Job Description

In-House Counsel – Litigation

Houston, TX

Our client is a respected engineering business looking for a commercially savvy In-House Counsel to take the wheel on litigation management. This is a role for someone who thrives on strategy - you won't be in the courtroom yourself, but you'll own every case that gets there. Working closely with senior leadership and external counsel, you'll be the internal expert who keeps disputes moving efficiently, costs controlled, and risk well managed.

Key Responsibilities:

• Manage the full litigation portfolio across construction disputes, contract claims, subcontractor conflicts, and general commercial matters.
• Select, instruct, and supervise outside counsel - holding them to strategy, budget, and outcome.
• Drive early case assessment, settlement strategy, and dispute resolution through mediation, arbitration (AAA, DRBF), and negotiation.
• Partner with project teams to identify and mitigate legal risk before disputes arise - change orders, delay claims, defect notices, and lien exposure.
• Maintain litigation tracking and reporting systems; provide regular updates to executive leadership and the board.
• Coordinate document preservation, internal investigations, and regulatory responses as needed.
• Train project managers and operations staff on dispute avoidance, documentation best practices, and contract risk.
• Support contract drafting and negotiation to build dispute-resistant protections into project agreements from the outset.

Requirements:

• J.D. and active bar membership.
• Litigation background in private practice or in-house, ideally with exposure to construction, real estate, or infrastructure disputes.
• Proven ability to manage outside counsel effectively - on strategy, cost, and results.
• Comfortable with construction contract forms (AIA, ConsensusDocs) and concepts such as delay claims, defect liability, and lien law.
• Strong commercial instincts - able to assess risk, recommend pragmatic solutions, and communicate clearly to non-lawyers.
• Excellent drafting, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills.

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