Legal Counsel

Overview of the Company

With more than 47 years of experience, Walton is one of North America’s leading land experts and a premier global real estate investment firm. Founded in 1979, Walton currently manages over US$ 4.54 billion of real estate assets in the United States and Canada, with more than 89,000 acres under management.  The head office is in Scottsdale AZ, USA and we have offices located in the UAE, Southeast Asia, China and Canada.

We are a fast-paced environment, who promote flexibility and authenticity to ensure employees can manage their day and meet both work and personal commitments.

Position Summary 

In this role, you will serve as In-House Legal Counsel. You will be functionally responsible for the legal affairs of the Walton Group of Companies (defined below), and to ensure that its business is conducted and its strategies, policies and programs are developed and applied in compliance with all applicable laws, in an ethical and responsible manner, and in full recognition of all legal implications and risks.

To provide high-quality, ethical advice and legal services regarding United States laws to Walton and its affiliates (collectively, the “ Walton Group of Companies ”), as may be required from time to time and to generally assist the executive team with business and legal matters that may raise from time to time.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

The essential functions include, but are not limited to the following:

·       Provide a wide range of legal services and advice to the Walton Group of Companies.  

·       Work under the supervision of Chief Financial Officer, and closely with executive management team, senior management and employees at all levels and outside legal counsel. 

·       Review, draft, and advise business units regarding various agreements, contracts, legal documents and corporate governance documents

·       Advise on and provide research, advice and other legal assistance to the executive team and operational personnel on a broad range of issues and perform legal services in the area of real property matters and such other matters as may be generally be described as a “general practice of law”, including but not limited to the legal disciplines of real property acquisitions, dispositions, matters attendant to title, survey, zoning and entitlements, real property finance, management and development, litigation and related legal disciplines.  

·       Assist in the areas of compliance and corporate governance issues, provide recommendations, and interface and coordinate with the global legal operations of the Walton Group of Companies.  

·       Stay informed of industry-specific regulations and changes in real estate law and regulations, identify and evaluate legal and business risks, and develop comprehensive risk management strategies to mitigate those risks. Strike sensible and practical balance between managing legal and business risks and meeting business objectives.

·       Assist with departmental management and the development and management of systems and protocols to be implemented, maintained and managed by the department.  

·       Communicate with outside counsel and other legal professionals as needed.

·       Provide transactional project management in a manner designed to create efficiency and ease of informational access for the Walton executive team and operational personnel.  

·       Ensure compliance with deadlines and critical dates under various transactional documents and manage communications with operational personnel and the Walton executive team regarding the same.  

·       Perform such other duties as are typically performed by a senior legal counsel for a company of similar size and structure, and as may be assigned or delegated by the General Counsel.

·       Uphold ethical standards and maintain confidentiality in handling sensitive legal matters

Minimum Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities)

• Law degree from a nationally recognized law school 
• Member in good standing of a State Bar 
• Minimum of 15 years of proven legal experience with a primary focus on real estate, with a combination of law firm and corporate in-house experience a plus
• Well organized with excellent written and verbal communication skills, with a high attention to detail and ability to present complex information in concise and understandable manner
• Proactive, with the ability to work independently and as part of a team to meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment
• Ability to adapt easily to changing department needs 
• Ability to develop innovative solutions to address complex issues in a manner that achieves business objectives while appropriately assessing the significance of legal matters and related risks  

Note

This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee(s) of this position. Employees will be required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform any other job-related duties requested by any person authorized to give instructions or assignments. All duties and responsibilities are essential functions and requirements and are subject to possible modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities. To perform this job successfully, the employee(s) will possess the skills, aptitudes, and abilities to perform each duty proficiently. Some requirements may exclude individuals who pose a direct threat or significant risk to the health or safety of themselves or others. The requirements listed in this document are the minimum levels of knowledge, skills, or abilities. This document does not create an employment contract, implied or otherwise, other than an at will relationship.

The company is an equal opportunity employer, drug-free workplace,  and complies with  ADA regulations as applicable.