Counsel (IL, IA, MO)

Requisition ID: 110083 

Share Our Purpose. Be Yourself. Feel Valued.  

People are the heart of our business. As an American Water employee, you will be offered a competitive salary and health benefits package, along with opportunities to develop, grow, and evolve your career. Our benefits packages focus on key areas such as health & wellness, emotional & well-being, and savings for current & future goals.

We are Beautifully Different . We strongly believe having diversity across our company makes us more successful and helps us provide essential services to our customers. We are stronger because we embrace different ideas, viewpoints, experiences, and backgrounds. American Water is the best choice for your next role! Click here for more information on our inclusion, diversity, and equity journey.

About American Water
American Water (NYSE: AWK) is the largest regulated water and wastewater utility company in the United States. With a history dating back to 1886 and celebrating 140 years in 2026, We Keep Life Flowing® by providing safe, clean, reliable and affordable drinking water and wastewater services to approximately 14 million people with regulated operations in 14 states and on 18 military installations. American Water’s approximately 7,000 talented professionals leverage their significant expertise and the company’s national size and scale to achieve excellent outcomes for the benefit of customers, employees, investors and other stakeholders.

For more information, visit amwater.com and join American Water on LinkedIn , Facebook , X and Instagram .

Primary Role

To provide legal counsel and representation to the Iowa, Illinois and Missouri state leadership teams in a variety of areas, including real estate (purchase and sale, easements, rights of way, etc), contracts, litigation, customer complaints, environmental law, and day-to-day operational issues as they arise

Key Accountabilities

• Provide advice and counsel on a pro-active basis to executives, senior managers and employees in respect to legal issues affecting the business.
• Meet internal customers’ legal needs.
• Assist in the maximization of quality, cost-control and efficiency of acquired outside legal services
• Serve as a member of the Missouri, Illinois and Iowa Legal Team
• Support the states’ Senior Director Corporate Counsel and the Vice President and General Counsel in building the capabilities of the legal team.
• Be a source of high caliber legal resources for the business.
• Contribute to effective communication by listening and providing constructive feedback.
• Participate in and support an open and honest work environment.
• Cascade and share knowledge and information relevant to other members of the team and colleagues across the business.
• Perform other projects as assigned.

Knowledge/Skills

• Expertise in practice areas relevant to the business, such as real estate, contracts, litigation, environmental, public utility law, and administrative law.

Experience/Education

• Juris Doctor from an accredited law school.

• Minimum 5 years of in-depth experience in several of the legal areas listed above obtained with a law firm or combination of firm and in-house experience.

• Preference will be given to candidates with experience appearing before state utility commissions, whether in private practice or in-house, including experience working for a regulated utility.

• Experience effectively handling a variety of matters displaying strong business acumen

• Proven ability to successfully support the business and legal needs of clients

• Experience in providing timely and effective practical legal advice and services

• Able to effectively spot legal issues and determine practical, workable options for resolving them

• Results-focused experience, has worked in fast-paced, deadline-oriented environment

• Detail-oriented and able to effectively provide client-oriented service while protecting the organization

Certifications & Licenses:

• Member of the Iowa, Illinois, or Missouri state bars.

Travel Requirements

• Occasional travel, primarily in Iowa, Illinois, and Missouri 

Other

• Able to handle a variety of ongoing projects simultaneously
• Able to work effectively with minimal supervision
• Excellent judgment in determining when and how to elevate matters
• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• Strong interpersonal and negotiation skills
• Self-starter, takes initiative to respond to and address legal issues
• Functions effectively both in individual and team environments
• Able to work collaboratively with strong interpersonal skills

Competencies

Champions safety

Customer obsessed

Cultivates innovation

Nimble learning

Drives Results

Collaborates

Join American Water... We Keep Life Flowing ™

American Water is firmly committed to Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and prohibits employment discrimination for employees and applicants based on his or her age, race, color, pregnancy, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, marital status, citizenship, or because they are an individual with a disability, protected veteran or other status protected by federal, state, and local laws.