In-House Legal Counsel

About us:

In 2016, the Commonwealth of Virginia selected a Cintra-led consortium to finance, design, build, operate and maintain the express lanes on Interstate 66 Outside the Beltway. The project will transform this critical Northern Virginia artery to relieve congestion, improve safety and provide more predictable travel times. The project corridor extends approximately 22 miles along Interstate 66 from the Capital Beltway (I-495) to Gainesville (US Route 29). Once completed, the project will include three toll-free general-purpose lanes in each direction and two express lanes in each direction with a state-of-the-art open-road electronic toll collection system. Expanded transit service, park-and-ride lots and interchange enhancements will further improve travel along I-66. The project will also connect several shared use paths to create more multimodal options. As an innovative and efficient public-private partnership, this project will be completed at a $2.5 billion net savings for the Commonwealth of Virginia.

What makes us different? Our people come first. We want every single employee to develop both professionally and personally. With a strong focus on growth potential, we look to our internal employees as potential candidates for both national and international opportunities. We aim to achieve greatness by promoting from within every chance we get. We work hard and play hard and strive every day for success and achievement. With a diverse group of professionals working in a fast-paced environment, we achieve milestones constantly. And if that weren’t enough, we also offer our employees highly competitive insurance benefits, Paid Time Off, and a matching 401(k) program.

Job Description:

As In-House Legal Counsel you will report directly to the General Counsel and Secretary to the Board of Directors.  The In-House Legal Counsel will be responsible for reviewing and analyzing existing contracts to ensure compliance therewith, drafting, and negotiating extensive contracts related to the business operations in connection with the operations and maintenance of the I-66 Express Lanes, a concession in the transportation industry.  An In-House Legal Counsel will perform a wide variety of legal and organizational functions relating to toll collection enforcement, contracts, corporate governance, legal compliance, and claims management.  The attorney should be able to work directly with commercial teams and outside counsel to address the needs of the company and create solutions to issues that may arise while protecting the company from exposure to risk.  

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Negotiate and draft contracts pertaining to the company’s operations (e.g., construction and professional service contracts, supply agreements, license agreements, employment agreements, lease agreements).

• Draft and review internal company policies and procedures.

• Assist with Corporate Governance, including company organizational matters, filings, shareholder agreements, Board appointments.

• Assist in the preparation and maintenance of Board documents, including surveys, resolutions, and written consents.

• Assist with Corporate Compliance, including PIA/FOIA, lender obligations, audits, DOT compliance, FHWA compliance Management of Insurance (PI/PD) Claims, data privacy and data protection.

• Research, draft, track and maintain company records and legal correspondence.

• Manage court proceedings relating to the enforcement of toll collections.

• Interface with external counsel.

Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills & Abilities):

A successful candidate will be comfortable working in a fast-paced environment, interacting with senior level management, and functioning within an open-door team.  A successful attorney in this role will be able to adapt to organizational changes, be interested in learning new skills, have excellent organizational skills and pay attention to detail.   To perform this job successfully, an individual must have project management ability, take initiative, work independently as needed and be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required to fulfill those duties.

Education & Experience:

• Law Degree from a USA based law school (J.D.) required

• Admitted to practice law and in good standing in a State of the United States and able to register as in-house counsel within the state of Virginia and state bar.

• Valid drivers’ license and ability to travel and attend court hearings

• 2-4+ years of substantive experience in business and commercial practice areas of law, including corporate commercial practice, interest in developing litigation skills, and ideally with experience in construction and transportation.

• The successful candidate may have started off as a corporate attorney, or a project finance attorney and/or have prior in-house experience, and may have strong experience with construction contracts and compliance, be able to assess risks, have strong contract drafting skills and negotiation experience.

Professional Qualities:

A successful candidate needs to be detail-oriented, engaging, and reliable. Construction industry familiarity would be ideal, and BL firm background and strong credentials are sought as well.  An understanding and true interest in the infrastructure and construction industry will be key. 

• Must be a self-starter

• Ability to interact with colleagues in a self-managed team structure

• Superior interpersonal communication, decision-making, project management, and negotiating skills

• Must be able to multitask, problem solve, prioritize, and implement innovative processes within a fast-paced environment

Computer Skills:

• Must be able to demonstrate computer proficiency, especially within Microsoft Excel, Word, Outlook, and PowerPoint.

Work Environment & Physical Demands:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• The noise level in the work environment is usually quiet

• Some travel required, may include occasional international and domestic air travel and ability to drive.

• The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds

• Specific vision abilities required by this job include ability to adjust focus, as necessary to use a computer

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear

• The employee is frequently required to stand, walk and sit