We are seeking a highly skilled and experienced Corporate Counsel specializing in Real Estate to join our dynamic Legal team. The ideal candidate will work on all legal matters related to our retail estate portfolio, providing strategic guidance, risk assessment, and legal support to ensure the Company's continued success and growth.
Duties & Responsibilities:
- Provide strategic legal counsel on all Company real estate matters.
- Act as attorney for the Real Estate team, drafting and negotiating conformed and nonconformed retail lease agreements, lease amendments, and ancillary documents (including, but not limited to, storage agreements, pylon sign agreements, monument sign agreements, subordination non disturbance agreements, and commencement date agreements) and ensuring that strategic initiatives and the needs of all internal stakeholders are adequately represented in the real estate lease negotiation process.
- Assist the Real Estate team in establishing and updating Company retail leasing standards and legal strategy for the U.S. store portfolio.
- Negotiate, draft, and finalize lease agreements and lease amendments for corporate offices, distribution centers, and other locations worldwide, and manage various legal matters related to such locations.
- Analyze and advise on lease management issues including landlord demands, defaults, and lease enforcement issues.
- Partner with Real Estate, Store Construction, Store Operations and Finance teams to ensure company-wide understanding of relevant legal provisions and timely execution of transactions.
- Assist with real estate litigation matters, including ADA accessibility complaints.
- Develop effective relationships with landlord legal counterparts and support the Real Estate team in managing relationships with large portfolio landlords.
- Perform due diligence in connection with potential company mergers and acquisitions as such pertains to real estate.
- Identify opportunities to minimize risks and improve processes and efficiencies related to lease negotiations.
- Work collaboratively with and support colleagues across the Legal team on a variety of cross- functional commercial contracts, projects, and departmental initiatives, as needed.
Essential Qualifications:
- 7+ years of commercial leasing experience from a law firm and/or in-house legal department, including extensive knowledge of current retail store lease practices and trends.
- Ability to handle a high volume of leases and ancillary contracts and meet tight deadlines.
- Proven success in establishing and maintaining business relationships with key stakeholders.
- Strong business acumen and the ability to communicate legal concepts to non-attorney business partners.
- Exceptional analytical, communication and project management skills and the ability to handle multiple priorities at any given time, with little oversight.
- Admission and member in good standing of the New York bar.
- Hybrid/Flex opportunity. New York and Tristate candidates preferred