Senior Legal Counsel

Michels Corporation; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Michels Corporation is seeking an experienced Senior Legal Counsel to serve as a strategic partner beyond a traditional legal advisory role. The attorney will guide enterprise-level transactions, contracts, and risk management across the full project lifecycle, collaborating with executives, engineers, project leaders and operations teams to deliver practical, business-focused legal solutions.

The role requires strong drafting and negotiation skills, exceptional judgment and the ability to

Qualifications

• JD from accredited law school and Bar admission in at least one US state.
• 5–8 years minimum experience in construction, engineering, energy, infrastructure or related matters.
• Strong drafting, negotiation and risk allocation skills.

Responsibilities

• Negotiate and structure complex construction, design-build, EPC and related agreements.
• Provide practical legal counsel on project risks, claims, change orders and dispute resolution.
• Advise on scope, interface risk, delays, payment security, and warranties.
• Develop training, templates and contracting tools to standardize risk management.

Skills

Contract negotiation

Communication (persuasion)

Cross-functional collaboration

Legal advice

Legal writing

Executive presence

MS Office

Education

Juris Doctor (JD)

Bar admission (US)

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Michels Corporation is looking for an experienced construction attorney who wants to be more than a legal advisor. We are seeking a strategic business minded lawyer who thrives on solving complex challenges and helping deliver some of North America's largest energy, transportation, utility, and infrastructure projects.

The Senior Legal Counsel will provide expert legal counsel and practical business guidance to Michels Corporation and its affiliates, supporting enterprise-level transactions, contracts, and related legal matters. The attorney will have meaningful ownership of matters, work closely with decision-makers and project teams, and help shape contracting and risk strategies across the full project lifecycle. This position requires close collaboration with colleagues across the organization to deliver effective legal solutions and manage a wide range of legal responsibilities. To thrive in this role, candidates must maintain the highest level of confidentiality, demonstrate sound judgment and professionalism, successfully balance multiple priorities, and possess strong attention to detail. Excellent persuasion, presentation, and written and verbal communication skills are required.

Ideally, this candidate would work out of our Wisconsin offices which house our Legal Department. However, for right candidate, we are open to this Senior Legal Counsel working out of our other corporate offices which include Houston or Denver.

Responsibilities

In this role, you'll work directly with your colleagues in the Michels Legal Department, executives, engineers, project leaders, and operations teams to:

• Negotiate and structure complex construction, design-build, EPC, engineering, and general contracting and subcontracting agreements. This includes customer contracts, master service agreements, professional services agreements, subcontracts, purchase orders, equipment and material supply agreements, teaming and joint venture arrangements, and other project-related commercial agreements.
• Advise on managing project risks, contract strategy, claims, change orders, and dispute resolution. Provide practical guidance on scope and interface risk, schedule and delay, differing site conditions, payment security, liquidated damages, warranties, indemnity, insurance, bonding, limitations of liability, force majeure, and termination rights.
• Deliver practical, business-focused legal counsel that drives successful project outcomes. Translate complex legal issues into clear, actionable recommendations that support safe, disciplined, and commercially sound decision-making.
• Assist with the preparation, evaluation, prosecution and defense of change orders, payment claims, delay and disruption claims, lien and bond claims, and other construction disputes; manage outside counsel and experts when appropriate.
• Develop and deliver practical training, templates and contracting tools that strengthen project execution and promote consistent risk management across the enterprise.

Qualifications

• JD from accredited law school, hold current license to practice law before the Bar of at least one US state, and 5-8 years minimum experience in construction, engineering, energy, infrastructure or other complex commercial matters.
• Must have initiative, be able to act decisively, work independently and exercise good judgment.
• Must have the strong desire to learn about supported companies to provide pragmatic and business-focused advice.
• Construction law experience (strongly preferred); meaningful experience representing a general contractor, EPC contractor, utility or energy company, project owner, or construction-focused law firm is preferred.
• Demonstrated experience drafting and negotiating construction, EPC, design-build, engineering, procurement, subcontracting, or major supply agreements, with a strong understanding of commercial risk allocation.
• Experience supporting electric power transmission and distribution and/or oil and gas pipeline transmission and distribution projects is strongly preferred; closely related experience in energy, utility, industrial or linear infrastructure projects will also be considered.
• Experience with project claims, change orders, delay and disruption issues, payment remedies, insurance and indemnity, bonding or surety matters, and dispute avoidance and resolution is preferred.
• Ability to build credibility with executives, engineers, estimators, project managers, and field leaders, and to work effectively in a fast-paced, operationally focused environment.
• Strong contract drafting and negotiation skills, commercial judgment, executive presence, and the ability to communicate complex issues clearly and persuasively.
• Willingness to travel periodically to project sites and operating locations as business needs require.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office suite.