Senior Business Counsel

Extraordinary commitment runs deep at Zachry. Here, dedicated men and women have the opportunity to work on challenging projects alongside those who value innovation and support team efforts in all our endeavors. We take care of our team members as family, within a culture of service where we do the right thing because it is the right thing to do. Our core values are at the center of every decision we make:

Every Person Matters®

Together We Can Do Great Things®

This Is More Than a Job®

Job Summary

We are looking for a motivated attorney with exceptional legal, negotiation, management, and communication skills. This attorney will develop relationships with internal and external personnel to perform a broad spectrum of legal tasks, including those listed below. To succeed in this position, you should be knowledgeable, personable, and proactive with a strong work ethic with a focus on team and company success.

Essential Functions

The Senior Business Counsel (“Counsel”) provides legal support to all company divisions, subsidiaries, and affiliates, including construction, mining, cement production, and hotels and the departments within those businesses — primarily operations and human resources. Counsel is responsible to:

• Stay informed about current regulation, legislation and court rulings affecting the company’s businesses.
• Provide advice in all aspects of construction law, as well as other legal areas applicable in the companies’ industries, such as disputes related to delay, payment, construction defects, liens, hiring, termination, compensation, injuries, related insurance matters, among others.
• Provide advice on procurement matters related to public and private construction projects in the company’s varied industries, including different procurement and delivery methods and procurement regulations, especially regarding disadvantaged businesses programs.
• Provide training and presentations to groups of varying experience and authority levels on legal issues, tailoring remarks to varied audiences from junior managers and engineers to senior executives.
• Review and negotiate customer, vendor, contractor, subcontractor, and partner agreements both directly and through guidance provided to Contract Managers, Project Managers, property managers, and upper management.
• Provide guidance to operations management in navigating disputes involving third parties, owners, vendors, subcontractors, and consultants, including editing, drafting, and ghostwriting correspondence.
• Draft memoranda, correspondence, and reports offering opinions regarding liability, risk transfer and exposure, including conducting legal research (Lexis ®) on relevant topics.
• Coordinate with the Company’s Risk department on insurance questions surrounding construction defects, builder’s risk, pollution, design, auto, worker’s compensation and property damage claims.
• Provide advice to internal clients on issues as they arise, defining their needs, and determining a proper legal strategy and course of action on contract interpretation, claims, injuries, human resources issues and more.
• Provide general legal advice to as needed to company employees.
• Prepare or assist in the preparation of notices, demands, settlements and other miscellaneous documents, accurately and in a timely manner.
• Manage corporate litigation, including:
• Interviewing and selecting outside counsel.
• Guiding case prosecution through investigation, discovery, mediation, and arbitration or trial.
• Reviewing and editing pleadings to ensure consistency with facts, case strategy, and company goals.
• Managing outside counsel in preparing corporate employees for depositions and in preparing for the depositions of opposing party and third-party witnesses.
• Participating in and guiding settlement discussions to achieve corporate goals.
• Managing outside counsel’s conduct of mediation, arbitration, and trial, ensuring corporate positions and goals are advanced.
• Conduct internal investigations of alleged wrongdoing, including allegations of harassment, wrongful discharge, and other misconduct and report findings to management.
• Provide training to front-line managers of varying experience levels, including how to preserve rights to relief, enforce subcontractor and supplier agreements to the company’s advantage while abiding applicable state and federal laws and regulations and other company obligations.
• Draft design, construction, and supply agreements by customizing various in-house, AIA, EJCDC, ConsensusDocs, or other form agreements as appropriate to the project or need.
• Draft, review, and edit real estate use, lease, easement, and purchase agreements.
• Draft, edit, and update company processes and procedures.
  
  

This job summary is intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by individuals assigned to this position. The job summary is not intended to be an exhaustive list of responsibilities, duties, and skills required.

Required Skills & Experience

The successful candidate will be able to:

• Work effectively in a dynamic environment with highly variable tasks, remaining flexible with the ability to comfortably adjust to changing requirements, schedules, and priorities.
• Work closely and cooperatively with the Legal Department team and with the teams of supported divisions to achieve company, department, project, division, and corporate goals.
• Show excellent judgment with the ability to balance competing priorities and meet tight deadlines.
• Demonstrate the ability to proactively identify and resolve problems.
• Show strong critical thinking, interpersonal, and public speaking skills.
  
  

Education & Additional Credentials

• Juris Doctor from an accredited law school.
• Member in good standing of the Texas Bar.
• 5 or more years of relevant experience, 8 – 10 years preferred.
• Experience or expertise in construction law, with employment law and real estate law a plus.
  
  

Benefits And EOE

Zachry offers an industry-leading benefits package for our employees and their families.

• Medical, Dental, Vision, and Life insurance
• 401k, Paid leave, and Bonus Program
• Company-paid short-term and long-term disability insurance
• Employee assistance program
• For additional company information, please visit www.zachrycorp.com
  
  

Zachry Construction Corporation performs heavy civil work throughout the United States, and relocation is sometimes required for continuous employment opportunities.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, disability, veteran status, or other legally protected status. Applicants must be immediately authorized to work for any employer in the U.S. We do not sponsor or transfer sponsorship of an employment visa at this time. We do not interview or hire students in F-1 or J-1 status and will not sponsor them for work visas.

Notice to Staffing Agencies

Zachry Construction Corporation and its subsidiaries (Zachry) will not accept unsolicited resumes from any source other than directly from a candidate. Any unsolicited resumes sent to Zachry, including unsolicited resumes sent to a Zachry mailing address or email address, directly to Zachry employees, or to Zachry’s resume database will be considered Zachry property. Zachry will not pay a fee for any placement resulting from the receipt of an unsolicited resume. Zachry will consider any candidate for whom an Agency has submitted an unsolicited resume to have been referred by the Agency free of any charges or fees. Agencies must obtain advance written approval from Zachry’s recruiting function to submit resumes, and then only in conjunction with a valid, fully executed contract for service and in response to a specific job opening. Zachry will not pay a fee to any Agency that does not have such agreement in place. Agency agreements will only be valid if in writing and signed by Zachry’s Human Resources Representative or his/her designee. No other Zachry employee is authorized to bind Zachry to any agreement regarding placement of candidates by Agency.