Senior Counsel

Scope of the Role

The Senior Counsel (SC) serves as a leader in the Legal department. This position represents Golden Spread Electric Cooperative, Inc. (GSEC) in legal matters. The SC assists General Counsel in ensuring Cooperative alignment with the overall department strategic direction. The SC is responsible for drafting, reviewing, negotiating, and advising GSEC business owners in transactional matters. The position is responsible for managing and providing the legal representation and policy advocacy to navigate market and regulatory processes and proceedings in a manner that best promotes GSEC’s interests and the interests of its Member cooperatives and their member consumers.  

The SC advises on governance, code of conduct and ethics issues and compliance. The SC functions as a legal advisor to management and executive Staff. This position assists General Counsel with legal office management and as needed or assigned, litigation support.

This position may represent GSEC’s interests and brand at external organizations and forums. The SC supports GSEC business needs by assisting the General Counsel by advocating for business owner needs and assisting General Counsel in ensuring removal of obstacles and problem solving.

Essential Job Functions

• Coordinate and supervise work with outside counsel and other legal staff to efficiently achieve work goals and objectives.
• Supervise maintenance of contract and other legal files related to responsibilities.
• Confer with other staff to achieve mutual understanding of business goals and risk issues relevant to transactions and policies.
• Confer and coordinate with General Counsel and coordinate with and lead in house attorneys, outside legal counsel in performing legal work related to regulatory, legislative, environmental and market advocacy.
• Provide legal advice and problem-solving to managers and staff in various matters as needed.
• Interpret, review, draft, and negotiate complex contracts that mitigate risk to the organization and promote win-win outcomes.
• Assist in the development and drafting, review and maintenance of corporate procedures and policies.
• Interact with various government agencies to maintain good relations and achieve objectives when necessary.
• Provide sound advice and counsel to personnel, managers, and executive management to further business objectives and minimize risks.

• Research issues and produce well drafted correspondence, opinions, and other legal documents as needed.
• Assist in preparing or reviewing documents necessary for litigation support as needed.

• Conduct or supervise thorough and sound legal research and record searches, including related to contract and statutory interpretation.
• Communicate effectively across the organization and with outside attorneys and consultants to support and provide legal advice on assigned transactional and organizational policy work areas.
• Advise and counsel executive management, managers and employees on legal work related to regulatory advocacy, legislative, environmental and compliance matters.
• Assist General Counsel with the review of resolutions and presentations for Board meetings.
• Other Duties as Assigned.

Complexity of Problems

This position requires independent use of sound judgment with discretion in decision making that potentially impacts the entirety of the organization, Member distribution cooperatives and their consumers. This position is required to advise on risk and impact to the organization when negotiating and drafting legal documents.

Internal and External Contacts

Internal Contacts: Employees at all levels within the organization.

External Contact: Member Cooperatives, independent consultants, contractors, external vendor attorneys

Work location and conditions – Office, Amarillo, TX

Competencies

• Collaboration – Core Competency
• Ethics & Integrity – Core Competency
• Deliver Results – Core Competency
• Decision Making & Judgment
• Analysis/Reasoning
• Continuous Learning

FLSA Status

Exempt

Education, Knowledge, and Experience Required

• J.D. from an accredited law school required.
• Admission to Texas State Bar, or willingness and ability to join Texas State Bar.
• A minimum of seven (7) years of progressively responsible experience in commercial transactions and business law in private practice or as corporate counsel.
• Demonstrated ability to perform legal research, prepare complex documents, and maintain confidentiality.
• Excellent communication, transactional, organizational, and analytical skills.
• Ability to work independently.
• Proficiency with word processor (Word) and internet-based programs, including document exchange programs (Adobe) and legal research databases (Westlaw or Lexis).