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You may not realize it, but you’ve likely used a product today made possible by the plastics and chemicals manufactured by Chevron Phillips Chemical. From medical supplies and electronics to food packaging and cosmetics, we create the building blocks for more than 70,000 consumer and industrial products.

Even as a global company with 5,000 employees, we maintain a “small company feel” and uphold a culture of respect, diversity, and inclusion. Ask any Chevron Phillips Chemical employee what they like best about their job, and universally, the answer is “the people I work with!” We value work-life balance, and love to see our employees thrive both professionally and personally. There has never been a better time to work for Chevron Phillips Chemical. If you’re ready to grow with us and become part of our vision of being the premier Chemical Company, apply today!

Purpose/Introduction

The Dispute Resolution group of the Legal department provides advice and counsel on disputed matters, including pre-dispute counseling, dispute avoidance and mitigation, and dispute resolution in any tribunal, potentially worldwide. This position is a mid-level leader role, which includes responsibility for the management and oversight of all the foregoing activities along with the management of an individual docket of commercial litigation, products liability, personal injury and other corporate and business disputes.

CPChem is seeking qualified candidates with relevant experience and a passion for helping clients achieve business objectives to serve as Senior Counsel, Litigation . The position is based in CPChem’s headquarters in The Woodlands, Texas, and reports to the Assistant General Counsel, Litigation, HR, Benefits & Privacy. CPChem’s Legal & Public Affairs Department is comprised of more than 80 professionals responsible for managing legal, communications, and government affairs activities across CPChem’s global operations.

The Senior Counsel performs litigation management support as a member of the corporate litigation staff, supporting all facets of preventive and reactive dispute resolution, litigation and regulatory work for CPChem. The Senior Counsel will liaise with CPChem business units to effectively manage complex litigation matters in several areas, including commercial litigation, product liability, personal injury, construction law, and other corporate and business unit-focused work. The Senior Counsel also plays a key role in the execution of CPChem’s Information Governance program necessitating specific experience with eDiscovery and legal holds principles, practices, and platforms. This position requires an individual with strong litigation management expertise, strategic problem-solving skills, reliable judgment, excellent written and oral communications skills, and comfort engaging with clients.

Responsibilities

• Lead complex docket of cases including both commercial issues (e.g., contract claims, right-of-way disputes, product quality issues, indemnities & collections) and personal injury (e.g., product liability, premises liability, OCIP & worker’s comp).
• Manage litigation and emerging dispute aspects of crisis incidents, including plant emergency response and recovery, evidence preservation, state and federal agency investigations and document requests, media inquiries, claims hotlines, etc.
• Participate as member of the enterprise risk management program and counsel leadership regarding strategic identification, assessment, and mitigation of enterprise risks.
• Advise the business on a broad range of potential disputes (e.g. JV disputes, subcontractor disputes, contract terminations) and their resolution, as well as litigation aspects of various projects and frequently bring such matters to resolution without use of outside counsel.
• Manage a diverse range of litigation and regulatory proceedings, including review of pleadings and motions, respond and propound written discovery, prepare witnesses, and participate in depositions, hearings and trials, as necessary.
• Respond to subpoenas and other information requests and inquiries from third parties.
• Advise business unit on key developments, strategy, settlement, and other key decisions, and negotiate settlements to minimize liability risk and litigation costs.
• Counsel and negotiate on emerging dispute and product abnormality situations in collaboration with legal leadership and the business unit.

Responsibilities (continued)

• Work cross-functionally with commercial, compliance and intellectual property attorneys to mitigate litigation risk and to ensure compliance with litigation and regulatory obligations.
• Assist in responding to threatened civil litigation and agency matters including charges and government-initiated inquiries and audits.
• Provide risk management and other general advice to the legal department, business partners and customers, including in the context of new agreements and negotiations.
• Conduct litigation or compliance investigations, including developing investigation plans, collecting and reviewing documents, conducting witness interviews, writing investigation reports, and making recommendations on appropriate remedial measures.
• Collaborate with outside counsel to efficiently manage all aspects of outside counsel relationships, including staffing, budgets, and developing initiatives for reducing outside counsel spend.
• Develop, strengthen, and sustain productive and collaborative working relationships with all levels of the organization to promote proactive involvement of in-house legal counsel in trusted advisor role.
• Review and research applicable law and interpretations and apply judgment to particular situations.
• Practice litigation prevention through dissemination of lessons learned, training, policy development and other measures.

Responsibilities (continued)

• Provide routine training to company employees on substantive legal and risk management topics.
• Maintain database of all material litigation/claims matters in the company, reporting on the same on a regular basis to legal leadership.
• Support the Information Governance program in development and execution of proper management of legal holds and litigation related document collection and retention.
• Responsible for monitoring and remaining current on pending and future legislation, rules and directives relating to storing, retrieving and managing corporate records and documents.
• Work collaboratively with internal stakeholders and business units in connection with continued compliance with, and implementation of ESG initiatives.
• Perform other responsibilities as assigned.

Required Qualifications

• Juris Doctorate required.
• Licensed and in good standing in the State of Texas.
• 12+ years of relevant post-bar professional experience.
• Demonstrated complex litigation and strategic experience, including meaningful deposition, hearing, arbitration and/or trial experience, with a strength in commercial litigation and product abnormality/liability, and a working knowledge of other substantive areas such as toxic tort, premises liability, OCIP/worker’s comp, construction law, and employment law.
• Extensive experience working directly with in-house clients and counsel, either as an in-house or outside counsel.
• Desire and capacity to lead thinking and execution at a strategic as well as operational level.
• Excellent cross functional and interpersonal skills.
• Able to build relationships with and adapt communications and advice to all levels of the organization and lead through influence.
• Superior communication and drafting skills – oral, written, presentation, ability to influence.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities.
• Computer and software systems (Microsoft office family, etc.).
• High integrity and results driven.
• Prior experience successfully operating in a fast paced and fluid environment.
• Team player and self-starter.

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior work experience within the oil and gas, petrochemical industry or translatable manufacturing environment.

Chevron Phillips Chemical offers competitive salaries, a comprehensive benefits package and at most locations, alternate work schedules. To learn more about Chevron Phillips Chemical and to be considered for a position, please visit us online today at www.cpchem.com .

Paper resumes will not be accepted. All job seekers must go to the web site to be considered for positions. If you are interested in applying for this position and need an accommodation to apply, please contact our Human Resources Service Center at 1-800-446-1422 , option 4.

Chevron Phillips Chemical Company is an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, veteran status or marital status.

To all recruitment agencies: We are not responsible for any fee related to unsolicited resumes from 3rd party staffing and recruiting agencies (whether submitted through this website or sent directly to employees) unless a written agreement is in place between the agency and Chevron Phillips Chemical Company LP (“Company”) and an authorized Company representative makes a written request to the agency to assist with this requisition. Similarly, no fee will be paid for candidates who apply and claim to be represented by an agency. Any unsolicited resumes, CVs, or other candidate information submitted by an agency will become the property of Company, and no fee will be paid in the event such candidate is hired.

Travel Requirements: Up to 5%

Eligibility for Relocation: No

Closing Date: 02/11/2024