1. 800. 973.1177
LAWCROSSING FEATURED EMPLOYER OF THE WEEK
ChevronTexaco [Joann Chang] With a friendly work environment and increasing in-house work, ChevronTexaco is proving to be an attractive option for attorneys looking for a change from law firms.
Besides having the world’s fourth largest
quarters are described as beautiful and the
share of the oil market, energy giant Chev-
atmosphere as pleasant and considerate.
ronTexaco also has a small army of 190 law-
Additionally, company attorneys often get to
yers. ChevronTexaco’s presence in over 180
do some significant paid traveling to distant
countries as well as the complicated legal
places such as Bahrain and Indonesia. One
nature of the oil production and refinement
recently dismissed litigation case involved
industry creates plenty of litigation work
plaintiffs in Ecuador. Additionally, the com-
for its lawyers. The legal department often
pany’s unique 9/80 plan at ChevronTexaco
brings in outside counsel to assist in litiga-
allows workaholic employees to squeeze 80
tion matters; Filice, Brown; King & Spalding;
hours in 9 days and take an extra day off.
Pillsbury Winthrop; Strong Pipkin are among the company’s favorites. And whatever posi-
Since its merger in 2001, ChevronTexaco has
tions are not filled by litigation attorneys
been making increasing efforts to promote
at ChevronTexaco are left for intellectual
diversity in spite of heavy layoffs and few
property and tax lawyers.
new positions. While Chevron and Texaco separately did not set any records with their
In 2002, when ChevronTexaco’s Vice Presi-
previous diversity efforts, the merged cor-
dent and General Counsel, Harvey Hinman,
poration has increased both its minority and
announced his plans to retire, ChevronTexa-
female percentages in the total workforce.
co knew it had to hire a top lawyer to fill his
According to ChevronTexaco’s website, the
position. After some months of deliberation,
minority and female percentages now each
ChevronTexaco decided on Charles A. James,
stand at over 30% of total employees. The
an Assistant Attorney General in charge
company has also significantly improved its
of the Antitrust Division at the DOJ. Since
diversity among its official- and managerial-
his arrival, one of Charles James’ toughest
level employees.
challenges has been to improve the management of the corporation’s litigation caseload.
Although future positions in law firms may
With $60 million a year going mostly towards
be precarious when a lawyer undertakes an
outside litigation work, the legal team at
in-house position, lawyers at ChevronTexaco
ChevronTexaco is looking to reduce costs in
get well compensated for their efforts. On
2004 by bringing some of its work in-house.
top of corporate salaries and the usual office
James has tasked an eight-attorney team
frills, ChevronTexaco offers its employees a
to examine ways to increase productivity for
stock purchase plan. And considering the $1
both in-house and outside counsel work.
billion in profit and $90 billion in revenues last fiscal year, taking advantage of stock
Despite the unglamorous work with gas and
options is probably a very smart idea. The
oil, the general corporate atmosphere at
company will also pay for a portion of higher
ChevronTexaco Corp. gets high marks from
education, provide benefits for domestic
all its employees. The San Ramon head-
partners, and contribute towards alleviating
PAGE 1
adoption fees.