Join the World's Top Legal Talent Network

Western Midstream is a master limited partnership that acquires, develops, and operates midstream energy assets in Texas, the Rocky Mountains, and other domestic areas.  Our mission is to provide industry-leading levels of service to our customers, operate consistently with our high standards for ethics and excellence, and provide sustainable distribution growth for our unitholders.

We are currently seeking to add a Counsel position within our in-house legal department based in the Woodlands, Texas.  The Counsel would be the primary in-house lawyer handling the legal aspects of a wide range of health, safety, and environmental (HSE) issues affecting the Company and its affiliates, including matter/issue response, risk assessment and management, and interaction with regulatory entities when necessary.  Duties also include assessing and advising on HSE matters affecting the oil and gas midstream industry generally, including current and proposed compliance and regulatory requirements, rulemaking and legislative developments, and legal and policy trends.

The attorney will rely on years of relevant legal experience and training to understand and interpret legal requirements, standards, and practices, and s/he will be the primary driver of the Company’s understanding of, and participation in, the development of emerging legal and regulatory trends.

This position may require limited travel as necessary to represent and protect the Company’s interests.

Responsibilities:

• Advising on and ensuring compliance with HSE laws and regulations based on subject matter expertise in the Clean Air Act (including its Risk Management Program), Clean Water Act, Resource Conservation Recovery Act, Comprehensive Environmental Recovery, Compensation, and Liability Act, Oil Pollution Act, Toxic Substances Control Act, OSHA Process Safety Management program, OSHA standards under 29 U.S.C § 1910, DOT/PHMSA pipeline and vehicle regulations, and other HSE laws and regulations
• Advising on HSE legal initiatives, requirements, and compliance obligations, including climate change and greenhouse gas proposals
• Auditing legal aspects of environmental compliance protocols and updating or revising to the extent needed
• Participating in HSE regulatory development initiatives at the local, state and federal level, including climate change and greenhouse gas proposals
• Documenting HSE compliance processes and refinement of practices
• Serving as a member of due diligence teams on acquisitions and post-closing integrations to assess the state of, and ensure compliance with, HSE laws
• Advising regarding environmental due diligence and negotiating environmental contract terms in commercial or real estate transactions
• Reviewing and assessing environmental and safety issues associated with major capital projects in collaboration with HSE, operations, and engineering teams
• Teaming in communications with U.S. EPA and OSHA, state and local regulatory agencies, and other external regulators, including managing outside counsel resources associated with such activities
• Assisting in the investigation and reporting of environmental and safety incidents
• Reviewing and commenting on HSE policies, programs, and communications
• Participating in HSE training for business clients
• Maintaining effective and proactive communications across the Company on HSE legal and policy issues
• Collaborating with the Company’s in-house litigation team and outside counsel in connection with environmental or safety compliance enforcement actions or litigation, as needed
• Collaborating with the Company’s communications professionals as the Company engages with agencies and policymakers in connection with issues of HSE law and policy

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or higher with high academic achievement from a college or university and a JD with high academic achievement from an ABA-accredited law school
• A minimum of five (5) years of legal experience and subject matter expertise in environmental, health, and safety laws in the U.S. Admitted to practice law in a state within the U.S.
• Strong law firm training and/or in-house experience preferred. Experience working for government agencies will also be considered
• Strong leadership skills, organization, judgment, and work ethic
• All applicants must have unquestioned integrity and ethics in business and personal conduct

        The ideal candidate will have the following professional skills and experience:

• Excellent broad-based leadership skills and a demonstrated ability to motivate colleagues and build teams and relationships, marked by energetic, enthusiastic, self-motivated, and results-oriented conduct
• Strong interpersonal skills: mature and flexible demonstrated by and ability to work and communicate effectively with, and responsively to, senior business and legal management as well as across the entire Company workforce as needed
• Deep subject matter expertise in U.S. environmental regulations, permitting and compliance enforcement matters, experience in environmental due diligence, air quality compliance, and remediation projects
• Experience working with or as part of federal and state environmental regulatory authorities
• Highly developed sense of judgment, risk management skills, and ability to balance business needs, regulatory obligations and reputational risks in an objective, practical way; demonstrated ability to both grasp the "big picture” and attend to details
• Ability to anticipate and react quickly to the evolving regulatory environment
• Demonstrated legal leadership and management abilities and supervision of outside counsel
• Highly effective written and verbal communications skills; ability to communicate and relate at all levels of the organization; ability to define and enforce standards where necessary in a persuasive and winning manner
• Strong “executive presence” with the stature to deliver advice in a manner that is respected and valued by clients and colleagues, demonstrated by a proven track record of gaining the confidence and respect of senior business management.
• Ability to represent the Company effectively, including with government representatives and officials, at all levels and in all situations
• Willingness to take primary responsibility and “own” the work function, with an eye toward continuous assessment and improvement of Company processes and practices, as well as personal development

Relocation

This position is not eligible for relocation. 

Travel Requirements

Travel will be required up to 10%.

Work Schedule

This position follows a hybrid schedule working in office Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and working remote Wednesday and Friday. Monday-Thursday are 9 hours and Fridays are 4 hours.