PURPOSE OF ROLE
The primary purpose of this role is to identify legal risks and execute a mitigation plan by understanding legal issues and translating them into easily understood and practical legal advice and counsel to applicable business units. This includes responsibility for managing, negotiating, drafting and overseeing a variety of complex and cutting-edge commercial real estate transactions, general environmental matters and general commercial contract matters. The position will: review, draft, negotiate and provide business-focused legal advice in connection with the management and oversight of commercial real estate transactions involving retail and/or industrial facilities; conduct legal research; provide legal advice on issues impacting the business; and analyze and summarize legal documents. This role manages and supports client groups by providing practical legal advice and recommendations on day to day legal issues, enabling the client to meet its business objectives consistent with the Company's risk tolerance. The ideal candidate is a business-minded commercial attorney who understands business objectives and helps balance legal risks under tight deadlines. A strong working knowledge of general commercial contracts as well as multi-jurisdictional commercial real estate transactions (including ALTA surveys, title insurance, land use, environmental issues, construction matters, eminent domain and dispute resolution) is required. The successful candidate is also a creative problem-solver and team player with a positive attitude and collaborative mind-set.
RESPONSIBILITIES
- Provides legal advice and counsel in connection with the structuring, negotiation, documentation and closing of major retail, industrial, and office commercial real estate transactions memorialized in purchase and sale agreements, leases (including ground leases, building leases and build-to-suit leases), reciprocal easement agreements, site development agreements, construction contracts, common area maintenance agreements and associated amendments thereto as well as closing statements, closing instruction letters, estoppel certificates and subordination and non-attornment agreements
- Monitors developments, including proposed legislation and court decisions, related to commercial real estate, construction, and environmental law and evaluates their impact on operations
- Recommends and provides legal advice and support primarily to the company’s Real Estate, Engineering & Construction, and Supply Chain organizations in developing policy and procedural improvements, consulting the business on issues related to real estate and environmental law, and providing practical advice in response to rapidly changing conditions
- Works with outside legal counsel and orchestrates legal processes on behalf of the company in liaison with outside counsel at the direction of the Senior Counsel and executive leadership
- Works with key strategic external relationships through involvement in industry, community, or civic groups to bring added value to the company
- Conducts legal research and applies research to facts and is able to communicate the analysis in an easily understood work product to leadership
- Identifies legal risks and designs plans to mitigate and prevent legal risks
- Drafts, reviews, and negotiates a variety of agreements and documents and continuously seeks ways to improve the forms, processes, or systems involved
- Prepares and delivers training, memoranda, and presentations to employees, management, executives, or other members of the Legal Department on legal matters
- Collaborates on complex projects and supports others in the Legal department (i.e. attorneys across the Legal Department in order to provide meaningful and practical advice and recommendations to clients), including providing real estate and other due diligence support for mergers and acquisitions transactions and service-based contracts that interface with enterprise real-estate.
- Negotiates with outside parties on contractual issues and legal disputes including settlement conferences or negotiating key contract terms
REQUIRED EDUCATION / EXPERIENCE
- Juris Doctor degree
- 3+ Relevant experience in a top tier law firm or mixture of relevant experience in top-tier law firm, corporate legal department setting, and/or government agency
- Active state bar member in good standing of at least one U.S. jurisdiction
- 1+ Direct experience with public company legal issues, processes and procedures
- 3+ Demonstrated proficiency in one legal functional area
PREFERRED EDUCATION / EXPERIENCE
- Career track of progressive, documented accomplishments with broad diversity of experiences
- Knowledge of and exposure to legal issues encountered by a multi-national retailer
- Financial literacy, including basic understanding of project finance, accounting, and tax issues
- Knowledge of and exposure to construction contracts and construction law
- Experience supporting supply chain projects, including contracts with third-party logistics providers, final-mile carriers, and equipment purchases/leases
