General Counsel

General Counsel

LEPA, a Washington-DC based non-profit energy trade association, seeks qualified candidates to be General Counsel and Corporate Secretary beginning in late 2026, replacing a long‑time and successful person who is retiring.

The position has three key roles:

• Advocate and strategist on Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) regulation of liquid energy pipelines
• Advocate and strategist on industry legal issues
• Association chief legal officer

Position Description

The incumbent will develop and manage FERC‑related strategy, filings, analysis, deliberations, and outreach for the oil pipeline industry, working closely with members to identify priorities and action items to aggressively pursue gains. The person will manage and serve key association committees related to FERC, develop educational conferences for members, maintain relationships with FERC Commissioners and staff, and represent the association in FERC stakeholder events.

The incumbent will also develop and manage strategy on industry legal issues, drafting of LEPA filings in a manner to aggressively pursue gains for members, management of outside counsel, and working with other stakeholders as part of a coalition. The person will manage and serve the association’s Legal Committee and engage with members in identifying annual priorities and action items. The person will develop and maintain relationships with FERC’s Office of General Counsel, Office of Energy Market Regulation and Office of Enforcement and Regulatory Accounting, and the Office of Chief Counsel at the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA).

As the Association’s chief legal officer, the incumbent will advise on and manage organizational legal issues, ensure compliance with laws and regulations, present matters to LEPA’s Board of Directors comprised of industry executives and support effective Board oversight LEPA, provide Corporate Secretary functions, support the President‑CEO on association management, and coordinate and oversee work of a staff member.

This a full‑time position. Some travel is involved, typically in connection with association meetings, which normally constitutes less than 10 percent of the year. The employee would be expected to work primarily in LEPA’s offices at 900 17th Street, NW, Suite 600, Washington, DC, with some remote work under LEPA’s remote work policy.

LEPA is an equal opportunity employer.

Required Experience and Knowledge

• A J.D. degree from an ABA‑accredited law school, be an active member in good standing with the Washington, D.C. Bar or any U.S. State Bar, and possess the ability to practice law at a high level.
• Seasoned Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) practitioner with at least ten years of experience and extensive knowledge of oil, natural gas, or public utility economic regulation and administrative law.

Preferred Experience and Knowledge

• Fifteen plus years of experience practicing before FERC, ideally with a background in Interstate Commerce Act authority and regulations.
• Extensive experience in administrative and judicial process, including court review of federal agency actions.
• Knowledge of federal and/or state permitting of energy infrastructure.
• Knowledge of PHMSA pipeline safety regulation.
• Working with stakeholders to develop legal and regulatory advocacy positions.
• Working with corporate and partnership business leaders and legal counsel.
• Management and use of outside counsel and expert witnesses.
• Organization management, including contract drafting and non‑profit law.

Demonstration of LEPA Desired Employee Core Competencies and Behaviors.