Large Texas company seeks experienced transactions attorneys (ideally in the 5-7 year range) for temporary assignments in Austin. Candidates must have experience handling federal, state and local government sales or procurement transactions. Local candidates preferred, but not required. This opportunity has the potential to become permanent. Please send salary / rate requirements to csapire@sapiresearch.com.
There was a time when lawyers spent an entire career in one particular practice area. For an increasing number of attorneys, those days are over. With practice areas becoming more cyclical and a heavy emphasis on maintaining profitability, lawyers are feeling the pressure to re-tool. I recently had an opportunity to speak at the Association of Legal Administrators Conference in St. Louis regarding this topic and wanted to share some initial highlights of the discussion below:
A legal career used to be very stable. After about eight years as an associate, you made partner, and continued your career at the same firm. However, as competition in the legal marketplace has increased, law firms have begun to operate more like businesses with heavy attention to profitability, measured by profits per partner. Beginning about five years ago, firms began to reduce the number of equity partners being made each year by either adopting two-tiered partnership models and/or deferring partnership for some associates. Companies have drastically cut legal budgets.
Since September 2008, the legal industry has lost about 34,000 jobs. Firms started reducing associate salaries, deferring start dates for incoming associate classes and eliminating lock-step pay. A dean of one of the top law schools in the country said that as of September 1, 40% of the class of 2009 did not have a job. The previous year it had been 4%.
Now, more than ever, law firms are more business-oriented in how they operate, and companies are heavily focused on cost containment and doing more with less. Efficiency is one way to ensure survival, which is why the business case can be made for practice area re-tooling. Among the many changes in law practice management over the last 10-15 years is the growing acceptance of attorneys who change specialties. An associate, junior partner, or in-house counsel with a good track record and institutional knowledge of the organization’s culture and its client base has a good chance of being given time to climb the learning curve. In many cases, the ideal scenario for both the firm/company and the re-tooling lawyer is to make the transition within the organization.
In my next blog posting, we will continue the discussion including the following topics:
- Obstacles to overcome
- How to prepare for a transition
- High-growth practice areas
Austin company seeks 10-15 year attorney with corporate and securities experience. This position will support operations and finance, including reviewing and preparing 1934 Act filings, supporting the investor relations team, coordinating debt offerings, and other finance-related functions. The ideal candidate has experience handling securities compliance matters, strong analytical and problem-solving skills, attention to detail, strong communication and presentation abilities, an ability to work confidently with executive management and extremely strong skills in negotiation and drafting.
Other responsibilities include: providing regulatory and compliance advice, training finance teams to assure legal compliance and adherence to company policies and procedures, and risk management.
The compensation package is attractive, and includes a highly competitive base salary, significant bonus opportunity, equity participation and excellent career advancement potential.
Corporate legal departments are keeping more work in-house these days to reduce costs. For many, this means more work and fewer people to do it. To that end, many companies are taking advantage of the high quality of talent on the market now by increasing the use of contract attorneys.
While using outside counsel is still a necessity for certain highly specialized work, many corporate law departments are re-evaluating and increasing the work can be done internally. Often, that work consists of routine matters, such as patent applications, document reviews, low-level litigation and contract administration. However, as law departments lean more heavily on temporary legal professionals, the project work is not always routine. With increased federal regulation, more companies are turning to contract attorneys to handle large projects, such as corporate investigations and transactional due diligence. When the project is completed, the contract lawyers are released.
“Our company has seen a dramatic increase in the use of temporary attorneys and paralegals by corporate clients,” says Joe Freedman, Chairman of AMERICAN Legal Search, LLC, a national legal search firm and recruiting industry leader. “The talent pool is better than it’s ever been, and our clients are taking advantage of it.” Freedman added.
As the work product quality generated by contract lawyers increases, temporary legal teams may play a bigger role in corporate law departments. With a continued emphasis on cost-minimization, this may be a catalyst that changes the legal industry.
Large company seeks commercial contracts negotiators to review, analyze and negotiate domestic and international sales agreements. Position responsibilities include:
· Leading negotiations for the sale of information technology projects and services
· Interacting with senior management as both an advisor and business leader
· Collaborating with sales, operations, finance, legal, tax, and risk management to ensure that agreements adequately protect company’s interests
· Reviewing and providing input on terms and conditions contained in RFP & and sales proposals
Requirements:
· Heavy experience dealing with international business practices, antitrust laws, intellectual property, resellers, leasing companies, and commercial contract law
· Minimum of 8 years of domestic and international sales negotiation, transactional, and/or in-house corporate legal experience
· Extensive knowledge of the information technology industry and detailed knowledge of commercial contracts terms
In today’s economic world, marketing is more important than ever. The people who are bringing in business are the ones who are going after it. Here’s a great opportunity: for the next 48 hours only, my colleague Paula Black is offering a collection of free bonus gifts to anyone who purchases her latest book: “The Little Black Book: A Lawyer’s Guide To Creating A Marketing Habit in 21 Days.” Designed to help lawyers integrate marketing into their daily lives, this book is quick, easy and inspirational. By purchasing it within the next 48 hours, you’ll receive special access to information and resources from more than 30 industry experts. A compilation of advice from some of the most sought-after experts in the legal arena, “The Smart Lawyer’s Toolkit” gives you instant admittance to an incredible collection of tips and information. Click here for details.
Corporate bonuses decreased by an average of 25 percent in 2008, and experts are predicting that companies will continue operating under reduced budgets for at least two more years. To compensate for slimmer compensation packages and retain valued employees, companies will need to boost morale in other ways.
Here are some tips on how to retain talent when budgets are tight:
- Communication from Management. Employees want to be regularly informed and know what’s happening around them – even if the news isn’t positive. Status reports from management give employees a sense of visibility and control.
- Give Employees a Chance to Talk. Periodic “Town Hall” meetings are particularly effective and give employees an opportunity to voice their concerns. It might even be an opportunity to get some fresh ideas.
- Training and Development. This is a great time to cross-train your team and utilize the people who have institutional knowledge about your organization. Investing in training and giving employees an opportunity to broaden their skills demonstrates an investment by the company in their future. Training and development initiatives may also present an opportunity to identify top performers who can someday lead the team when times are better.
As companies consider ways to control spending in 2009, many are choosing to reduce outside counsel costs by bringing more work in-house. Despite layoffs in virtually all areas of the economy, major corporations have found that boosting their in-house team can have long-term cost-cutting benefits.
According to a Chief Legal Officer study released late last year, 75 percent of respondents said they expected budget cuts in 2009, with most of the cuts directed at outside counsel spending. Some will find it necessary to increase law department headcount in order to manage the additional workload.
For companies that choose, however, to refrain from hiring additional lawyers, the budget cuts will likely result in expanded responsibilities and higher expectations for efficiency by in-house lawyers.
Here are some tips on how to work smarter:
- Maximize the use of paralegals
- Develop a strong working relationship with your HR team to minimize labor and employment issues through training and compliance
- Embrace and use technology – now is the time to become an expert on software solutions, electronic invoicing or matter management
- Practice preventive law through training, dispute resolution procedures, contract administration and document retention policies
Budget cuts and efforts by law departments to do more with less this year may provide an opportunity for in-house counsel to diversify areas of expertise and broaden skills, which might come in handy someday.
The economic slump has caused demand for most transactions lawyers to come to a screeching halt. Deal flow is stagnant, credit is scarce, and many attorneys who specialize in real estate and structured finance are looking for jobs.
Areas that continue to experience growth – and hiring -- include:
- Renewable energy project development. Attorneys with experience in power project development, especially wind projects, are in high demand.
- International trade & global compliance. FCPA violations, import/export issues and customs audits keep GCs awake at night. These are mission-critical positions within legal departments.
- E-discovery managers. For many companies that experience a high volume of litigation, these positions are starting to become more prevalent. Recessions tend to increase litigation, so this position will likely play an important role on corporate legal teams.
- Regulatory practices. Demand is increasing for regulatory lawyers, including those who specialize in energy, environmental, securities and now banking.
The credit crisis has wreaked havoc on several practice areas, including real estate and finance. Many lawyers who specialize in these practices are seeking new positions. The problem is that there aren’t many openings for these lawyers right now. Worse, the trend for the last 5-8 years has been to hire “specialists,” those with niche areas of expertise – the round peg for the round hole.
Here are some tips on how to break into a new area, or “re-tool” your practice:
- Start building your résumé and your knowledge base. Attend CLE courses and list them. Research and write an article about a particular area. Better yet, find the experts and ask if you can assist with an article. These people are usually on the speaking circuit and are frequently publishing. They may welcome some assistance on a particular topic.
- Try to get contract work in that area. Many companies and firms need attorneys to fill in on a project basis (not just for document reviews).
- Take on some pro bono work in that area if you can find it.
- Work for a government agency. Although it may be a temporary financial setback, the hands-on experience can be fantastic.
- NETWORK. Despite the trend of hiring lawyers with a track record in a particular area, there are still employers out there who simply want hard-working individuals with bright minds. They just won’t pay a search firm to find them.
Large energy company headquartered in Dallas seeks a 3+ year attorney to join its growing legal team. The position will focus on state energy regulatory work, but will secondarily include business transactions and legislative affairs. The role offers a hands-on opportunity to gain immediate experience in the energy regulatory and policy arena while under excellent mentorship.
Responsibilities include:
· Providing support in connection with PUC and FERC regulatory matters, including representing the company at hearings and proceedings
· Handling franchise agreements and other commercial transactions
· Providing support in connection with legislative affairs and public policy matters
In addition to offering access to one of the largest energy infrastructures in the world, the company offers significant internal opportunities, a competitive compensation plan and a comprehensive benefits package.
We have been exclusively engaged by a top-caliber energy boutique firm in Texas to recruit litigation associates. In addition to lucrative compensation packages, the firm boasts a Fortune 500 client base and a robust pipeline of sophisticated work.
TRIAL EXPERIENCE: This is a one-of-a-kind opportunity to get hands-on trial experience and work directly with the some of the largest and most successful companies in the world.
Additional features:
· All associates really practice law from day one and will try cases in their first year.
· The dockets are fluid. Lawyers open matters, process them, and close them. With a full pipeline of cases, the work is steady and plentiful.
· All lawyers maintain multiple open files, which reinforces experience, expedites the learning curve, makes the work more interesting, and teaches attorneys how to manage big dockets. It’s an environment in which lawyers succeed and careers are made.
· Lawyers work across the table from the best lawyers and firms in the country.
· Cases are tried in venues throughout Texas and beyond.
Culture & Values:
This firm’s culture stresses interaction and personalized working relationships among its lawyers, a shared passion for achievement on behalf of its clients, and an overall commitment to finding ways to help each other maximize potential as individual lawyers and as an organization.
Energy Industry:
The energy industry has been a mainstay of the firm’s practice. The importance of energy in the new economy has enhanced business opportunities for the firm’s clients, resulting in cutting-edge representations.
The firm’s strong relationships with key players in this sector have advantageously positioned it to get the work that really counts – these are cases that shape the energy industry and have an impact on a national and global scale.
It’s an exciting time to practice at this firm.
Global energy company with a top-caliber legal department seeks an attorney to support its renewable energy division. The position will provide legal support in the nature of counseling, drafting, negotiating, and transactional assistance for clients.
This position is for an experienced commercial attorney with extensive transactional experience. This position will provide legal support in the nature of counseling, drafting, negotiating, and transactional assistance to the company’s solar business including:
· Providing advice, counsel and general transactional support in connection with the design, manufacture and marketing of solar electric systems for a wide range of applications in the residential, commercial and industrial sectors;
· Negotiating, drafting and reviewing complex, detailed project agreements such as memoranda of understanding, engineering, procurement and construction agreements, operation and maintenance agreements, leases, supply agreements, technology agreements and joint venture agreements;
· Supporting bid transactions and acquisition efforts;
· Supporting divestiture activities and sales of operating projects and projects in development;
· Managing outside counsel as appropriate;
· Providing client training on related legal issues.
The position will also require cross-team collaboration and coordination of legal workload with the other legal colleagues. The candidate should have a proven track record as a team player and as an effective manager of resources, both internal and external.
This company offers an outstanding work environment, along with a competitive compensation and benefits package.
Global energy company with a top-caliber legal department seeks an attorney to support its renewable energy division. The position will provide legal support in the nature of counseling, drafting, negotiating, and transactional assistance for clients.
This position is for an experienced commercial attorney with transactional and project development experience to support wind projects. This position will provide legal support in the nature of counseling, drafting, negotiating, and transactional assistance to the company’s wind business including:
· Providing advice, counsel and general transactional support in connection with the development, construction, and operation of wind projects;
· Negotiating, drafting and reviewing complex, detailed project agreements such as site plan agreements, escrow agreements, supply and transmission agreements, memoranda of understanding, engineering, procurement and construction agreements, operation and maintenance agreements, and equipment supply agreements;
· Supporting bid transactions and acquisition efforts;
· Supporting divestiture activities and sales of operating projects and projects in development;
· Working closely with the real estate attorneys and land team within the wind business in the acquisition of options and leases on land;
· Managing outside counsel as appropriate;
· Providing client training on related legal issues.
The position will also require cross-team collaboration and coordination of legal workload with the other legal colleagues. The candidate should have a proven track record as a team player and as an effective manager of resources, both internal and external.
The company offers an outstanding compensation and benefits package, along with a great work environment.
Conducting a legal job search when you’re 50 or older poses some additional challenges. Hiring managers often pass on résumés of senior-level attorneys, assuming they expect a large paycheck, or that they won’t fit into the organizational structure of the legal department.
Here are some tips on marketing yourself:
- Prepare for a longer process. It takes an average of 22 weeks for someone over 55 to find a new position, compared with a much shorter time for attorneys at the lower end of the career experience spectrum. And the higher up on the career ladder you are, the fewer openings you’ll find. Setting your expectations realistically will help maintain a positive outlook.
- Packaging. What is your niche? Having a specialty makes it much easier to get your foot in the door. The majority of job openings seek a particular skill set that the legal department needs. Ironically, once on board, in-house counsel tend to handle a wide variety of matters.
- The Right Recruiters. Once you’ve identified your specialty, it’s wise to target recruiters who focus on that area. They’re likely to have a higher profile and stronger relationships in the industry.
- Networking. Expanding your business and social circles increases the odds of hearing about new openings and getting referrals. Sites such as LinkedIn.com and Plaxo really work!
- TECHNOLOGY. This is crucial. To combat age bias, you must be knowledgeable about all the basics (Outlook, Excel, Word at a minimum). Better yet, get up to speed on instant messaging and blackberries.
- First impressions count. Everything on the outside conveys a message. A contemporary style can erase the impression that you’re stuck in a different generation.
Global energy company seeks a 5+ year international tax attorney to support regional upstream projects. The role is responsible for ensuring the businesses supported are in full compliance with all tax laws and regulations in each country of operation in the region, while also optimizing the company's tax position.
The tax counsel will be the single point of accountability for providing tax advice to the businesses supported. This will include ensuring the company's tax team and external advisors are engaged and informed of projects within the tax counsel's responsibility. The tax counsel will routinely interact with the relevant commercial and function contacts to ensure that the tax team is aware of operations in the region and proper tax support is being provided.
The company offers an outstanding benefits package and work environment, along with a collaborative legal team.
The tax counsel will ensure compliance with the tax laws in each of the countries where the businesses supported operate, including review and support of outsource compliance functions.
Qualifications include: A tax background to support international operations (minimum of five years of relevant experience).
Demonstrated communication skills, including the ability to summarize complex, cross-jurisdictional issues in a concise, articulate manner, both written and oral. Spanish or Portuguese capabilities a plus.
Growing Texas division of a large international company seeks a midstream transactions attorney with experience in natural gas transactions and operations. The company offers competitive compensation, flexible work schedules, a collaborative work environment, and an opportunity to join a dynamic and rapidly growing sector of the energy industry.
Responsibilities include:
- Provide overall legal advice and assistance on project development and facility operations matters, which may include real estate matters, permitting (state and federal), vendor service contracts, construction contracts and related matters, and working with outside counsel on same.
- Provide legal assessments, interpretations, recommendations and representation on project development matters, including related policy matters. Manage and assist in due diligence on project acquisitions and divestitures.
- Provide overall legal advice and assistance on gas storage commercial transactional matters, which may include development and negotiation of storage agreements, interpretation and drafting of storage tariffs (FERC) and other interaction with the FERC in respect of the Company’s current and future gas storage activities.
- Provide assistance with compliance and training programs, and draft legal advisories, documents and contracts, including transactional documents and board papers.
Qualifications
- 5+ years experience working on the development of energy resources, with a particular focus on real property, oil, gas and energy and permitting or engineering, construction and procurement.
- Ability to draft and negotiate storage agreements and vendor master service agreements, draft permitting applications and manage legal requirements associated natural gas storage and transportation operations.
- Experience with form energy agreements (including the EEI, WSPP, ISDA, IADC), customized energy purchase agreements, physical and financial trading, natural gas storage, transportation, scheduling, and credit enhancement/ margin agreements, letters of intent and term sheets for project development/acquisition.
- Experience with general business law and natural gas / electricity energy transactions.
- Experience with FERC rules, regulations and policy in respect of natural gas storage matters (including both Section 311 and Section 7(c) authorizations).
Houston energy company seeks an experienced energy transactional and operations attorney with experience in midstream transactions and operations. This attorney will provide legal support for the operations and business development activities of the company’s midstream business units, which are comprised of natural gas liquids (NGLs) storage, liquids products pipelines, NGL and olefins fractionation facilities and natural gas gathering and processing.
Responsibilities include:
- Drafting, reviewing and negotiating support for contracts related to business development activities including: confidentiality agreements, asset and real property purchase and sale agreements, right of way acquisition documents and construction agreements for pipelines and liquids infrastructure facilities
- Advising client departments regarding day to day operational issues arising under existing commercial agreements and business arrangements and in connection with prosecution of major capital projects
- Advising client departments regarding compliance with applicable governmental regulations, including permit applications and general and specific compliance issues with respect to the Texas Railroad Commission, Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality, the Federal Energy Regulatory Agency and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
Qualifications:
- 5 - 15 years of experience in the energy industry
- Working knowledge of the natural gas liquids and/or petroleum products businesses. Experience in the petroleum products or NGL pipeline businesses is a substantial plus
- Solid drafting and contract experience. Industry-specific experience in the midstream or other fixed asset-based energy business segments is preferred.
Global energy company seeks an executive-level attorney with strong energy project development experience for the role of Vice President and Assistant General Counsel. This position reports to the Senior Vice President, General Counsel & Secretary of the parent company and also to the President & CEO of one of its divisions.
The Vice President and Assistant General Counsel is responsible for providing legal counsel to the parent company and its subsidiaries in connection with complex energy-related transactional, project development, asset management and finance matters, with emphasis on wind, biomass and other renewable energy sources. The position will also be responsible for assisting the company on compliance issues, including local, state and federal regulatory requirements and overall compliance with national, state and/or local laws and regulations in North America.
Specific responsibilities include:
- Developing and executing comprehensive legal strategies and solutions to lawfully facilitate the parent company's and its subsidiaries' commercial objectives while mitigating any associated legal risks
- Providing legal advice and support to the renewable energy business unit, in connection with complex energy-related project development, asset management and finance agreements, and ensuring compliance with national, state and/or local laws and regulations in North America
- Advising on North American national, state and local regulations and requirements, with an emphasis on renewable energy
- Assisting with managing litigation, administrative proceedings and policy matters with an emphasis on matters involving the renewable energy unit
- Providing support to the parent company legal function generally in matters not involving renewable energy, including gas, power and LNG matters
In addition to a great work environment with a strong leadership team, the company offers an attractive compensation package that includes both short and long-term incentives, as well as an annual perquisite allowance.
Global company headquartered in Houston seeks an executive-level attorney for the role of Associate General Counsel - Commercial. This officer-level position reports to the Senior Vice President and General Counsel and leads a team of three attorneys.
The Associate General Counsel heads the Commercial Section of the Law Department, which is responsible for day-to-day legal advice on business matters for the company's various operating divisions, functional departments and international operations. The AGC functions as a quasi-general counsel for one or more operating divisions with direct responsibility for assisting the applicable division executives and staff. In that capacity, the AGC manages all aspects of that division's legal needs, excluding IP, labor & employment, tax, environmental and litigation, all of which are handled by other attorneys at the company.
The Commercial Section has primary responsibility for providing legal support for issues related to commercial contracts, supplier relationships, distribution/rep relations & termination, FTC regulations, IT licenses and agreements, real estate, secured transactions, UCC, etc.
Ideal experience would include a strong finance or accounting background and familiarity with corporate compliance, including customs, export control, anti-boycott and other international trade issues, FCPA, and government contracting.
This position will be a key part of the management of the law department and will drive certain law department initiatives, including the establishment of law department policies and developing corporate-wide compliance assurance.
Compensation:
The company is offering an outstanding compensation package for this role that includes cash and equity.
Required Experience:
• 15+ years of experience, including prior law department management experience
• Strong commercial transactions and international experience
• Strong finance or accounting background
• Proven ability to work as part of a cross-functional team in overall project management, including the ability to work within established corporate risk tolerance levels.
As you gain experience in your legal career, you’re likely to be contacted by a legal recruiter at some point. Here are tips on building and managing strong relationships with them:
Know what you want. Offer yourself as a candidate only if you’re serious about making a change. Headhunters don’t like “tire-kickers.” Legal recruiters are engaged by their clients to find qualified and motivated candidates.
Be available. Once you’ve agreed to submit your resume for a particular position, make yourself available for interviews. Although it’s time-consuming, being too difficult to schedule potentially sends a message to a prospective employer that you’re not interested in the position.
Is everyone on board? Be sure to discuss career moves with family members who would be impacted by a change, or whose voices count in your decision-making process. Don’t get to the offer stage before you discuss relocating with your spouse.
Disclosure. If you have submitted your resume to other firms or companies, and by all means, if you are currently interviewing for a different position than the one for which you’ve been contacted, disclose this information up front. No one likes surprises, especially the firm or company that’s about to make you an offer.
Stay in touch. Check in with legal recruiters about once every two weeks to stay on the radar screen, and especially if you have a status change.
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
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.
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.
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
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
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.
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.
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.
Not long ago, in-house counsel positions were highly coveted and in far greater demand than supply. With recent consolidation trends, new law firm associate salary raises, and the often large compensation disparities between law firm partners and in-house counsel, deciding whether to accept that in-house offer requires due diligence.
Preliminary Research
Learn as much about the company as you can. Good sources of publicly available materials include Hoover’s, Yahoo Finance, Google Finance, and of course, the company’s website. Search the Internet for company news items from the past year and read the analysts’ reports. Finally, use your own network of personal contacts – do you know any former in-house lawyers from the company, or lawyers who might have worked on an outside counsel basis for this company?
Ask Good Questions
Part of your research involves asking good interview questions (see my post of August 2, 2007 on good interview questions).
Law Department Profiles
How long has the General Counsel been in the role? If approaching retirement, what’s the succession plan? Do you like, respect and want to work for this person?
Get information about members of the legal department. Simply knowing experience levels, titles and practice areas can be useful.
No amount of research, insightful questions and diligence can reveal every potential problem, but you’ll hopefully have a better feel for the department and the company before you take the job.
In a job interview, the interviewer is usually doing most of the listening. However, at the close of almost every interview, candidates are given an opportunity to ask questions. Asking insightful questions is not only a chance to let the interviewer know you've prepared for the meeting, but also a great opportunity to distinguish yourself. Examples of some good interview questions include:
- What are the company’s strengths and how do you capitalize on them?
- What are the company’s weaknesses and how are you dealing with them?
- What changes to you anticipate in the industry?
- What risks will the company face due to industry changes?
- What are the best opportunities at your firm for new hires?
- How have you strategically responded to the competition?
- What legislation is pending that would affect operations?
- Where will be the major sources of business in the next 5 years?
- How is legal department performance measured and reviewed?
- What is the company’s management style?
- What challenges does the company face?
- What are the common denominator traits of top performers in this organization?
- Why have people left the company?
- Why have people stayed with the company?
- If you hire me, what are the 3 most pressing issues you need resolved?
Large energy company located in Houston seeks a 5+ year transactions lawyer to provide operational support for one of its divisions. The role provides a great career platform at a company with a history of promoting internally. In addition, the salary is competitive and the company offers a generous short and long-term incentive plan.
Responsibilities include:
- Providing transactional and regulatory support for new product development and new market entry.
- Handling transactions related to energy commodities and services.
- Providing operational support in connection with billing, customer support and with automating documentation processes.
- Managing outside vendors, outside counsel and contract compliance.
- Managing litigation relating to energy commodities and services.
A prior in-house background is a plus. Also, candidates with a solid understanding of energy markets are preferred.
For an industry that runs on natural resources, it’s the human component that is becoming its newest challenge. The energy sector of the economy is more active than at any other time in the last 20 years. However, the industry has not only failed to attract new graduates, but it has lost seasoned professionals.
Despite periodic spectacular earnings over the last 20 years, the oil and gas attorney workforce has been declining steadily for almost 20 years. The industry slump of the 1980’s was unusually severe and left long-lasting scars. Moreover, the “dirty industry” image has not done much in the past to attract people to the profession. Many recall the oil-soaked birds and dead otters on the beach following the Exxon-Valdez spill. Others simply viewed the industry as a slow-growth, old economy behemoth.
Like other oil and gas professionals, lawyers left the industry for less cyclical sectors of the economy. However, unlike other industries affected by the economic downturn, the energy industry recovery did not bring these professionals back, nor were they replaced with new talent. And the high tech boom of the late 1990’s provided refuge for the best and brightest.
Adding to the problem, the average age in the oil and gas industry workforce is 49 – among the oldest of any sector in the U.S. economy. According to Martindale Hubbell, 85% of the lawyers who specialize in oil and gas law have more than 10 years of experience. In addition, a Labor Department study found that more than 65% of workers in the oil and gas industry are between the ages of 35 and 54, while only a “small” percentage are in their twenties.
With the retirement wave approaching and global demand at record levels, energy industry legal departments are headed for a human resource crisis.
Continue Reading...Our client, a large energy company located in Houston, seeks a 7+ year transactions lawyer to provide operational support for one of its divisions. The role provides a great career platform at a company with a history of promoting internally. In addition, the salary is competitive and the company offers a generous short and long-term incentive plan.
The position reports to the Vice President and General Counsel for the division.
Responsibilities include:
- Providing transactional and regulatory support for new product development and new market entry.
- Handling transactions related to energy commodities and services.
- Providing operational support in connection with billing, customer support and with automating documentation processes.
- Managing outside vendors and contract compliance.
- Managing litigation relating to energy commodities and services.
Desired experience includes:
- Prior in-house energy industry background.
- Solid understanding of energy markets; particularly electric power and natural gas.
Local residents strongly preferred. For more information about this opportunity, please contact Courtney Sapire.
Large Texas energy company is looking for attorneys with experience natural gas regulations and midstream transactions. The company has several Texas offices and the location of the position is open for discussion. The role involves regulatory work and handling transactions relating to gas gathering, processing, transportation and storage.
This is a business growth position resulting from the company's expansion of operations. It is an entrepreneurial, fast-paced, deal-driven environment and offers a great career platform with significant upside opportunity and a chance to work closely with the executive leadership team. Ideal experience includes natural gas regulations, midstream transactions, and familiarity with the pipeline industry.
For more information, please contact Courtney Sapire.
