Principal Counsel

McDermott International, Ltd; Greater London; On-site; GBP 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

McDermott International, Ltd in the United Kingdom seeks an experienced Counsel to advise on complex contractual, commercial and legal matters across projects from bidding to delivery. You will draft, review and negotiate contracts, manage risk, coordinate with project teams, and escalate material matters to Senior Principal Counsel.

Strong English law knowledge and outstanding drafting and negotiation skills are essential.

Qualifications

• Law degree or equivalent professional legal qualification.
• 8-12 years post-qualification experience on major projects or comparable environments.
• Experience drafting and negotiating complex contracts.
• Experience with contract management, claims and dispute avoidance.

Responsibilities

• Provide day-to-day legal and contractual support for assigned projects.
• Review and advise on EPC bids, contracts and risk across pre-award and bid stages.
• Draft, review and negotiate contractual documents including subcontracts and settlements.
• Advise on rights, obligations, risk allocation, change management, notices, claims and disputes.
• Coordinate with project, commercial, finance and other functions to deliver practical advice.
• Manage external counsel, scope, budget and quality as required.

Skills

Contract negotiation

Drafting legal documents

Risk assessment

Contract management

English contract law

Education

Law degree

Job description

Job Overview

Advises on complex contractual, commercial and legal matters arising throughout the project lifecycle. Working closely with the Senior Principal Counsel, the role supports the protection of McDermott's contractual position, the management of risk and the effective resolution of project issues. The role requires sound judgment, strong drafting and negotiation skills, and the ability to work independently with appropriate escalation of material matters.

Job Description

Job Overview

Advises on complex contractual, commercial and legal matters arising throughout the project lifecycle. Working closely with the Senior Principal Counsel, the role supports the protection of McDermott's contractual position, the management of risk and the effective resolution of project issues. The role requires sound judgment, strong drafting and negotiation skills, and the ability to work independently with appropriate escalation of material matters.

Responsibilities

Key Tasks and Responsibilities

• Provide day-to-day legal and contractual support for the relevant on assigned projects.
• Review and advise on EPC requests for quotation, invitations to tender, tender conditions and proposed contractual terms, including the identification and evaluation of material legal and contractual risks during the pre-award and bid stages.
• Review, interpret and advise on EPC contracts, subcontracts, consortium or joint venture arrangements, guarantees, bonds, confidentiality agreements, variations, amendments and other project-related documents.
• Advise on contractual rights, obligations, risk allocation, notices, change management, claims, delay, payment, performance, warranties, defects, termination and dispute avoidance.
• Draft, review and negotiate correspondence, notices, agreements, settlements, waivers, releases and other contractual documents.
• Support the preparation, assessment and resolution of claims and disputes, including the development of contractual and legal strategy and the preservation of rights and defences.
• Work with project, commercial, finance, tax, insurance, supply chain, compliance and other functions to provide coordinated and practical advice.
• Identify and elevate material legal, contractual and compliance risks to the Senior Principal Counsel /VP of Legal and relevant stakeholders.
• Support negotiations with clients, partners, subcontractors, suppliers and other third parties, as required.
• Manage external counsel where instructed, including scope, budget, quality and delivery of advice.
• Maintain clear and accurate records of material advice, decisions, claims, disputes and contractual actions.
• Promote compliance with applicable laws, McDermott policies, the Code of Business Conduct and project governance requirements.
• Undertake such other legal, contractual or related duties as may reasonably be required by the Senior Principal Counsel, VP of Legal or the business.

Qualifications

Essential Qualifications and Education

• Law degree or equivalent professional legal qualification.
• 8-12 years relevant post-qualification experience in major projects, construction, engineering, energy, infrastructure or a comparable commercial environment.
• Demonstrable experience of reviewing, drafting and negotiating complex commercial and project contracts.
• Experience supporting contract management, claims, dispute avoidance and dispute resolution on large or complex projects.
• Working knowledge of English contract law and familiarity with international contracting principles.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, with the ability to provide clear, concise and commercially focused advice.
• Strong analytical, drafting, negotiation and organisational skills, with close attention to detail.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, including the ability to effectively communicate with business leaders.
• Outstanding analytical skills with a reliable eye for quality and detail.
• Ability to manage priorities and deadlines in a fast-paced environment with myriad business pressures.
• Ability to work well within a team, taking direction and providing leadership as needed.

About Us

Our ingenuity fuels daily life. Together, we’ve forged some of the most trusted partnerships across the energy value chain to make what was once just an idea a reality: laying subsea infrastructure thousands of feet below sea level, installing platforms hundreds of miles from shore, using our expertise to design and build offshore wind infrastructure, and reshaping the onshore landscape to deliver the energy products the world needs safely and sustainably.

For more than 100 years, we've been making the impossible possible. Today, we're driving the energy transition with more than 30,000 of the brightest minds across 54 countries.