Principal Counsel

RESPONSIBILITIES AND ESSENTIAL DUTIES

• Provide day-to-day legal support and advice to the Company’s commodity traders, marketers, schedulers, and others located in the Houston office
• Provide regulatory advice on all matters impacting the Company’s marketing and trading operations
• Provide related regulatory advice with respect to the Company’s financial trading activities
• Manage inquiries and data requests received from regulators (e.g., FERC, CFTC, DOE, etc.)
• Negotiate marketing/trading agreements (including NAESBs, ISDAs, EEIs, bespoke long-term agreements, asset management agreements, etc.), including related credit support documents (annexes and master netting agreements)
• Negotiate and manage interstate/intrastate transportation and storage agreements and related issues (e.g., precedent agreements, OBAs, Interconnect Agreements, capacity releases, etc.)
• Participate in other day-to-day legal and business projects as necessary
• The duties and responsibilities described are not a comprehensive list and additional tasks may be assigned to the employee from time to time; or the scope of the job may change as necessitated by business demands.

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS: 

Knowledge:

The Principal Counsel will have experience working with commodity marketing/trading operations and have a working knowledge of the operational aspects of the natural gas upstream, midstream, downstream, LNG business, including transactions involving interstate and intrastate pipelines. The Principal Counsel will have knowledge of the Natural Gas Act, the Natural Gas Policy Act, the Energy Policy Act, the Commodity Exchange Act, the Dodd-Frank Act, and FERC, CFTC and DOE regulations pertaining to the Trading Group. Further, the Senior Counsel will have experience in drafting and negotiating a variety of customized and industry standard agreements related to the purchase and sale of energy commodities and derivatives, pipeline transportation and storage, and other agreements related to the marketing and trading of natural gas.

Skills:

• Working knowledge of the commodity marketing/trading business, with a focus on the regulatory aspects

• Familiarity with intrastate and interstate pipeline regulations from an infrastructure/pipeline perspective a plus
• Awareness of the ERCOT power markets a plus
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to effectively interact with various levels within the Company
• Ability to think critically, solve problems independently and exercise excellent judgment and common sense
• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills are required
• Highly organized and detail-oriented
• Ability to work independently and as a team member, while managing a diverse and demanding workload
• Strong business acumen coupled with exceptional analytical skills
• Ability to effectively work with and manage outside Senior Counsel/Counsel
• Impeccable ethics and integrity
• Must be willing to travel, as necessary

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE 

Education, Training and Certifications:

• Bachelor’s degree and JD degree
• Qualified to practice law in Texas or another state in the USA

Experience: 

• Twelve (12) or more relevant years of experience within the commodities marketing/trading practice at either a top law firm or an in-house legal department of a major energy company with sophisticated trading operations

DIRECT REPORTS

None

FREEDOM TO ACT

Ability to multi-task and function in a highly dynamic atmosphere; must exercise discretion independently.

WORK CONDITIONS 

• Job is performed in a typical office environment, but is subject to time pressures and constraints, and is also dependent on input from others.

• Must occasionally lift and move up to 15 pounds.

• Subject to drug and alcohol testing, per applicable federal regulations.

• Perform offsite errands in support of departmental tasks as needed.

ADA JOB REQUIREMENTS

Reasonable accommodations will be made to ensure that the essential functions of the job can be performed and not hinder the employee's performance due to physical or mental disability.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

Cheniere Energy is an equal opportunity workplace. All employment decisions are made without regard to sex, race, color, religion, national origin, citizenship, age, disability, marital or veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other legally protected categories. This includes providing reasonable accommodation if requested for disabilities or religious beliefs and practices.