Jordan Chester – DNOW

When Jordan Chester joined DNOW more than a decade ago, he didn’t just step into a legal department—he entered a culture of empowerment. What began as a role grounded in contracts and compliance evolved into one of broad leadership and strategic influence. Today, as vice president and deputy general counsel, Chester is part of a lean seven-attorney team that helps guide nearly every aspect of the company’s operations.

DNOW, with a heritage stretching back more than 160 years, is a leading supplier of energy and industrial products and engineered process and production equipment. The company’s reach extends across continents, its products supporting critical sectors that keep industry moving—from oil and gas to renewable energy. It’s a complex, fast-moving environment that requires not just legal acumen, but curiosity, adaptability, and trust—traits that have defined Chester’s journey.

“When I joined, I was drawn to the chance to use both my litigation and transactional experience,” he says. “What I didn’t know then was how much room there would be to grow.”

At DNOW, legal is viewed not as a cost center but as a resource center—a partner in driving the business forward. From the outset, Chester was encouraged to take ownership and expand his range, moving from contracts into investigations, litigation, insurance strategy, and mergers and acquisitions. The mantra, as modeled by his general counsel, was simple: learn it, then lead it.

That philosophy quickly became Chester’s own. Whether guiding the company through a complex acquisition or helping a nervous employee prepare for a deposition, his approach blends clarity with empathy.

“Legal should never be a roadblock,” he says. “We’re here to help the business grow responsibly.”

Building trust through action

That sense of partnership has fueled Chester’s approach to leadership and decision-making. He’s known internally for being hands-on, responsive, and pragmatic—traits honed from years in the courtroom. A former prosecutor and litigator, he knows that preparation and credibility can make or break a case—or a business relationship.

“Litigators learn to advocate, to read people, and to think on their feet,” he explains. “Those skills translate directly into leading a team and working across departments.”

Chester’s litigation background has proven especially valuable in moments of high stakes. In 2022, DNOW faced a serious trade secrets case involving the mass departure of employees from an acquired company. Within 48 hours of a CEO inquiry, Chester uncovered evidence of proprietary information theft. Within three weeks, he filed suit against 12 defendants. Over the next several months, he led a rigorous litigation process that included 50 depositions and culminated in a $6 million jury verdict—secured in less than 300 days.

The experience underscored both his legal instincts and his ability to lead under pressure.

“It was an incredibly intense period,” he recalls. “But it showed what’s possible when you trust your team and move decisively.”

The case remains on appeal, but the result demonstrated DNOW’s resolve to protect its intellectual property and the strength of Chester’s leadership in navigating fast-moving, high-impact disputes.

He also brings that same balance of discipline and flexibility to everyday challenges—whether negotiating vendor contracts or advising on safety and HR policies. Chester aims to resolve commercial agreements in no more than three rounds of revisions.

“It’s about clarity and efficiency,” he says. “Here’s what I need, here’s what I’d like—let’s get there together.”

The goal is always to maintain positive, long-term partnerships, not just reach a signature.

At DNOW, ideas rarely sit idle. If Chester identifies a better process or technology at a conference, he’s empowered to implement it.

“People here value what legal brings to the table,” he says. “They trust us to protect the company while also helping it evolve.”

Developing people, not just policies

That trust is something Chester now works hard to instill in others. As a manager, he sees mentorship not as an add-on but as a core responsibility. He’s intentional about creating opportunities for junior attorneys to stretch beyond their comfort zones—assigning them high-visibility projects, encouraging autonomy, and offering measured guidance along the way.

His leadership style is best captured by a metaphor he often uses: “You’re the kid playing in the front yard. If you get too close to the road, I’ll pull your hoodie—but otherwise, you’re free to explore.” It’s a philosophy that encourages both independence and accountability.

“You want people to feel confident leading a matter without second-guessing themselves,” he says. “We’re in it together, and that makes the work better.”

That approach has helped DNOW’s legal department become known internally as a collaborative, accessible team. Chester encourages open dialogue and cross-functional engagement—when he travels, he visits warehouses and operations teams to better understand their challenges firsthand.

“You learn so much by being in the field,” he says. “It builds credibility when people see you care about their world, not just the legal issues.”

He’s also thoughtful about recruitment and team composition. For Chester, a great hire isn’t defined by the résumé alone.

“I don’t need their baseball card stats,” he says. “I want to know if they’ll be a good face of the department, if they can work within a team, and if they’re hungry to learn.”

He looks for candidates who have faced adversity—those who’ve had to hustle and adapt. Sometimes the practical experience is more important than a perfect résumé, he says. You need a mix of role players and rock stars.

He also sees developing talent as one of the biggest cost savings a company can achieve.

“If you can grow capability internally, you reduce your reliance on outside counsel, improve response time, and build loyalty,” he explains. Still, he admits, management comes with challenges. “Everybody has swings and misses when it comes to identifying talent. The key is to learn from it and get better.”

From prosecutor to partner

Chester’s calm confidence wasn’t always second nature. Early in his career, he struggled with public speaking and anxiety. At his father’s urging, he took a public speaking course that helped him get comfortable being uncomfortable—a lesson that’s carried through his entire career.

“It still happens sometimes,” he admits. “But you learn to channel it, to build rapport, and to focus on helping the person in front of you.”

He originally planned to become a career prosecutor. After law school at Tulane University, he joined the U.S. Attorney’s Office and later served as an assistant state attorney in Jacksonville, Florida. The 2008–09 financial crisis forced him to adapt when public sector hiring froze. He took a position handling two misdemeanor courts—effectively doing the work of six prosecutors in a larger jurisdiction. The experience gave him an accelerated education in trial preparation, case management, and resilience.

When he later moved to Texas, he pivoted into private practice, using a friend’s referral to enter the oil and gas sector. Despite having limited background in the field, he learned quickly—leveraging his courtroom skills and a keen analytical mind to master transactional work. That adaptability caught the attention of DXP Enterprises, which was preparing to spin off what would become DNOW. The company recruited him for his rare combination of litigation experience and contract fluency.

Since joining in 2014, Chester has worn many hats—handling everything from M&A due diligence to corporate governance, insurance management, and operational policy. He attends board meetings, drafts proxy statements, and advocates for the company during insurer negotiations in London and Bermuda. Through it all, he’s remained grounded in the principle that curiosity and preparation unlock opportunity.

Looking back, he recognizes that the detours in his career—from public service to corporate law—shaped him in ways a straight path never could have.

“Not having a traditional M&A or securities background might have closed some doors early on,” he says, “but it also pushed me to find creative ways to add value. That’s been a huge advantage here.”

A culture of ownership & opportunity

After more than a decade, Chester remains energized by DNOW’s culture—one that rewards initiative, promotes from within, and values long-term commitment. Many leaders at the company have been there for decades, some starting on the warehouse floor and rising to senior management.

“That says a lot about how the company treats people,” he says.

He’s had other opportunities over the years but has chosen to stay, drawn by the sense of ownership and impact that comes with the role.

“At DNOW, if you bring a good idea, it gets heard,” he says. “There’s a willingness to trust people to lead and to let them grow.”

That same spirit of empowerment defines his leadership style and his view of the legal department’s purpose.

For Chester, success isn’t measured in cases won or contracts signed—it’s in the relationships built, the teammates developed, and the trust earned across the organization.

“We’re problem-solvers first,” he says. “If we can help someone navigate a tough issue and make the company stronger in the process, that’s a win.”