Senior Counsel - Leasing & Operations

Description:

CIRE Equity is an entrepreneurial, growth-oriented company focused on the creation and preservation of wealth through targeted investments in commercial real estate in the Western United States. We are passionate about real estate, dedicated to hard work, and strive for excellence in everything that we do. We value our employees and aim to create a fun, merit-based environment that encourages hard work, creative thinking, and high-quality performance. We foster persistent improvement and we are seeking like-minded individuals who share our attention to detail and passion for excellence to join our growing team.

What Makes CIRE Special

At CIRE Equity, we want our employees to be successful, and we believe that a large part of success is aligned around our unique core values that form our cultural DNA.

PERSISTENT IMPROVEMENT

Relentless Cultivation of Our Potential

QUALITY PERFORMANCE

Executing Beyond Expectations

CREATE OPPORTUNITY

Innovative Thinking to Produce Value

AUTHENTIC COMMUNITY

Building Relationships Through Sincere Interactions

Beyond technical competencies, we hire team members with emotional intelligence and awareness because we believe that creating a safe space for open sharing and direct feedback leads to higher-functioning teams and resilience in overcoming challenges. We work hard and play harder, celebrating company success as a team.

Purpose of Position

The Senior Counsel - Leasing & Operations, reporting to the Portfolio General Counsel, is responsible for all legal matters related to lease negotiations and the operations of the real estate portfolio. The Senior Counsel will work closely with the Portfolio General Counsel, external counsel, and various departments of the Company on leasing transactions, property operations matters, and asset management transactions.

Requirements:

Job Duties/ Responsibilities

Leasing

• Provide training to the Asset Management team on LOI negotiations, lease negotiations, and other legal issues related to leasing, asset management and property operations.
• Draft and negotiate commercial leases with focus on optimizing the balance between favorable terms and time to consummate the lease, solidifying relationships with tenants and their counsel, and creative problem-solving and risk mitigation.
• Review and update existing lease forms; create new forms and alternative provisions for new product types or unique circumstances.
• Manage external leasing counsel for overflow or specialized leasing matters.
• Negotiate brokerage agreements in local markets and ensure that the terms comply with local, state, and federal laws.
• Ensure all leasing activities comply with various governing authorities.

Property Operations

• Draft and review, or supervise paralegal staff in drafting and reviewing, various real estate related contracts, including service agreements and construction contracts.
• Advise property teams on potential legal risks and mitigation strategies.
• Oversee the demand and default processes of tenants or other related parties to the assets.
• Manage or coordinate with external counsel on various issues related to the assets such as eminent domain, updating declarations or CC&Rs, seeking variances or zoning requests, insurance claims, and any other asset-related compliance or disputes that may arise.

General

• Counsel Asset Management, Property Management and Lease Administration team members on legal aspects of operational matters.
• Represent the company in legal proceedings and negotiations.
• Maintain accurate records of all legal related documents.
• Recommend and train various property teams in the formulation of legal policy, procedure, and processes for operations.
• Coordinate the involvement and ensure quality output of outside counsel on leasing and property operations matters.
• Contribute to risk mitigation analysis and strategy associated with the Company’s business operations.

Leadership

• Supervise and mentor the lease compliance team members.
• Develop and implement key performance metrics for leasing and lease compliance functions.
• Align leasing and property operations objectives with Company strategy.
• Reinforce company culture within the legal department.

This is not intended to be an exhaustive list and additional duties may be assigned.

Reporting Structure

• Position directly reports to: Portfolio General Counsel

Position Requirements

Position Competencies

• J.D. degree from an accredited law school
• Bar Admission: Licensed to practice law in the relevant jurisdiction

Work Experience Qualifications

• Legal Experience: 8+ combined years of experience with real estate transactions, including transactional and litigation experience.
• In-House Experience: Previous experience as in-house counsel, preferably in the real estate sector (preferred but not required).
• Proven track record in negotiating and drafting complex real estate contracts, agreements, and leases.
• Deep understanding of real estate regulations and compliance laws.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills for effective interactions with stakeholders.
• Proven track record for recommending and implementing improvements to practices and policies.
• Ability to lead and manage a legal team to high performance.
• High level of accuracy and attention to detail in legal documentation.
• Creative problem-solver.

Working Conditions

Environment

The primary working environment is an Indoor Office Setting utilizing computer workstation and general office equipment. The position will sit at their workstation for a significant portion of the work. Some positions may need to travel to asset locations and these sites will vary in nature. Employees are required to comply with all applicable safety provisions as posted on site or briefed by management. This includes use of any required PPE specific to said location.

Physical Requirements

The physical demands of the position are consistent with administrative/clerical work in an office setting and involves extended periods of sitting at a desk, using a computer for typing and data entry, and managing paperwork. It requires fine motor skills for operating a keyboard and mouse, as well as handling and organizing documentation, which may involve lifting, bending, and reaching. Employees also need to walk around the office for tasks like delivering documents or attending meetings and maintain good visual attention for prolonged periods of reading or screen time.