Americas Lead Lawyer – Commercial Legal Counsel at Mace, Houston, TX

Why the Americas Hub at Mace is a Career-Defining Move

For legal professionals who want to move beyond routine contract review and shape the legal framework of global construction projects, the Americas Lead Lawyer – Commercial Legal Counsel position at Mace represents an extraordinary opportunity. Mace is not a typical construction firm; it is a global consultancy that proudly states its purpose is to redefine the boundaries of ambition. The company creates places that are responsible, bringing transformative impact to people, communities, and societies across the globe. This role, based in Houston, Texas, but spanning the entire Americas hub including the US, Canada, and several LATAM countries, offers a rare combination of strategic autonomy and deep global support.

At Mace, our purpose is to redefine the boundaries of ambition. We believe in creating places that are responsible, bringing transformative impact to our people, communities, and societies across the globe.

What makes this in-house counsel role particularly compelling is the structure. The Mace Consult legal team provides legal support worldwide from its Global HQ in London and MEA office in Abu Dhabi, yet this new role is designed specifically for the Americas hub. The successful candidate will embed Mace Consult's global governance programme into the business across the Americas, linking with the London-based legal team but operating day-to-day relatively autonomously in a very commercial environment. For a lawyer with 3-7 years of experience, this is a golden chance to step into a leadership position without waiting a decade for a General Counsel title.

Inside the Role: From Risk Review to Dispute Avoidance

The responsibilities listed for this role are not generic legal tasks; they go to the heart of major infrastructure and construction projects. You will be responsible for reviewing appointment contracts received with client tenders to identify risks to Mace. That is not a back-office function. It is a frontline commercial role where your analysis determines whether Mace bids on a project and under what terms. You will also negotiate and draft appointment contracts and joint venture agreements, as well as drafting supply chain step-down contracts. This is sophisticated transactional work that requires both technical legal knowledge and commercial pragmatism.

• Risk review: Identify and mitigate risks in client tenders and appointment contracts.
• Negotiation and drafting: Handle joint venture agreements, consultancy appointments, and supply chain step-down contracts.
• Commercial liaison: Work closely with commercial teams to manage the contract lifecycle from review to signing, and provide ad hoc advice through the life of the project.
• Training and precedents: Contribute to legal department training sessions for commercial colleagues and update precedent documents.
• Dispute management: Help manage and mitigate potential dispute situations, raise and manage insurance notifications, and work with insurance brokers and external counsel.

The job description also mentions close collaboration with Mace's insurance brokers and occasional external counsel. This means you are not isolated in a legal silo; you are part of a wider risk management ecosystem. The exposure to disputes, insurance, and procurement law will make you a well-rounded commercial lawyer, highly valued across any industry.

The Bigger Picture: Construction Law in a Globalized Market

Construction and infrastructure projects are becoming increasingly complex, with cross-border teams, joint ventures, and digital contracts. The days when a construction lawyer only needed to know local building regulations are long gone. Today's built environment lawyer must understand international standard forms like FIDIC and NEC, public procurement rules, anti-bribery laws, modern slavery regulations, data privacy, and digital contracting. This role demands fluency not only in English but also in Spanish, reflecting the LATAM footprint of the Americas hub.

The requirement for Spanish is not a nice-to-have; it is explicitly listed as a required skill. This signals that Mace intends for this lawyer to work directly with Spanish-speaking clients, partners, and government entities. For bilingual legal professionals, this dramatically expands the range of projects and opportunities available. The role also emphasizes experience with performance-based contracts, joint ventures, and teaming arrangements—structures that are foundational to modern infrastructure delivery but relatively rare in general commercial practice.

Who Should Apply: Decoding the Ideal Candidate Profile

Mace is looking for a mid-level construction or general commercial lawyer, qualified in any jurisdiction relevant to the role. The fact that the role is open to lawyers from any jurisdiction is significant; it reflects the global nature of the company and the need for a candidate who can work across different legal systems. The ideal candidate will have 3-7 years' relevant experience, either in-house or in a private practice construction team. This is not an entry-level position, but it is also not a senior role requiring decades of experience. It sits in the professional sweet spot where you have enough expertise to operate autonomously but still have runway for growth.

Importantly, Mace states that it is an inclusive employer and welcomes interest from a diverse range of candidates, even those who may not fulfil every criterion. If you have strong construction law experience but lack deep Spanish proficiency, you may still be considered if you demonstrate the ability to learn quickly. The company also explicitly says it is open to discussing part-time, flexible, and hybrid working options if suitable for the role—a rarity for a senior legal position.

How to Stand Out in Your Application

Given that this role is posted on LinkedIn and has already attracted 27 applicants in just one day, competition will be strong. To stand out, your application should emphasize the following:

• Construction industry depth: Highlight any experience with FIDIC, NEC, consultancy appointments, joint ventures, or supply chain contracts. Use specific project examples.
• Bilingual capability: If you are fluent in Spanish, make this prominent. Describe any cross-border negotiations or documentation you have handled in Spanish.
• Commercial mindset: Show that you understand risk, insurance, and procurement—not just legal doctrine. Give examples of how you helped a business win work or avoid disputes.
• International exposure: Emphasize any experience working across jurisdictions or with multinational teams.
• Regulatory awareness: Mention your knowledge of anti-bribery, data privacy, modern slavery, and other compliance issues.

Your CV should be tailored to the exact language of the job description. Use the same terms: 'appointment contracts', 'joint venture agreements', 'collateral warranties', 'performance bonds', 'dispute avoidance'. Recruiters and hiring managers often screen quickly, and mirroring their vocabulary increases your chances of passing the initial filter.

For Indian legal professionals and others outside the Americas, this role may seem geographically out of reach. However, Mace is a global employer, and the willingness to consider candidates from any jurisdiction suggests that visa sponsorship or remote/hybrid arrangements might be possible for the right candidate. The role can be based in any Mace Consult location in the Americas hub, so if you have US work authorization, that is a definite advantage. Yet even without it, applying costs nothing, and Mace's inclusive language encourages applications from diverse backgrounds.

This is a role that can transform a legal career. The combination of construction law, international exposure, commercial autonomy, and bilingual practice is rare. If you have the skills and the ambition to redefine boundaries, this may be the opportunity you have been waiting for.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Is this role open to lawyers qualified outside the US?

Yes. The job description explicitly states that the candidate should be 'qualified in any jurisdiction relevant to the role'. Mace operates globally, and the Americas hub spans multiple countries. International experience is actually a preferred qualification. However, you should consider work authorization and whether you can be based in one of the Mace locations in the Americas.

2. Does the role require fluency in Spanish?

Yes, business and legal Spanish (spoken and written) is listed as a requirement. This is because the Americas hub includes several LATAM countries. If you are not fully fluent but are willing to improve, you may still be considered, but you will need to demonstrate a strong commitment to learning.

3. What types of contracts will I be working on?

You will review and negotiate appointment contracts from client tenders, draft joint venture agreements, supply chain step-down contracts, and ancillary documents such as letters of authority (LOAs), non-disclosure agreements (NDAs), parent company guarantees (PCGs), performance bonds, sub-consultant contracts, and collateral warranties. Familiarity with FIDIC and NEC forms is essential.

4. Is flexible or remote work possible for this role?

Yes. Mace explicitly states: 'We are also open to discussing part time, flexible, and hybrid working options if suitable with-in the role.' This is subject to business needs, but it is a positive signal for candidates seeking work-life balance.