Sr Counsel - Litigation

Energy Transfer, recognized by Forbes as one of America\'s best large employers, is dedicated to responsibly and safely delivering America’s energy. We are driven to inspire our employees to create superior value for our customers, our investors, a sustainable future and giving back to the community where we have long-standing commitments to causes including MD Anderson Children’s Cancer Hospital, The Salvation Army, The American Red Cross, Ronald McDonald House and many more.

We value all of our employees who make our growth and success possible. We are proud to offer industry leading compensation, comprehensive benefits, 401(k) match with additional profit sharing, PTO and abundant career opportunities.

Come join our award winning 12,000 strong organization as we fuel the world and each other!

Position Overview

The Senior Counsel, Litigation serves as the company’s lead attorney for all litigation and dispute-related matters across the company’s asset portfolio. This role provides strategic legal guidance to protect the company’s interests in complex commercial disputes, operational incidents, environmental claims, land and ROW conflicts, construction matters, and regulatory enforcement actions. The Senior Counsel partners closely with Operations, Commercial, Land, EH&S, Engineering, and Executive Leadership to proactively manage risk, resolve disputes efficiently, and ensure compliance with federal and state laws governing midstream operations.

Litigation Strategy & Case Management

• Lead all aspects of litigation, arbitration, and administrative proceedings involving the company, including case assessment, strategy development, budgeting, and oversight of outside counsel.
• Manage a diverse docket including commercial disputes, construction claims, environmental enforcement, personal injury, property damage, ROW and eminent domain matters, and regulatory challenges.
• Direct discovery strategy, including document preservation, e-discovery, witness preparation, and expert engagement.
• Evaluate settlement opportunities and negotiate resolutions that protect the company’s financial and operational interests.

Operational & Regulatory Support

• Advise Operations, EH&S, and Engineering on incident response, spill events, pipeline integrity matters, and regulatory investigations.
• Support internal investigations related to operational events, safety issues, or compliance concerns.
• Interface with federal and state agencies (e.g., PHMSA, FERC, EPA, state environmental agencies) on enforcement actions, notices of violation, and compliance matters.
• Provide legal guidance on pipeline safety regulations, environmental statutes, and operational risk mitigation.

Commercial & Contractual Disputes

• Advise Commercial teams on contract interpretation, performance disputes, indemnity issues, and risk allocation.
• Support resolution of disputes involving shippers, suppliers, contractors, and JV partners.
• Draft and negotiate settlement agreements, tolling agreements, and dispute-related contract amendments.

Risk Management & Governance

• Develop and implement litigation management processes, reporting, and metrics for executive leadership.
• Provide training to internal teams on litigation readiness, document retention, and risk mitigation.
• Advise on insurance coverage, claims strategy, and coordination with insurers.

Qualifications

• Juris Doctor (JD) from an accredited law school; active license in at least one U.S. jurisdiction, preferably at least Texas.
• 8–12+ years of litigation experience, preferably with a mix of law firm and in-house roles.
• Strong background in energy, midstream, oil & gas, or heavy industrial litigation.
• Demonstrated experience managing complex, high-value litigation and arbitration matters.
• Familiarity with pipeline safety regulations, environmental statutes, and commercial contracts common in midstream operations.
• Excellent judgment, negotiation skills, and ability to influence senior leaders.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, operationally driven environment with competing priorities.

Preferred Experience

• Prior in-house experience in oil and gas cases including upstream, midstream, and downstream, complex commercial litigation, mediation and arbitration matters, managing all phases.
• Experience with PHMSA, FERC, EPA, and state environmental agencies.
• Experience in complex commercial litigation and intellectual property litigation
• Experience managing outside counsel and litigation budgets.

Competencies

• Strategic legal thinking with strong business acumen
• Exceptional communication and executive-level presence
• Risk-based decision-making
• Crisis management and calm under pressure
• Collaborative, solutions-oriented approach
• Strong negotiation and conflict-resolution skills