Dallas-based Jacobs has named Chasity Henry as its new general counsel, replacing Justin Johnson, who left last month to become the chief legal officer at Westinghouse.
Henry, who has served as Jacobs’ deputy GC for the past four years with a history of leading large-dollar merger and acquisitions, told The Texas Lawbook in an exclusive interview that she is most excited about “the privilege of working alongside an exceptional legal team and outstanding colleagues” at the technology and engineering company, which has a market cap of $15.6 billion.
“During my onboarding, I heard Jacobs described as ‘a company like no other,’ and that has proven to be true,” she said. “The work we do has meaningful impact, and our people are deeply committed to delivering for clients and communities around the world.”
The recipient of the 2023 DFW Corporate Counsel Award for Senior Counsel of the Year, Henry has a two-decade career that began at Vinson & Elkins and has since guided multibillion-dollar M&A transactions as an in-house counsel at corporate giants Dr Pepper Snapple, Kimberly-Clark and CECO Environmental.
Henry said the promotion to general counsel is “both a role expansion and a meaningful transition for me personally.”
“Over the past four years, I have been closely involved in complex matters, enterprise risk and strategic initiatives across Jacobs,” she said. “I now have the responsibility of leading our legal and risk functions and ensuring they are fully aligned with the company’s broader business strategy.”
The GC role, according to Henry, “requires an enterprise perspective.”
“It means setting the vision for the team, continuing strong partnership across the business and serving as a strategic advisor to executive leadership and the board,” she said.
As GC, Henry will work closely with Jacobs Chief Legal Officer Joanne Caruso and Chief Compliance Officer Taggart Hansen on legal, risk and compliance matters.
“That partnership is fundamental to supporting Jacobs’ growth while upholding the highest standards of governance and integrity,” she said. “I see this role as continuing to strengthen that framework while developing our talent and supporting Jacobs’ long-term growth and impact.”
“Global companies today operate in an increasingly complex environment,” Henry said. “Regulatory developments, geopolitical dynamics, evolving risk considerations and heightened stakeholder expectations require careful judgment and coordination. My objective is to ensure that we continue to operate as strategic partners to the business.”
Henry said that Jacobs’ success will depend on “investing in our people and strengthening a high-performing, business-oriented team.”
“It also includes leveraging technology — including AI — and data to enhance insights and working in close partnership with other enterprise functions to maintain a strong and cohesive risk framework,” she said. “At its best, legal does more than address issues. It helps create clarity, supports sound decision-making and enables the business to move forward with confidence.”
The role of the general counsel “has evolved significantly,” Henry said.
“Earlier on, the GC was often viewed primarily as the company’s top legal technician, focused on litigation, contracts and compliance,” she said. “Today, the role is far more integrated into business strategy. General counsel serve as enterprise leaders, advising on governance, risk, cybersecurity, sustainability considerations and crisis management, in addition to traditional legal matters. The position requires both technical depth and strong business judgment.”
“There is also greater expectation around transparency and values,” Henry said. “Stakeholders expect companies to operate consistently with their commitments, and legal plays an important role in reinforcing that alignment.”
In 2014, Henry founded the NEW Roundtable, a nonprofit that brings together in-house and outside counsel with the mission of promoting the advancement of African American women lawyers. NEW stands for Network of Empowered Women.
The NEW Roundtable started with Henry and about two dozen other Black women lawyers and has grown to nearly 100 members, including lawyers in-house, at law firms, in government service or in academia.