Joseph Herbster has joined the Firm as of counsel in the Energy Practice, based in the Houston Office. He arrives from Amazon.com where he was Senior Corporate Counsel.
Mr. Herbster has 15 years of experience as a lawyer in both corporate and private practice, focused in the areas of energy, transportation, and logistics. He served in various in-house counsel positions at Amazon.com for the past six years, most recently as senior corporate counsel for worldwide operations—the sole business-line corporate lawyer for Amazon’s North America Customer Fulfillment network—and was previously senior corporate counsel for workplace health and safety.
Prior to joining Amazon.com, Mr. Herbster was assistant general counsel at Houston-based TotalEnergies, where he defended the company in high-stakes environmental litigation matters, and was an in-house counsel at Chevron Phillips Chemical Company in The Woodlands, Texas. He began his legal career as an associate in the Houston offices of two major law firms, representing energy clients on environmental, land use and natural resources issues.
“Joe has advised some of the most prominent worldwide corporations in the energy, transportation, and logistics sectors, as both a senior in-house counsel and as outside counsel,” said Jeff Schlegel, who leads Jones Day’s Energy Practice. “His experience in these areas, and perspective on what clients both face day-to-day and what they can expect to face in the future during a period of tremendous change, is an incredible asset to our practice. I am delighted that he has joined Jones Day.”
Mr. Herbster joins a team of more than 120 lawyers in Jones Day’s Energy Practice who provide counsel to clients in all aspects of the worldwide energy and natural resources industry. He will both support and expand the Firm’s capabilities to serve clients on energy-industry disputes, regulatory compliance, competition, state aid rules, infrastructure development, marketing and trading, workplace health and safety, and M&A and joint venture transactions.
“Joe is well-known here in the Greater Houston legal community and has cultivated a reputation for excellence as a corporate lawyer in the areas of workplace safety, environmental compliance, and logistics operations,” said Nicole Perry, Partner-in-Charge of Jones Day’s Houston Office. “He is an exceptional addition to the Jones Day team and we look forward to welcoming him to our office here in the energy capital of the world.”
Mr. Herbster earned his law degree from the University of Houston Law Center and his undergraduate degree from the University of Kansas.
“Jones Day’s global Energy Practice has always been at the forefront of evolving trends that impact the energy sector, helping their clients get ahead of changes that will shape the future of the industry,” said Mr. Herbster. “I am grateful for the opportunity to return to private practice at this dynamic global law firm that has achieved its success by focusing on client service excellence and the seamless collaboration of their lawyers. As in-house counsel, I considered Jones Day the ‘go-to firm’ for my most complex and challenging matters, so I look forward to joining this team of trusted advisors in Houston and throughout the Firm.”
