About the Role
The Senior Legal Counsel – Operations will provide senior-level strategic, commercial, and operational legal advice and support across global drilling operations. The role ensures adherence to international laws, regulatory requirements, anti-corruption standards, and the company's internal governance framework. This position plays a critical role in managing legal matters related to international drilling operations, offering support and guidance in various corporate, commercial, operational, dispute resolution, regulatory, and compliance activities. Additionally, it encompasses support for enterprise risk mitigation initiatives, regulatory compliance, and the development and implementation of company policies, procedures, programs, and business strategies, while recognizing all legal implications and risks involved.
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Responsibilities
- Oversee legal affairs of operational field support matters, including drilling contracts, shipyard contracts, maritime transportation contracts, procurement/supplier contracts, general third-party contracts, vessel/flag state issues, dispute resolution, customs and logistics issues, training/compliance, regulatory compliance, real estate matters, trade control matters, and occasional acquisitions and divestitures.
- Draft, review, analyze, and interpret contracts and other legal documents.
- Assist in developing the company's legal position in substantial legal matters; prepare, negotiate, review, evaluate, and comment on contracts, advising personnel on legal risks prior to any binding agreements.
- Provide counsel on the legal implications of all business and operational matters, including commercial contracts, regulatory matters, compliance issues, policy development, training, health, safety and environmental concerns, intellectual property, and dispute resolution.
- Advise executive management and personnel about the impact of local, state, federal, and international laws and regulations, and judicial and administrative decisions on the company's activities.
- Track laws, regulations, and enforcement activities that may impact company policies or practices.
- Conduct legal research, prepare and review legal documents, and assist in representing the company before courts and regulatory authorities.
- Support the development and execution of dispute resolution strategies, including identifying legal exposures, directing mitigation efforts, and managing claims and disputes for commercially sound outcomes.
- Participate in developing company policies, procedures, programs, and business strategies while ensuring legal implications are fully considered.
- Assist in leading compliance initiatives, including compliance trainings, policy and procedure reviews, sanctions screening, and Whistleblower Report Management.
- Communicate externally with customers, vendors, law firms, legal advisors, banks, auditors, and consultants as required.
- Support managing the legal budget plans aligning with the company's strategic and long-term objectives while understanding the financial deliverables.
- Review and coordinate the use of external law firms and corporate service providers to ensure quality and cost-effectiveness.
- Manage assigned or delegated special projects and tasks efficiently to contribute to the achievement of company objectives.
- Perform other duties as assigned by the VP & AGC or SVP & General Counsel as required.
Qualifications and Experience
- Law degree from an accredited institution (e.g., JD, LLB, or equivalent) preferred.
- Licensed to practice law and a member in good-standing in at least one recognized jurisdiction (e.g., Solicitor of England and Wales or U.S. state bar) preferred.
- Extensive professional legal experience with significant industry experience in drilling, maritime, oilfield services, or upstream oil and gas.
- Preferred prior in-house experience and familiarity with cross-border transactions and multi-jurisdictional legal frameworks.
- Strong field operations support experience along with broad corporate, transactional, dispute resolution, and regulatory compliance expertise.
- Demonstrated experience in advising senior stakeholders, including executive management and board of directors.
- Ability to judge character, distinguish relevant facts, assimilate and analyze facts, and apply legal conclusions.
