Commercial Counsel (Mid-Senior Level) at Environmental Resources Management Southwest Inc in Houston, Texas

Job Description:

Environmental Resources Management (ERM) – a 5,000-person leading global provider of sustainability, environmental, health, safety, and risk consulting services – seeks an experienced commercial contracts attorney to serve as a key member of its Global Legal Department in North America, preferably in Austin, TX or Houston TX.

This Commercial Counsel for the U.S. and Canada will negotiate, draft, and review a variety of contract types, including master service agreements and project-specific service agreements, subcontracts, and access agreements for ERM’s U.S. and Canada operations. As a member of ERM’s Global Legal Department, the Commercial Counsel for U.S. and Canada will assist with carrying out the department's mission of reducing risk, improving decision-making, and enhancing client relations.

The Legal Department provides legal support for ERM’s management and operations globally (more than 40 countries and territories, with clients in 160-plus countries). The General Counsel, located in London, England, leads the entire Global Legal Department.

CORE RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Assist in the preparation and negotiation of major contacts, subcontracts, and master service agreements;


• Serve as legal point of contact for executives and partners;


• Work closely with Senior Contracts Analysts and other attorneys to ensure that reviews and approvals are carried out quickly, effectively, and in accordance with ERM’s policies and procedures; and


• Provide training and legal advice on contract and risk management.

COMPETENCIES AND SKILLS:

The successful candidate will display a high level of technical proficiency, excellent written and verbal communication skills, and enthusiasm for working with a highly collaborative team.

This position requires consistent interaction with the Regional Managing Counsel, the other Regional Counsel, the Senior Contracts Analysts, and the rest of the global ERM Legal Team, in addition to ERM executives and consultants as well as ERM clients. Specifically, the following skills are required:

• Experience as an attorney handling a service provider’s contracts with larger corporate clients;


• Bar Admission in a state where ERM has an office located, although this position requires full-time residence in the Greater Austin, Texas or Houston, Texas area;


• Application of practical, legal, institutional, and commercial judgment to ambiguous situations;


• Ability to balance independent judgment with the need for collaborative teamwork;


• Commitment to adhering to the highest level of professional and ethical behavior;


• Excellent time management to handle competing priorities and to think and work systematically;


• Ability to be comfortable in dealing with executives, consultants, and clients who are working under the pressure of deadlines;


• Experience working with state and local government procurement departments;


• Excellent organization skills and the willingness and creativity to develop the best practical delivery systems for contract review and other legal services; and


• Solid understanding of global data privacy and information security directives.

PRIMARY METRICS:

• Work collaboratively with the Regional Managing Counsel for the U.S. and Canada, the other Regional Counsel for the U.S. and Canada, and the Senior Contracts Analysts, and immediately advise of major issues;


• Respond to client inquiries after appropriate Legal Department consultation;


• Demonstrate strength in legal analysis; and


• Turn around high-quality work product – in a fast-paced, and often time-sensitive, environment with a high volume of requests – within appropriate project timeframes, including providing expedited service when necessary.

REQUIREMENTS:

• Law Degree (J.D.) from an accredited institution.


• License to practice law in at least one U.S. jurisdiction.


• Minimum 5 years’ experience as an attorney, with at least 3 years’ experience negotiating commercial transactions, with a particular focus on excellence in contract drafting.


• Experience providing legal advice in one or more of the following additional areas: corporate law, financial transactions, construction law, environmental law, insurance, intellectual property, or consulting or similar services.


• Must be able to remain in a stationary position, operating a computer and a telephone, up to 100% of the time while working.


• Limited travel may be required (up to 15% of time).

Who We Are:

As the largest global pure play sustainability consultancy, we partner with the world’s leading organizations, creating innovative solutions to sustainability challenges and unlocking commercial opportunities that meet the needs of today while preserving opportunity for future generations.

At ERM we know that creating a diverse, equitable and inclusive work environment is an essential part of making our company a great place to build a career. We also see our diversity as a strength that helps us create better solutions for our clients. Our diverse team of world-class experts supports clients across the breadth of their organizations to operationalize sustainability, underpinned by our deep technical expertise in addressing their environmental, health, safety, risk and social issues. We call this capability our “boots to boardroom” approach for its comprehensive service model that allows ERM to develop strategic and technical solutions that advance objectives on the ground or at the executive level.

Please submit your resume and brief cover letter. 

ERM does not accept recruiting agency resumes. Please do not forward resumes to our jobs alias, ERM employees or any other company location. ERM is not responsible for any fees related to unsolicited resumes.

ERM is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. We do not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. 

Thank you for your interest in ERM!