Counsel

About Us

Engelhart was founded in 2013 by BTG Pactual Group as a commodities trading company. Its business model is “asset light” and highly diversified – giving it the ability to adapt effectively and nimbly to changing market conditions. It has assembled successful multidisciplinary teams, leveraging advanced fundamental analysis with deep quantitative and weather research capabilities.  Its activities are underpinned by strong risk management practices and by powerful technology and operational excellence. Its exceptional teams have diverse global backgrounds and decades of experience, and are driven by a highly collaborative culture, across products and competencies.

In 2024, Engelhart acquired Trailstone, a global energy trading and technology company. The acquisition provides Engelhart with new expertise, analytics and proprietary technology which is used to provide risk management and optimisation services to manage the intermittency of renewable power generation for its client base. The acquisition also expanded Engelhart’s capabilities into physical natural gas across North America.

Its talented and experienced individuals work together according to its four company values: be bold, be collaborative, be proactive, be your best.

Counsel – Houston, Texas

 

About the Role

This is a high-profile opportunity for an experienced attorney and leader to join the Houston office of a leading global Commodities trading, marketing and renewables business, with broad jurisdictional and product scope. Primary geographic coverage will be North America but with support provided to global businesses in Europe and Asia. The role will report directly to the General Counsel.

The Legal & Compliance team are based in our Stamford, Austin, London, Berlin, and Beijing offices, with a team philosophy predicated on a flat, hybrid, highly collaborative and cross-sharing model of roles/responsibilities. This opportunity is open due to organic and acquisitive growth opportunities and the continued build out of the physical energy/renewables market in North America and beyond.

We are seeking an experienced commercial attorney to help grow and lead our energy, renewables and environmental products businesses in North America, focusing on wholesale/complex commercial transactions, trading agreements, related financing and compliance matters, and initiatives.

In addition to the key products and markets of electricity, natural gas, renewable energy, and environmental products, this position will also relate to; Freight (including physical), Softs (grains, oilseeds, sugar, coffee, cotton), Metals, Energy (oil/oil products, LNG, ethanol), Minerals, and Equities.

This will be a full-time role, with a flexible hybrid working model, owning the following responsibilities:

• Provide legal advice primarily to the North America commercial businesses – including structuring/supporting business transactions and negotiating electricity and related products (e.g., FTRs), natural gas, renewable, environmental and other commodity-related product and service agreements (including natural gas transportation and storage agreements, full requirements/load-serving agreements, ISDAs, NAESBs, EEI and other master agreements and GTCs, and managed account agreements), credit facilities and other structured finance arrangements.
• Advise senior management and originators on company strategies and their implementation, manage related legal issues, and obtain and oversee the work of outside counsel as needed.
• Provide legal support and advice to the operations and activities of the global commodities trading and marketing businesses by identifying, mitigating and advising on transactional, regulatory and related risks and issues associated with a wide variety of commodities/markets and strategic matters.
• Have significant involvement with, advising on, negotiating and structuring, complex transactions (e.g., bespoke purchase and sale agreements, asset acquisitions, 1^st line-based transactions and other structured and secured financing-related transactions) as well as supporting strategic transactions, including acquisitions and dispositions.
• Draft, review, advise on and negotiate credit support, collateral and security agreements (e.g., guarantees, credit support annexes, letters of credit, and master netting agreements).
• Develop and execute comprehensive legal strategies and solutions to facilitate commercial objectives while mitigating any legal and other related risk.
• Directly interact with Front-Office teams to advise on legal-related issues as they arise in day-to-day trading/marketing activities, including relating to the physical movement and storage of products.
• Engage in ad-hoc cross-team collaboration, helping support the global legal workload with colleagues in North America, Europe, and Asia.
• Liaise and support relevant groups throughout the firm, including Senior Management, Compliance, Finance, Credit, Operations, People Team, Risk, Treasury, and Tax.
• Lead cross-functional initiatives and projects.
• Advise on relevant laws/regulations and support compliance with federal, state and/or local laws and regulations, including with respect to FERC, Dodd Frank, CFTC, and Exchange rules and regulations.
• Assist with compliance matters involving ISO/RTO rules, including QSE matters in ERCOT.
• Develop and maintain solid working relationships with staff across the global companies and businesses.
• Collaborate with, and effectively use, internal and external counsel resources under minimal oversight, with cost-effective management.

 

About You      

The successful applicant will provide legal and regulatory support to, and be a key point of contact for, business, support function, and control heads, interacting and communicating with colleagues in global offices at all levels (including senior management) and in all areas of the firm.

As a result, we believe the following experiences and skills are required to best set this individual up for success:

• Around three to five years’ direct experience in commodities, energy and renewables-related businesses and markets in North America, including substantial transactional experience, with top-tier law firm and/or leading commodities firm in-house experience.
• Solid knowledge of FERC, CFTC, ISO/RTO, and Exchange rules.
• Must be a licensed attorney in good standing and, if applicable, willing and able to obtain licensure as in-house counsel in Texas.
• Strong academic credentials, including a J.D. degree from an accredited law school.
• Highest professional and ethical standards and a strong commitment to compliance with a proven drive, commitment, and mindset for action, humility, creativity, poise, and a collaborative temperament.

 

What we offer

• Competitive compensation and participation in Engelhart’s discretionary bonus plan. 
• 20 days of annual holiday entitlement, excluding US public holidays.
• Robust benefits package such as Medical, Dental, Vision, Life insurance, 401k match, and supplemental benefits partially subsidized by the Company.  
• Eligibility to receive external and internal training in accordance with our Training & Development Policy.

We believe in inclusivity and are therefore dedicated to ensuring all employees – across gender identity, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion, life experience, background and more – feel welcome and included in the company. We promote diversity because we believe it is essential to our ability to think holistically.