General Counsel
Remote
Full Time
Experienced
Tradewater
General Counsel
Location: Remote, United States
Tradewater is a B Corp and mission-based project development company that is in business to prevent catastrophic climate change. Our mission is to improve the environment and create economic opportunity through the collection, control, and destruction of potent, super pollutant, non-CO2 greenhouse gases. Tradewater believes that a company committed to cleaning up the environment can be just as successful – if not more so – than a company that achieves its goals without regard to environmental impact.
Our projects include the destruction of halocarbons, such as refrigerants and halon fire suppressants, that are potent greenhouse gases and deplete the ozone layer. We also find, measure, and plug orphaned oil and gas wells that have no solvent operator and are leaking methane into the atmosphere and have the potential to emit significant volumes. There is no way to meet climate goals of no more than 1.5o C without eliminating emissions of these non-CO2 gases. To date, we have permanently prevented over 8 million tons of CO2e from reaching the atmosphere and we are on a path to surpass 27 million tons of CO2e by the end of 2027.
The Opportunity
We are seeking an experienced attorney to serve as general counsel. This is the perfect job for someone who wants to move away from billable hours and mundane legal work and is seeking to apply their skills in a fast-paced entrepreneurial setting, and to use their law degree to make a difference in the world.
While nobody will have the perfect background for the diverse set of legal issues that arise within Tradewater, the ideal candidate will have significant contracting experience, and the desire and confidence needed to figure out anything that may arise in the course of pursuing our mission.
The role will report directly to the CEO and participate as part of the executive leadership of the company but will interact with and support everyone throughout our staff of roughly 60 people.
While Tradewater is based in Chicago, we have offices and team members around the world. The general counsel will work remotely but must be based in the United States and licensed to practice law in at least one state (with a preference for Illinois). Candidates must be available, able and willing to travel occasionally, including internationally, as needed.
Applications for this position will be accepted through March 26, 2025. Please include as part of your application a cover letter detailing your interest and experience with respect to this role.
Key responsibilities include:
Requirements:
The Application Process
If you are passionate about Tradewater’s mission and think you can be successful in this role, even if you don't check all the boxes, please apply. Here is a guide for what to expect throughout the hiring process.
Tradewater provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to sex, sex stereotyping, pregnancy (including pregnancy, childbirth, and medical conditions related to pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding), race, color, religion, ancestry or national origin, age, disability status, medical condition, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, transgender status, political affiliation, protected military or veteran status, citizenship status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.
Tradewater is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals living with disabilities. If you are a qualified individual living with a disability and need assistance expressing interest online, please email [email protected]. If you are selected for an interview, you will receive additional information regarding how to request an accommodation for the interview process.
Salary & Benefits
The expected annual salary range for a U.S. based candidate is between $180,000-210,000 USD. Compensation is determined based on a variety of factors including relevant experience, other position-related qualifications/skills, and business needs.
Benefits may include:
General Counsel
Location: Remote, United States
Tradewater is a B Corp and mission-based project development company that is in business to prevent catastrophic climate change. Our mission is to improve the environment and create economic opportunity through the collection, control, and destruction of potent, super pollutant, non-CO2 greenhouse gases. Tradewater believes that a company committed to cleaning up the environment can be just as successful – if not more so – than a company that achieves its goals without regard to environmental impact.
Our projects include the destruction of halocarbons, such as refrigerants and halon fire suppressants, that are potent greenhouse gases and deplete the ozone layer. We also find, measure, and plug orphaned oil and gas wells that have no solvent operator and are leaking methane into the atmosphere and have the potential to emit significant volumes. There is no way to meet climate goals of no more than 1.5o C without eliminating emissions of these non-CO2 gases. To date, we have permanently prevented over 8 million tons of CO2e from reaching the atmosphere and we are on a path to surpass 27 million tons of CO2e by the end of 2027.
The Opportunity
We are seeking an experienced attorney to serve as general counsel. This is the perfect job for someone who wants to move away from billable hours and mundane legal work and is seeking to apply their skills in a fast-paced entrepreneurial setting, and to use their law degree to make a difference in the world.
While nobody will have the perfect background for the diverse set of legal issues that arise within Tradewater, the ideal candidate will have significant contracting experience, and the desire and confidence needed to figure out anything that may arise in the course of pursuing our mission.
The role will report directly to the CEO and participate as part of the executive leadership of the company but will interact with and support everyone throughout our staff of roughly 60 people.
While Tradewater is based in Chicago, we have offices and team members around the world. The general counsel will work remotely but must be based in the United States and licensed to practice law in at least one state (with a preference for Illinois). Candidates must be available, able and willing to travel occasionally, including internationally, as needed.
Applications for this position will be accepted through March 26, 2025. Please include as part of your application a cover letter detailing your interest and experience with respect to this role.
Key responsibilities include:
- Drafting, reviewing, negotiating, and executing contracts on behalf of Tradewater, covering a wide array of business activities, from non-disclosure agreements to contracts for the sale of carbon offset credits to landowner access agreements for orphaned oil and gas well projects.
- Develop templates and internal review, approval, and signature processes for more efficient and effective contracting throughout the company.
- Maintain systems to keep contracts organized and deadlines and other deliverables tracked, including our contract life cycle management software.
- Ensure Tradewater’s regulatory compliance with applicable domestic governing bodies, including the U.S. EPA, Department of Transportation, City of Chicago, and OSHA.
- Coordinate with counsel in Thailand and Costa Rica to ensure the regulatory compliance of Tradewater’s foreign affiliates.
- Support other departments within the company to ensure compliance with labor and employment laws, both domestically and internationally, as well as marketing regulations and data and privacy rules and compliance obligations.
- Monitor business activities for legal and regulatory risk and provide business-oriented solutions for mitigating risk.
- Build an expertise and track developments in relevant domestic and international carbon markets and other related policy initiatives, including the California and Washington state compliance markets, the Paris Agreement, the Montreal Protocol, the Basel Convention, and other regional and international refrigerant, methane, and climate change regimes.
- Identify areas in which lobbying efforts might be needed to protect or advance Tradewater’s business goals.
- Protect Tradewater’s intellectual property.
- Develop the capacity to navigate state laws and regulations governing orphaned oil and gas wells, as well as associated topics such as property rights, mineral rights, and long-term liability for plugging activities.
- Support the corporate legal needs of Tradewater’s ownership.
Requirements:
- Law degree from an accredited law school in the United States and a license to practice law in at least one state (with a preference for Illinois).
- At least 10+ years of experience in the practice of law including at least 5+ years of experience drafting, reviewing, negotiating, or litigating contracts.
- Experience in at least one of the following subject areas is a big plus: environmental policy, supply chain and logistics, regulatory compliance, human resources, refrigerant management, intellectual property, oil and gas, international law, climate change, privacy and data security.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Excellent negotiation skills.
- Keen attention to detail.
- Fearlessness in the face of learning new areas of law and technical subject areas, including chemistry, engineering, and hazardous waste handling.
- Fluency in a second language is a plus, with a special emphasis on Spanish, French, or Arabic.
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.
- Demonstrated passion for sustainability and a deep commitment to our mission.
- Capacity and dexterity to work with a wide range of cultural styles.
The Application Process
If you are passionate about Tradewater’s mission and think you can be successful in this role, even if you don't check all the boxes, please apply. Here is a guide for what to expect throughout the hiring process.
Tradewater provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to sex, sex stereotyping, pregnancy (including pregnancy, childbirth, and medical conditions related to pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding), race, color, religion, ancestry or national origin, age, disability status, medical condition, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, transgender status, political affiliation, protected military or veteran status, citizenship status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.
Tradewater is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals living with disabilities. If you are a qualified individual living with a disability and need assistance expressing interest online, please email [email protected]. If you are selected for an interview, you will receive additional information regarding how to request an accommodation for the interview process.
Salary & Benefits
The expected annual salary range for a U.S. based candidate is between $180,000-210,000 USD. Compensation is determined based on a variety of factors including relevant experience, other position-related qualifications/skills, and business needs.
Benefits may include:
- A bonus program to recognize the shared success of our team.
- Multiple paid time away from work offerings; including personal and sick time, parental leave, and company and floating (flex) holidays.
- Home office reimbursement for new team members to support a productive home working environment.
- An annual professional development budget for you to further your growth.
- Free mental health benefits and services
- A team-wide annual retreat – an opportunity to spend quality in-person time with other Tradewateurs.
- Employer provided insurance including health, life, disability; with options to elect dental, vision and other supplemental coverage.
- Safe Harbor 401(k) retirement plan with an annual employer contribution
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