Senior Counsel

Chord Energy; Georgia; Hybrid; USD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

Chord Energy is seeking a Senior Counsel in downtown Houston to provide guidance on upstream oil and gas transactional and operational matters, with level and salary commensurate with experience. A hybrid work schedule is available, with remote work on Mondays and Fridays.

You will draft, negotiate and advise on purchase and sale agreements, joint development and operating agreements, leases and related documents, and support land, operations, supply chain and corporate matters while managing

Qualifications

• Requires JD from an ABA-accredited law school and 8+ years structuring, negotiating and drafting upstream oil & gas agreements.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with ability to interact with management and outside counsel.
• Ability to manage deadlines and juggle concurrent priorities in a fast-paced environment.

Responsibilities

• Provide primary legal support for upstream oil and gas transactions, including drafting and negotiating purchase/sale, lease, joint development and other conveyance documents.
• Support upstream operations with drilling, services and surface agreements, MSA and related written agreements; advise on regulatory issues.
• Collaborate with Land and Operations teams on title, lease administration, royalty and regulatory matters; assess development plans impact.
• Support Supply Chain and corporate matters; draft and negotiate MSAs, procurement contracts, and vendor agreements; advise on risk management and dispute resolution.

Skills

Written & verbal communication

Legal judgment

Time management

Ethical standards

Education

Juris Doctor (JD) from ABA-accredited law school

Undergraduate degree

Job description

The Senior Counsel is responsible for providing guidance and advice related to a broad range of legal matters, with a focus on upstream oil and gas transactional and operational matters. This position is located in downtown Houston, TX. Hybrid work schedule is an option for remote work on Mondays and Fridays. Level and salary commensurate with experience.

Essential Job Functions

• Provide primary legal support for the Company’s upstream oil and gas transactions, which includes drafting, negotiating and advising on agreements related to the purchase and sale of oil and gas assets, oil and gas lease exchange agreements, joint development and joint operating arrangements, leases, assignments and other conveyance documents, as well as advising on due diligence and integration activities for acquisitions and divestitures.
• Provide primary legal support for the Company’s upstream operations, which includes drafting, negotiating and advising on drilling, completion, workover and oilfield services agreements, master service agreements, surface use, right-of-way and easement agreements, water sourcing and disposal arrangements, and other field-level operational matters.
• Work closely with the Land and Operations teams on title, lease administration, royalty, regulatory and operator-level issues, and advise on the operational and contractual implications of proposed development plans.
• Provide legal support to the Company’s Supply Chain function, including drafting, negotiating and advising on master service agreements, equipment and materials purchases, rentals, transportation and logistics arrangements, and vendor sourcing and contracting processes.
• Provide legal support for the Company’s general corporate and commercial matters, which includes drafting, negotiating and advising on general commercial, confidentiality, services, IT and other agreements, and supporting corporate governance and entity management matters as needed.
• As needed, provide legal support to a variety of other functions within the Company, including Marketing, Accounting and Regulatory.
• Understand and advise on any risks created or identified in connection with upstream transactional and operational matters, and work collaboratively to provide business-oriented recommendations and guidance on how the enterprise should address such matters.
• Advise regarding appropriate legal action to be taken, and provide advice and counsel support in connection with risk management, dispute resolution, and contract management issues.
• Generally provide legal assistance and advice to management.
• Remain current on changes within legal and regulatory environment and communicate regarding potential corporate impact.

This job description is not intended to be an all-inclusive list of duties and responsibilities of the position. Incumbents will be required to follow any other job-related instructions and duties outside of their normal responsibilities as assigned by their supervisor.

Minimum Qualifications

• Undergraduate degree from an accredited college or university together with a law degree from an ABA accredited school of law
• Eight (8) years of experience structuring, negotiating and drafting agreements, with a substantial portion of that experience in upstream oil and gas transactional and operational matters
• Working knowledge of oil and gas exploration and production activities, including the agreements and regulatory framework that govern them
• Strong written and verbal communication skills coupled with the ability both to interact effectively and to command the respect of Company management, outside counsel and industry peers
• Demonstrated ability to exercise sound legal and business judgment without producing a chilling effect on creativity or discouraging legitimate risk‑taking
• High ethical standards and ability to properly manages confidences within the Company
• Ability to work in a fast‑paced and fluid environment; flexible with the demands of a growing company
• Ability to meet deadlines and manage concurrent priorities
• Physical Requirements and Working Conditions: Must possess mobility to work in a standard office setting and to use standard office equipment, including a computer, stamina to maintain attention to detail despite interruptions, strength to lift and carry files weighing up to 10 pounds; vision to read printed materials and a computer screen, and hearing and speech to communicate in person and over the telephone

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Preferred Qualifications

• Ten (10) to fourteen (14) years of experience in upstream oil and gas transactional and operational work
• Experience with acquisitions and divestitures of producing and non-producing oil and gas assets
• General corporate and commercial contracting experience
• Familiarity with supply chain and procurement contracting, including sourcing processes and vendor management
• Experience as both outside and inside counsel
• Knowledge of the Company’s areas of operation and the associated land, title and regulatory considerations is strongly preferred

EEO Statement:

Chord Energy does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other non‑merit factor.