Managing Counsel

Cooper Machinery Services; Houston, Northern (TX, KY); Hybrid; USD 180,000 - 280,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision insurance

401(k) with company match

Paid maternity/paternity leave

Voluntary life insurance

Disability coverage

Job summary

Cooper Machinery Services, a long-standing energy industry leader, seeks a Managing Counsel to join its senior leadership. You will own the commercial contracting engine, shape the M&A strategy, and build a capable legal team as the company grows through acquisitions and international expansion.

You will sit with business leaders, advise on risk and negotiation strategy, and manage external counsel across litigation, employment, and cross-border matters.

Qualifications

• Legal experience focused on commercial contracts and negotiating terms.
• Experience supporting M&A due diligence and integration.
• Exposure to international business and cross-border contracts.

Responsibilities

• Review, draft, and negotiate commercial contracts including customer, vendor, and service agreements.
• Build contract templates, playbooks, and approval processes to reduce risk.
• Advise on contract risk and negotiation strategy to internal stakeholders.
• Lead post-acquisition integration and contract migration.
• Manage outside counsel relationships and budgets with CHRO support.
• Develop a small legal team and mentor attorneys and contract managers.

Skills

Contract drafting

M&A due diligence

Cross-border contracts

Leadership & mentoring

Risk assessment

Job description

Cooper Machinery Services has been powering the energy industry since 1833, and today our legends run stronger than ever. We're looking for a Managing Counsel to be the senior legal voice inside a company that's growing through acquisition, expanding internationally, and betting big on its people. This isn't a back-office legal role. You'll sit at the table with Cooper's business leaders, own our commercial contracting engine, help shape our M&A strategy, and build a legal team you're proud to lead.

If you want a seat at the table instead of a seat outside the room, keep reading.

What You Will Do:

• Serve as Cooper's primary legal resource for reviewing, drafting, and negotiating commercial contracts, including customer, vendor, and service agreements.
• Build and maintain contract templates, playbooks, and approval processes that speed up turnaround and reduce risk across the business.
• Provide practical, business-oriented guidance on contract risk, terms, and negotiation strategy to internal stakeholders.
• Support legal due diligence for acquisitions and lead post-acquisition integration, including contract migration and policy alignment.
• Advise on employment-related matters and coordinate with outside counsel as needed.
• Guide Cooper's growing international operations on cross-border contracts and country-specific legal requirements.
• Manage outside counsel relationships and budget in partnership with the CHRO across litigation, employment, M&A, and international matters.
• Support legal due diligence for acquisitions, including review of contracts, corporate records, and identify and help mitigate legal risks arising from acquired businesses.
• Partner with business leaders on post-acquisition integration, including contract migration, employee transition matters, and policy alignment.
• Lead, coach, and develop a small legal team of attorneys and contract managers, setting clear priorities and growth goals, fostering a culture of responsiveness, accountability, and sound business judgment.
• Partner closely with Commercial Counsel, business segment leaders, HR Business Partners, and Finance as a trusted advisor who turns legal risk into practical business guidance.
• Represent Legal in cross-functional initiatives and business reviews.

Who You Are:

• 12+ years of legal experience, including significant in-house counsel experience.
• Strong, demonstrated experience drafting, reviewing, and negotiating a wide range of commercial agreements.
• Direct experience supporting M&A due diligence and post-acquisition integration.
• Exposure to international business matters, including cross-border contracts or multi-country legal compliance.
• Experience managing outside counsel relationships and budgets across multiple legal specialties.
• Experience managing or leading attorneys and/or contract management professionals.
• Strong business judgment, with the ability to advise leaders practically, not just legally.
• Active license to practice law; Texas bar admission preferred.

Preferred:

• Prior law firm experience, with meaningful exposure to managing outside counsel or litigation matters.
• Industrial background, with exposure to manufacturing and industrial services businesses.
• A generalist mindset: comfortable advising across a broad range of legal matters and knowing when to bring in outside expertise.
• A hands-on leadership style that balances strategic guidance with day-to-day execution.
• Comfort operating in a fast-growing, acquisitive organization with evolving processes.
• A strong communicator who builds trust and credibility with senior leaders.

Why Join Us:

• Most benefits are effective on your first day of employment, no waiting period.
• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance.
• Company-paid life, AD&D, short-term, and long-term disability coverage (6-month short-term disability waiting period).
• Voluntary life, AD&D, and long-term disability buy-up plan.
• Voluntary benefit plans including accident, critical illness, and hospital indemnity insurance.
• 401(k) with up to 5% company match; employees are 100% vested on Day 1.
• Maternity and parental leave, Arc Fertility Benefits, and an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for mental health support.

Cooper Machinery Services is an equal opportunity employer and gives all qualified applicants consideration of employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws.For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.