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Where you fit in

The Legal Counsel is an individual contributor who manages litigation against Shell Group companies throughout the United States, identifies emerging legal risks, collaborates with Shell Group businesses to proactively manage and avoid potential disputes, and engages with Legal and business leadership to align litigation strategy with Shell’s commercial drivers and strategic ambitions.

Shell operates within a highly complex, litigious legal and regulatory environment that affects materially all commercial activities in which Shell is engaged. In addition, the Shell Group operates under a complex corporate structure involving global lines of business, numerous legal entities, joint ventures, NICs and country coordination teams. The Global Litigation department is accountable for providing advice that enables Shell Group businesses to operate effectively and with minimal risk within this structure.

What is the Role?

The Legal Counsel partners with colleagues from other Legal departments and Shell businesses to propose and pursue appropriate solutions to disputes, protect Shell’s cash engines from significant losses and value erosion, protect and enhance Shell’s reputation, and ensure that Global Litigation is a good internal investment for the Group.

The Legal Counsel deploys proven experience with case assessment, strategy development, internal stakeholder engagement, and management of external counsel to minimize litigation costs and achieve the best business outcomes at a competitive cost.

Accountabilities:

• Independently manage a broad range of litigation matters, including regulatory and administrative matters. Handle some more complex and higher exposure cases with the assistance of a Senior Counsel.
• Engage and manage external counsel, including developing and negotiating AFAs, jointly developing litigation strategy, and ensuring budget discipline.
• Maintain and manage high quality record-keeping, reporting and data analysis on the Group-wide matter Management database; update Legal management on significant developments and legal rulings and report significant litigation risks within the Group Control framework, including recommending legal contingencies and provisions relating to litigation matters.
• Interface with Legal colleagues in other departments regarding litigation risks impacting businesses they support; collaborate cross-functionally and communicate with GR and ER to provide appropriate messaging concerning litigation matters or disputes that pose potentially high reputational risks.
• Collaborate with paralegals, the Litigation Information Group, SBO colleagues, and non-lawyer staff to accomplish internal tasks efficiently and effectively; lead case/docket teams by articulating priorities and empowering others to act with urgency and discipline in the face of competing business value drivers and risks; coach and informally mentor less experienced lawyers, paralegals, and support staff.
• Identify current and emerging risks to Shell Group businesses and collaborate with Legal and business stakeholders to develop mitigation strategies.
• Role model and enable culture of ethics, including intervening as warranted to ensure compliance with Shell’s Business Principles and Code of Conduct.
• Create a positive, proactive culture encouraging high performance and collaboration.
• Contribute to the broader Shell Group business, reputational and stakeholder agenda.
• Commitment to and focus on continuous improvement.

What we need from you

• Must have legal authorization to work in the US on a full-time basis for anyone other than current employer.
• J.D. from an accredited law school required.
• Minimum 6 years of experience in legal, including exposure to a broad range of litigation, regulatory, and administrative matters.
• Licensed to practice law in the State of Texas
• Strong oral and written communication skills.
• Significant experience managing outside legal resources.
• Motivated to improve internal processes and an understanding of litigation lawyers’ ways of working.
• Proven skill in the following key competencies: able to identify legal risks, provide sound legal advice and apply commercial judgment; facilitate negotiation and conflict resolution; perform case assessments, including extensive risk analysis; knowledge and management of Alternative Dispute Resolution methods; procedural and evidentiary law in home country, including attorney-client privilege.
• Strong legal and strategic judgment coupled with demonstrated business partnering and stakeholder management skills.
• Incisive grasp of legal issues with a learner mindset and capability to expand knowledge in relevant areas of law.
• Ability to clearly explain legal issues and risks to non-lawyers orally and in writing.
• Strong interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to develop and sustain strong relationships.
• Proven ability to work independently while prioritizing multiple tasks, projects, and deadlines.
• Resilience to keep a calm and balanced approach and maintain a robust stance in respect of allocation of risk for the Group, while balancing various commercial and strategic drivers.
• Demonstrated legal and strategic judgment, coupled with strong business partnering and stakeholder management skills.
• Astute risk and reputational management skills, and requires the ability to deal with, prioritize and manage multiple tasks and projects.

An innovative place to work

There’s never been a more exciting time to work at Shell. Everyone here is helping solve one of the biggest challenges facing the world today: bringing the benefits of energy to everyone on the planet, whilst managing the risks of climate change.

Join us and you’ll add your talent and imagination to a business with the power to shape the future – whether by investing in renewables, exploring new ways to store energy or developing technology that helps the world to use energy more efficiently.

An inclusive place to work

To power progress together, we need to attract and develop the brightest minds and make sure every voice is heard. Here are just some of the ways we’re nurturing an inclusive environment – one where you can express your ideas, extend your skills and reach your potential…

• We’re creating a space where people with disabilities can excel through transparent recruitment process, workplace adjustments and ongoing support in their roles. Feel free to let us know about your circumstances when you apply, and we’ll take it from there.
• We’re closing the gender gap – whether that’s through action on equal pay or by enabling more women to reach senior roles in engineering and technology.
• We’re striving to be a pioneer of an inclusive and diverse workplace, promoting equality for employees regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.
• We consider ourselves a flexible employer and want to support you finding the right balance. We encourage you to discuss this with us in your application.

A rewarding place to work

Combine our creative, collaborative environment and global operations with an impressive range of benefits and joining Shell becomes an inspired career choice.

We’re huge advocates for career development. We’ll encourage you to try new roles and experience new settings. By pushing people to reach their potential, we frequently help them find skills they never knew they had, or make career moves they never thought possible.

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