Assistant General Counsel (TSR-0066)

Recruiting at Transtar LLC•Pittsburgh, PA

23h•Hybrid

About The Position

Transtar’s railroads were formed to meet the transportation needs of United States Steel Corporation’s steel making facilities. Today, Transtar’s largest railroads still serve U. S. Steel today Union Railroad in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Gary Railway in Gary, Indiana. In 1988, these companies were acquired by a new holding company, Transtar, yet still controlled by U. S. Steel, and, in 2021, U. S. Steel sold Transtar to FTAI Infrastructure, where Transtar quickly becoming FTAI’s strongest performing portfolio company. The Wheeling & Lake Erie Railway Company traces its roots to the transportation of coal and iron ore from Ohio and Lake Erie to steel plants in southeast Ohio and Wheeling, West Virginia. W&LE is the largest Ohio-based railroad and is among the largest regional railroads in the country. W&LE interchanges in numerous locations with three Class I railroads and 14 regional railroads and short line railroads, including Transtar’s Union Railroad. FTAI Infrastructure acquired W&LE in 2025. The combined Transtar and W&LE currently have approximately 800 employees in various locations along our over 1,000 miles of track, and we move over 360,000 carloads each year. Position Summary: We are seeking an experienced Assistant General Counsel with 7 - 10+ years of commercial or corporate legal experience, with a strong preference for prior experience in the railroad industry. The successful candidate will provide comprehensive legal support across a wide range of commercial and contractual agreements as well as railroad and transportation matters, ensuring the company’s compliance with applicable laws and regulations while supporting business operations and strategic initiatives. This role offers the opportunity to serve as a trusted advisor to company leadership and operational teams on complex legal and regulatory issues unique to the railroad industry.

Requirements

Juris Doctor (J.D.) from an accredited law school.
Active license to practice law in Pennsylvania and/or Ohio, or eligibility and willingness to obtain licensure within a reasonable time. Can provide bar admission sponsorship if necessary.
7 - 10+ years of relevant legal experience (with a strong preference for prior railroad experience, preferably with a mix of in-house and outside counsel experience).
Impeccable contract drafting skills and written and verbal communication skills.
Strong business acumen, including excellent analytical and negotiation skills.
Ability and willingness to effectively work independently with internal clients with minimal day-to-day oversight by the company’s Chief Legal Officer.
Proven ability to manage multiple complex matters simultaneously and work effectively in a fast-paced, team-oriented environment.

Nice To Haves

Prior railroad and transportation experience strongly preferred including:
Contracts for: customer pricing agreements with volume commitments and/or rebates; railcar storage agreements; industry track, sidetrack, and track crossing agreements; track, real estate license, and lease agreements; access/entry/right to enter agreements (all as both licensor/lessor and licensee/lessee).
Understanding of federal and state rail and transportation law and regulations and compliance frameworks, including matters governed by the STB, FRA, and ICCTA.
Processing and managing claims and managing litigation for railroad-related injuries and property damage, including grade crossing accidents and FELA.

Responsibilities

Draft, negotiate, and advise on commercial agreements relating to general business matters (vendor, customer, finance, and other agreements) and real estate (licenses, leases, etc.).
Opine on various other real estate title matters, including researching property ownership and determining the priority of conflicting property rights.
Research and opine on railroad and transportation legal and regulatory matters, including compliance, safety, and operational issues governed by various federal and state regulatory agencies, including the Surface Transportation Board (STB), Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), and state departments of transportation, as well as federal preemption for railroads under the Interstate Commerce Commission Termination Act (ICCTA).
Manage outside counsel handling claims and litigation, including developing strategies to consistently and cost-effectively resolve general commercial disputes and injuries and property damage resulting from railroad operations, including grade crossing accidents and FELA.
Ensure corporate governance of various entities in the affiliate group.
Develop and maintain policies and procedures to promote compliance with all applicable laws, rules, regulations, and internal standards.
Provide training and guidance to company personnel on legal and regulatory topics relevant to railroad operations.
Collaborate with internal departments to identify and mitigate legal risks while supporting business goals in an entrepreneurial environment.