NAELA's CareerCenter

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Basic Function

The Counsel, HSE position provides day-to-day legal support on various health, safety, and environmental matters to LYB’s global operations. The position serves as a subject matter expert in environmental, health and safety law, working closely with operations, site HSE, and corporate HSE, as well as other attorneys in the legal department, government relations, strategic projects and transactions, and corporate sustainability. The position is expected to manage a docket of HSE legal matters and function as a strategic partner to the business, analyzing complex factual and legal issues, proactively identifying issues and advising on practical solutions. The position will report to the Lead Counsel, Global HSE.
 

Roles & Responsibilities

• Provide legal advice and counsel on HSE compliance issues, including air, water, waste, hazardous chemicals, personal and process safety, product safety, and security issues.
• Represent the company in enforcement actions before agencies with jurisdiction over environmental, health and safety issues.
• Manage privileged investigations and provide support as needed to environmental, health safety or security incidents.
• Advise on HSE legal aspects of commercial transactions and mergers and acquisitions.
• Work with legal disputes team to manage and resolve disputes with third parties relating to HSE issues.
• Keep informed of regulatory and policy developments, participate in industry associations as designated, and partner with the business to identify potential impacts and compliance strategies.
• Manage outside counsel involved in HSE matters, including setting and maintaining budgets.
• Provide training to HSE clients as needed.
• Work with HSE paralegal to manage HSE disclosure reporting process.

Min. Qualifications

• Juris Doctor from an accredited law school. 
• Minimum of seven (7) years of experience practicing environmental law preferred. 
• Excellent knowledge of core federal environmental laws (e.g., CAA, CWA, RCRA, CERCLA) and experience navigating state counterparts; broad-based experience including compliance counseling and enforcement defense, permitting, transactional support, and litigation.
• Excellent interpersonal, presentation, and oral and written communication skills.  
• Ability to communicate complex legal and technical issues to executives and non-legal personnel.
• Demonstrated ability to successfully manage projects and lead cross-functional teams to achieve results.
• Negotiation, influencing and advocacy skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and manage multiple deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• A commitment to excellence, teamwork, rigor, continuous improvement and engagement.
• Licensed to practice law in Texas or other states in the U.S., as applicable
• Travel may be required internationally and domestically (15-25%).

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience practicing environmental law at a large law firm.
• Experience advising on state air law (Texas, Louisiana, Iowa, Illinois, or New Jersey).
• Experience in the chemical or petrochemical industries. 
• Experience working with European or other international environmental laws.
• Experience advising on health and safety (e.g., OSHA) and product safety matters (e.g., TSCA, REACH, Chemical Strategy for Sustainability.