Senior Attorney - Lead Counsel, Operations

Continental Resources•Oklahoma City, OK

23h•Onsite

About The Position

Continental Resources, Inc. is seeking a Lead Counsel to serve as the primary attorney for an operations business unit. This role provides day-to-day guidance on all legal matters, including transactional work, commercial contracts, regulatory compliance, litigation, and risk management. The position requires daily interaction with operations, land, and other business functions. The ideal candidate will have a minimum of five (5) years of applicable legal experience with a solid foundation in oil and gas law, a proactive mindset, and the ability to deliver practical, commercially-sound legal advice.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university.
Juris Doctor (J.D.) from an accredited law school with strong academic credentials.
Minimum of five (5) years of legal experience with substantial exposure to oil and gas matters.
Licensed member of a state bar in good standing, qualified to practice in-house in Oklahoma.
Successful completion of a pre-employment background check and drug screening.

Nice To Haves

In-house legal experience at an E&P or upstream energy company.
Experience with regulatory proceedings and compliance.
Familiarity with federal and state environmental regulations applicable to upstream operations.
Experience supporting asset acquisitions, divestitures, or other upstream M&A transactions.
Experience managing outside counsel relationships and associated budgets.

Responsibilities

Serve as Lead Counsel for an Operations Business Unit - Provide strategic legal counsel across all aspects of the business unit’s operations, development, and commercial activities.
Prepare, Review, and Negotiate Contracts - Prepare, review, negotiate, and execute upstream oil and gas agreements, including oil and gas leases, joint operating agreements, farmouts, purchase and sale agreements, surface use agreements, and master service agreements.
Support Mergers, Acquisitions, and Divestitures - Provide legal support for asset-level transactions, including due diligence, deal structuring, negotiation of transaction documents, and post-closing integration.
Manage and Oversee Litigation - Direct outside counsel on litigation, arbitration, and dispute resolution matters affecting the business unit, including case strategy, budgets, and settlement evaluation.
Ensure Regulatory and Legal Compliance - Advise on compliance with applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations.
Provide Risk Management Counsel - Identify and advise on legal and commercial risks in operations and transactions, and recommend practical approaches to minimize exposure.
Collaborate Cross-Functionally - Work closely with other members of the legal team and with operations, engineering, land, exploration, finance, marketing, HSE, government affairs, and internal audit teams.
Advise on Title and Land Matters - Partner with the land department on title issues, curative matters, right-of-way acquisitions, and surface and mineral ownership issues.
Stay Current on Legal and Industry Developments - Monitor changes in oil and gas law, regulations, and industry trends and communicate relevant developments to stakeholders.
Perform additional duties as assigned.