-recourse financing, and related real estate and governmental approvals work.