Description

Description

Union Pacific, a Fortune 150 company, has an open position for a General Attorney in Spring, Texas. The Spring Law office has a team of attorneys and paralegals who defend and try personal injury and whistleblower lawsuits filed in state and federal courts in Texas and in front of Administrative Law Judges.  The UP Law office is in Spring, Texas.

The General Attorney serves as a trial attorney for Union Pacific and is responsible for a heavy litigation caseload. The General Attorney is primarily responsible for litigating employee (e.g. Federal Employers’ Liability Act) and third-party (e.g. premises liability, train-vehicle collisions at crossings, auto accidents) personal injury lawsuits from the initial filing of the lawsuit up to and including trial. The General Attorney represents the Company as lead counsel before federal and state courts to achieve the best outcome. This includes filing responsive pleadings to lawsuits, conducting discovery, interviewing witnesses, taking and defending depositions, drafting motions, retaining expert witnesses, and representing Union Pacific at hearings and trial.  The position involves some intra-state travel on occasion. The caseload primarily entails lawsuits filed in Harris County and contiguous counties.

This position also involves collaboration with risk management and operating managers in investigating claims, and in developing themes and defenses to actions filed or threatened against the railroad or filed on behalf of the railroad. The General Attorney also provides advice and counsel to organizational clients in a variety of legal matters to provide a safe workplace, manage risk and exposure, and counsel clients on a variety of operational and compliance related legal issues.  The General Attorney will have the opportunity to learn the business of operating a Class I Railroad to better provide legal services to Union Pacific.

The General Attorney will work under the supervision and guidance of a supervising attorney and other seasoned trial counsel.  General Attorneys have their own case load and a degree of autonomy in working up and defending their assigned lawsuits. The successful candidate will be expected to investigate and thoroughly prepare the cases for trial and be ready and willing to try them. The General Attorney may try to verdict an average of 1 – 2 cases per year and prepare five or more additional cases for trial each year.

Accountabilities

• Highly organized
• Timely completion  of tasks
• Lead, handle and balance a high volume of matters and assignments
• Ability to prioritize and handle the workload
• Meet deadlines in a changing, fast-paced environment, and desire and ability to work in this environment
• Enjoys litigation and trial advocacy
• Strong oral and written advocacy skills
• Work independently and with a team exercising excellent judgment and both strategic and tactical thinking
• Excellent interpersonal, client relationship, and team skills

Requirements

Qualifications - Required

• A Juris Doctor degree
• Licensed to practice law in Texas
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Trial experience - must have jury trial experience as lead or co-lead counsel
• 7 or more years of of work experience as a litigation attorney and/or prosecutor or public defender
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office products (Word, Teams, Excel, Powerpoint)

Qualifications - Preferred

• Experience litigating in both federal and state courts
• Experience litigating and trying higher exposure cases against highly skilled opponents