Senior Port Counsel – Construction Contracting and Construction Litigation

Port of Seattle•Seattle, WA

About The Position

As a Senior Port Counsel, you will have the opportunity to make a positive, immediate, and lasting impact by providing high quality legal services with a focus on construction contracts and related litigation. You will be joining a team of talented professionals in the Legal Department who work collaboratively to support the Port in carrying out its business and meeting its strategic goals. This role includes advising and representing clients at all levels of the organization and overseeing litigation. You will provide comprehensive legal support for all aspects of the Port’s approximately $4.4 billion, five-year capital construction program. You will draft and review public works contracts using design/bid/build, design/build, progressive design/build, job order contracting (JOC), and general contractor/construction manager (GC/CM) delivery methods. You will provide legal advice to construction management, procurement, engineering, and project management teams throughout procurement, bid protests, construction, claims resolution, and contract closeout. You will retain and manage outside counsel to represent the Port in construction litigation, which may include claims against the Port or counterclaims by the Port in tens or hundreds of millions of dollars. You will advise executives and commissioners on construction claims, construction litigation, and other legal matters, and will assist them in making strategic decisions. You will draft, review and negotiate P3 agreements, including complex tenant reimbursement construction and funding agreements for major capital improvements built by airport tenants and funded as a whole or in part by the Port. You will advise the Port’s Diversity in Contracting and Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) groups on their programs, and the Port’s Labor Relations group on construction-related labor matters, including project labor agreements. You will draft, review, and negotiate a wide variety of non-construction contracts, grants, procurements, and utility franchise agreements. You will provide legal advice and support on airport ground transportation issues, including the Port’s transportation management association that aims to, among other things, reduce airport congestion and vehicle-related pollution, airport taxi and transportation network company operations, and parking-related issues. You will advise on intellectual property (including trademarks and copyrights), the Port’s art program, tax, general municipal law (such as public records, open public meetings, interlocal agreements, gifts of public funds), and a broad range of other federal, state, and Port-specific legal issues. You will be assigned additional or different duties or practice areas by the General Counsel as needed.

Requirements

Experienced – You have five (5) years of experience in government, nonprofit, law firm or in-house legal practice in the designated areas of responsibility. You are admitted to practice by the Washington State Bar Association.
Committed to Equity – You will apply equity and exemplify shared values, behaviors, and practices in all aspects of the work. At the Port of Seattle, equity is a daily responsibility and a foundational expectation for all Port employees.
Problem Solver – You are a highly skilled critical thinker who uses sound judgement with factual and legal support to advise clients and achieve the Port’s policy and business goals. You can collaborate with colleagues, clients and opposing counsel to craft solutions and solve problems.
Effective Communicator – You have strong verbal, written, and listening skills, can clearly communicate complex information to diverse audiences, build effective professional relationships, and use tact and diplomacy in sensitive situations.
Highly Organized – You have advanced organizational skills with attention to detail and high level of accuracy. You can multi-task and handle many requests and questions regarding multiple subjects at once. You also have strong time management skills and the ability to plan, schedule, and coordinate resources to get work done accurately and efficiently.
Curious – You are interested in learning new subject matter and taking on responsibilities and projects outside of your areas of expertise.
Business/Political Acumen – You have a keen sense of the political realities and look at the bigger picture of a situation, weigh it carefully, and provide sound recommendations that are in the best interests of the organization.

Nice To Haves

We hope you have eight (8) years of experience advising and representing clients on all aspects of large public works projects and some or all of the other described areas of responsibility, and that you have a Juris Doctorate.

Responsibilities

Provide comprehensive legal support for all aspects of the Port’s approximately $4.4 billion, five-year capital construction program.
Draft and review public works contracts using design/bid/build, design/build, progressive design/build, job order contracting (JOC), and general contractor/construction manager (GC/CM) delivery methods.
Provide legal advice to construction management, procurement, engineering, and project management teams throughout procurement, bid protests, construction, claims resolution, and contract closeout.
Retain and manage outside counsel to represent the Port in construction litigation, which may include claims against the Port or counterclaims by the Port in tens or hundreds of millions of dollars.
Advise executives and commissioners on construction claims, construction litigation, and other legal matters, and will assist them in making strategic decisions.
Draft, review and negotiate P3 agreements, including complex tenant reimbursement construction and funding agreements for major capital improvements built by airport tenants and funded as a whole or in part by the Port.
Advise the Port’s Diversity in Contracting and Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) groups on their programs, and the Port’s Labor Relations group on construction-related labor matters, including project labor agreements.
Draft, review, and negotiate a wide variety of non-construction contracts, grants, procurements, and utility franchise agreements.
Provide legal advice and support on airport ground transportation issues, including the Port’s transportation management association that aims to, among other things, reduce airport congestion and vehicle-related pollution, airport taxi and transportation network company operations, and parking-related issues.
Advise on intellectual property (including trademarks and copyrights), the Port’s art program, tax, general municipal law (such as public records, open public meetings, interlocal agreements, gifts of public funds), and a broad range of other federal, state, and Port-specific legal issues.
Be assigned additional or different duties or practice areas by the General Counsel as needed.