Texas Lawyer Recruiting & Attorney Search : Courtney Sapire : Texas Lawyer Jobs

Large Houston company seeks a 4-8 year tax attorney to join its legal department. This company offers a fantastic tax team and work environment, along with competitive compensation packages and outstanding benefits. 

This role is responsible for the company’s domestic and international taxes, and will counsel business segments to ensure compliance and optimize the company’s tax position. Assignments will evolve over time for staff development and to manage workloads on the regional team in Houston. This position is based in Houston and will require some U.S. and international business travel.   

Requirements:

•             Expertise in US and international taxation

•             L.L.M. or CPA a plus

•             Excellent research and analytical skills

•             Strong leadership skills and the ability to interact effectively with senior tax management and external professionals

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In a recent survey on the effects of associate salary increases conducted by Altman Weil Inc., companies are feeling the ripple effects.  In addition to restrictions on the extent to which junior associates can work on files, these increases are having an impact on corporate law department recruiting and hiring. 

Attracting and landing qualified candidates is getting harder.   In the past, non-executive level lawyers usually took a decrease in salary of approximately 20% when moving from a law firm to a corporate legal department.   That percentage has jumped to about 30% - 35% now, which has caused some associates to think twice about leaving. 

Corporate human resources departments are also feeling the pressure.   As outside counsel rates climb, many GCs are bringing more work in-house, as Law.com reports (see, “General Counsel Keep Close Watch on Associate Pay Hikes,” July 12, 2007). And more work in-house means legal hiring managers are leaning on HR to make budget adjustments in order to attract top lawyers.   Hiring a new lawyer at a higher base salary than those at comparable experience levels often necessitates across-the-board adjustments. So, the ultimate beneficiaries of associate raises may end up being the lawyers who are already practicing in corporate departments.

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Large energy company seeks 8+ year attorney with strong project development experience.  The company offers an attractive compensation and benefits package, significant opportunities for career growth, and a fantastic legal team.

This role will focus on the development and construction of domestic power projects including: engineering, procurement and construction, site purchase, leasing, easements, permitting, power purchase agreements, fuel supply, responding to RFPs, O&M agreements and issues, transportation, interconnection, insurance/risk management issues, issues arising during and after construction, familiarity with credit/debt agreements and compliance, joint venture/ownership/management issues, equity/asset divestitures, acquisitions, and outside counsel management.

Requirements include:

• 8+ years of experience in either private practice or within a corporate legal department
• Experience as lead counsel on projects and willingness to assist on associated projects
• Energy industry experience would be ideal.

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Large Houston company seeks an 8+ year tax attorney to join its top-caliber legal team.  The company offers competitive compensation and outstanding benefits, along with significant growth opportunities. 

This role has primary responsibility for the company's domestic employment and expatriate taxes, and will counsel all business segments in the Americas and ensure that the company is in compliance with all employment tax payment and reporting obligations.  This position will supervise a team of three and will have responsibility for providing advice and guidance on fringe benefits, expense reimbursement programs and the sourcing of compensation.  The position has responsibility to ensure corporate and individual compliance with U.S., regional and global tax rules and regulations with respect to the taxation of expatriate employees and employment tax issues.  The position is based in Houston and will require some U.S. and international business travel. 

Requirements:

• Expertise in U.S. and international taxation of expatriate employees
• Extensive knowledge of U.S. Internal Revenue Code Section 911 and the foreign tax credit provisions of U.S. tax
• Knowledge of U.S. income tax treaties and social security totalization agreements
• 8+ years of broad employment and expatriate tax experience required
• LL.M. or CPA a plus
• Excellent research and analysis skills
• Strong leadership skills and the ability to interact effectively with senior tax management and external professionals

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Large company in Houston seeks three, 4+ year transactions attorneys to join its legal department.  The company offers significant growth opportunities on both the legal and business sides, as well as an excellent compensation and benefits package.

The roles support two of the company's largest business units and involve counseling management and employees regarding general domestic and international transactional matters, negotiating and drafting sales and other commercial contracts, and providing support on other strategic projects.

Other responsibilities include:

• Developing legal training programs and systems to streamline the delivery of routine legal services
• Advising managers, executives and other clients regarding general commercial issues
• Drafting and negotiating contracts
• Developing and implementing legal and compliance training programs for assigned business areas

Ideal experience includes:

• Private practice experience in corporate law and exposure to routine as well as large transactions
• Experience advising management-level clients on complex commercial matters and prudent legal practices
• Familiarity with certain compliance issues, including FCPA, antitrust and international trade
• Exposure to general business issues relating to international operations and general exposure to corporate governance practices

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Houston company seeks a 2+ year energy trading lawyer to join an outstanding legal team.  The company offers excellent benefits, an attractive compensation package, and significant internal growth opportunities.

Responsibilities include:

• Negotiating energy commodity contracts including power, natural gas, coal, emissions and fuel oil, including but not limited to EEI, ISDA, NAESB, PPAs, RFPs, confirmations, origination transactions, complex energy transactions and other agreements necessary to support the generation unit.
• Providing support to other departmental attorneys, as well as contract attorneys, and will provide opinions and guidance to the commercial group.

Requirements:

• 2-7 years experience in a corporate legal department and/or law firm with a heavy emphasis on drafting and negotiating contracts
• General understanding of the laws and regulations applicable to energy trading markets
• Experience in a merchant energy company or energy trading company, or experience in energy, corporate and/or commercial transactions is ideal.
• Working knowledge of financial, market and credit risk issues and extensive experience with all relevant documentation is also ideal.

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Dallas energy company seeks a 4+ year attorney with experience in energy regulatory matters.  The company offers a vibrant work environment, significant opportunities for career growth, and an outstanding legal team.  The compensation package is attractive and the benefits are excellent.

Responsibilities include providing legal counsel, risk analysis and support to the company on a variety of legal matters, with a heavy emphasis on supporting regulatory compliance, as well as other commercial activities.

Requirements include prior energy regulatory experience and a working knowledge of PUC regulations.

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Top attorney candidates often have multiple job offers to choose from, especially in a tight legal job market. How do you maximize your chances of recruiting these lawyers to join your legal team?

1.      Quick Contact.   Let a candidate know you’re interested quickly. If several days go by following the submission of the resume, candidates assume there’s no interest and move on.  

2.      Scheduling.   After you’ve decided that a candidate is interview-worthy, scheduling an interview quickly demonstrates your interest level.

3.      Communication.   Prior to the interview, send a written job description and a list of the people with whom the candidate is scheduled to meet. Ideally, that list should contain a brief bio for each interviewer to give the candidate valuable information about the people on the team.

4.      Feedback.  Candidates have taken time off to come to your office for interviews. They want to know how the meeting went and whether they’ll be advancing to the next step.   If you’re on the fence about moving forward, just make a call to let them know you’re still in the evaluation process. It’s the thought that counts.

5.      Branding. Every communication with a candidate brands your company. Difficulties with scheduling, last-minute interview changes, changes to the job description and delays in feedback following interviews not only risk losing strong candidates to other jobs, but may suggest to outsiders that things are a little crazy or disorganized on the inside.   At worst, candidates may get a negative impression of how the company values people.    

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Large energy company located in Houston seeks a 5-7 year attorney with experience supporting natural gas marketing and trading operations.

Ideal background includes experience handling NAESB Gas Purchase/Sale Agreements, ISDAs, Guaranties, Letters of Credit, Master Netting Agreements and related commercial transactions.

The company offers an attractive compensation package and significant career growth opportunities.

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