Senior Counsel, Environmental and Regulatory

Legalpeople; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading legal consultancy is seeking a Senior Counsel for Environmental and Regulatory matters to advise a major international energy company. The ideal candidate will have a J.D. and at least 6 years of experience in environmental compliance and regulatory issues, including experience in oil and gas or refining sectors. Responsibilities include providing legal guidance on various environmental laws and regulatory compliance, along with participating in enforcement discussions with state and federal regulators. This position is based in Houston, Texas and may require minimal travel.

Qualifications

• 6 or more years as a lawyer with health, safety, environmental regulatory and operational experience.
• Willing to travel up to 10% of time.
• Experience in oil & gas, refining, midstream, energy, or petrochemical industries a plus.

Responsibilities

• Provide day-to-day legal advice to Refining and Midstream facilities on environmental issues.
• Participate in enforcement discussions with regulators for favorable resolution.
• Provide legal guidance in permitting and enforcement matters.

Skills

Environmental and regulatory compliance counseling

Mediation and negotiation skills

Strong written and oral communication

Crisis management expertise

Education

J.D. degree from ABA-accredited law school

Member in good standing of any U.S. bar

Job description

Legalpeople is working with our large publicly traded, international energy company client in need of a Senior Counsel, Environmental and Regulatory who will report to the Managing Counsel – Environmental and Regulatory and will work with colleagues across a large corporate law department.

• Providing day-to-day legal advice and counsel to Refining and Midstream facilities on environmental and regulatory issues, compliance counseling, and enforcement resolution
• Providing legal counsel and guidance on compliance with environmental and safety laws and regulations including Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, RCRA, and PHMSA
• Recommending course of action to business representatives
• Participating in enforcement discussions with state and federal regulators with a goal of favorable resolution for the company
• Providing legal guidance in permitting and enforcement matters involving land use, air, and water quality and supply
• Participating in environmental due diligence activities and reviewing environmental liability provisions in transactional documents
• Being on call during Crisis Management situations
• Legally authorized to work in the job posting country
• J.D. degree from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association
• A member in good standing of any U.S. bar
• 6 or more years as a lawyer with health, safety, environmental regulatory and operational experience
• Willing to travel up to 10% of time

Preferred

• Strong preference for Clean Water Act and/or hazardous waste expertise
• Ability to work collaboratively with a highly skilled team
• Superior mediation, negotiation, advocacy and presentation skills, and mature judgment and discretion
• Working knowledge of one or more of the following: Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, PHMSA, Endangered Species Act, Oil Pollution Act, Safe Drinking Water Act, USACE Permitting requirements
• Experience in oil & gas, refining, midstream, energy, or petrochemical industries a plus
• Experience providing advice to clients in crisis management situations
• Ability to manage and prioritize assignments which may be broad in scope and complexity, and which involve collaborative work with employees in different departments or with varying degrees of seniority
• Self-initiation on regular and complex assignments
• Effective utilization and communication with internal support staff including assigned paralegal and administrative assistant
• Excellent written and oral communication skills required
• Ability to effectively manage and communicate with internal business clients and outside the Company with opposing and outside counsel, experts, witnesses, and vendors
• Ability to work independently within broadly defined objectives, being able to perform job functions without extensive supervision, taking ownership of projects and accepting responsibility