Senior Corporate Counsel

Who We Are

Meritum Energy is a leading provider of propane, natural gas, diesel, and other mobile energy solutions throughout Texas, New Mexico, Florida, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Kansas, and North Carolina. Known for our unwavering commitment to safety, service excellence, and community partnership, we proudly stand by our company motto: We Sell Service.

Why Join Us? 

We're committed to supporting our team members with benefits that match our values of safety, service, and stability. Here's what you can expect: 

• Competitive hourly wage
• 401(k) with 6% company match
• Health and vision insurance 
• Company paid dental insurance
• Company paid AD&D and life insurance 
• Paid time off with rollover hours
• Referral bonus programs 

Job Summary:

The Senior Corporate Counsel provides legal counsel and support across Meritum Energy Holdings and its affiliated brands, with a primary focus on commercial contracts and the management of automobile liability, general liability, and workers' compensation claims and lawsuits arising from the company's multi-state fleet and field operations. The Senior Corporate Counsel drafts, reviews, and negotiates master service agreements (MSAs), transportation agreements, and other energy and service contracts; directs outside counsel, third-party administrators, and insurance carriers on litigated and pre-litigation claims; and partners with Risk Management, Safety, and Operations leadership to reduce legal and financial exposure across the company's operating footprint. This role handles day-to-day contract and claims matters independently and escalates significant legal risk, litigation strategy, and material contract terms to the CEO. Employment-related legal matters are handled by MEH's dedicated HR Counsel and are not a primary responsibility of this role.

Duties/Responsibilities:

Contracts & Commercial Counsel

• Draft, review, and negotiate MSAs, transportation agreements, energy and service contracts, vendor agreements, customer contracts, NDAs, and other commercial agreements across MEH brands
• Negotiate and advise on indemnity, additional insured, limitation of liability, indirect damages, and insurance provisions
• Maintain and administer contract templates, playbooks, and a contract tracking/repository system
• Advise Operations, Procurement, and Fleet leadership on contract risk, indemnification, insurance, and liability provisions
• Support RFP and vendor selection processes with contract risk review
• Coordinate contract renewals, amendments, and terminations

Litigation & Claims Management (Auto, General Liability, Workers' Compensation)

• Manage the intake, evaluation, and lifecycle of auto liability, general liability, and workers' compensation claims and lawsuits filed against MEH entities
• Select, direct, and manage outside defense counsel; set litigation strategy and budget expectations; review and approve legal invoices
• Coordinate with insurance carriers, third-party administrators (TPAs), and adjusters on claim reserves, coverage positions, and settlement authority
• Partner with Safety and Fleet leadership to gather accident investigation materials, driver qualification files, and telematics/ELD data to support claims defense
• Track litigation status, exposure, and reserves; provide regular reporting to leadership on open matters and case resolution
• Attend or coordinate depositions, mediations, and settlement conferences, as needed
• Evaluate and recommend settlement vs. litigation strategy in coordination with the CEO

Regulatory & Insurance Program Support

• Support Fleet and Safety teams on DOT/FMCSA compliance issues that intersect with claims and litigation exposure
• Work with the insurance broker and Risk Management on coverage placement, policy renewals, and claims reporting for auto, general liability, and workers' compensation lines
• Monitor claims trends and advise on policy, contract, or procedural changes to reduce future exposure

Internal Coordination and Consultation

• Serve as a legal resource for Operations, Fleet, Safety, and Finance on day-to-day legal questions
• Coordinate with HR Counsel on matters that touch both employment and non-employment legal issues (e.g., a workers' compensation claim with an employment component)
• Escalate significant legal risk, novel issues, or matters with material financial exposure to the CEO

The absence of specific statements of duties does not exclude those tasks from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment of the position.

Qualifications

Required Skills/Abilities: 

• Strong contract drafting and negotiation skills, with particular depth in MSAs, transportation agreements, and energy/service contracts
• Demonstrated experience with indemnity provisions, additional insured requirements, limitation of liability, indirect damages waivers, and insurance provisions; familiarity with the Texas Oilfield Anti-Indemnity Act (TOAIA) is highly valued
• Working knowledge of auto liability, general liability, and workers' compensation claims handling and litigation management
• Ability to select and manage outside counsel and control legal spend
• Strong written and verbal communication skills; ability to translate legal risk into practical business guidance
• Ability to manage multiple active matters and competing deadlines
• Sound judgment and discretion with sensitive and confidential information
• Proficient in the current Microsoft Office Suite; experience with contract management and/or legal matter management software preferred

Education, Certification, Licenses:

Juris Doctor (J.D.) from an accredited law school and an active license to practice law in Texas, in good standing. Five to eight years of relevant legal experience, with a background in commercial contracts and insurance defense/litigation; energy, transportation, or trucking industry experience strongly preferred. Additional state bar licensure is a plus given MEH's multi-state operations.

• Experienced with contract management systems and/or legal matter/claims management software

Physical, Mental, Behavioral Requirements:

• Prolonged periods sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
• Available after normal hours for support including weeknights and weekends, as needed, considering internal and customer needs.
• Occasional travel to depositions, mediations, court proceedings, or MEH operating locations.

Must pass pre-employment screening and background check.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work that is expected to be performed.  They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive listing of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required.  Also, whether particular duties or demands listed above or elsewhere are “essential” is a case-by-case determination, depending on the operational realities and staffing at the individual location. For questions about whether a particular function is essential in your particular role, please contact HR at (210) 876-3560.

Meritum Energy Holdings is an equal opportunity employer to all qualified applicants regardless of age, color, national origin, citizenship status, physical or mental ability, race, religion, creed, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, status as a disabled veteran and/or veteran of the Vietnam War Era, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.