In-House Real Estate Counsel

Job Description

Job Description

Counsel/Senior Counsel, Real Estate (New York, NY)

Position Overview
LHH is partnering with its client, a family-owned real estate investment and development company with a commercial portfolio spanning industrial and other assets, to find Counsel/ Senior Counsel, Real Estate to join its team. In this role, you will serve as the company's Swiss army knife legal advisor, protecting and helping grow a dynamic real estate business. This is a rare opportunity for a law-firm-trained or real estate company-trained attorney to transition in-house and enjoy a balanced lifestyle without sacrificing sophistication or impact. The position is based in New York City and will require a mostly on-site presence to immerse in the business and collaborate closely with the leadership team.

Core Responsibilities
In this broad, hands-on role you will oversee all legal functions and transactions for the company. Key responsibilities include:

• Real Estate Transactions: Lead acquisitions, dispositions, and commercial leasing deals from term sheet to closing. Draft and negotiate purchase & sale agreements and leases; manage due diligence (e.g., title and survey review) and closing processes, often with the assistance of outside counsel.
• Financing & Refinancing: Coordinate loan and refinancing transactions -review and negotiate loan documents, handle financings and refinancings (e.g., mortgages, lines of credit), and ensure smooth closings in partnership with outside counsel. Expect to manage an active deal pipeline (e.g., multiple asset refinancings, dispositions, and new acquisitions anticipated in the near term).
• Lease Enforcement & Tenant Relations: Manage lease enforcement and landlord-tenant issues (from tenant defaults to evictions) to protect the company's interests. Provide pragmatic guidance on resolving tenant disputes and maintaining positive tenant relationships.
• General Commercial Contracts & Risk Management: Draft, review, and negotiate a variety of commercial agreements (service contracts, vendor agreements, NDAs, etc.) that arise in the course of running the business. Issue-spot and mitigate legal risks across the company's operations, providing day-to-day counsel to the executive team.
• Outside Counsel Management: Serve as the key liaison to outside law firms (e.g., financing attorneys, litigators, specialized counsel). Manage and coordinate outside counsel engagements to ensure effective, cost-efficient handling of complex matters while retaining internal oversight and responsibility for key decisions.
• Legal Operations: As the sole in-house legal resource (with no internal paralegal ), handle legal tasks and document drafting directly. Set up basic legal processes, templates, and record-keeping. Over time, help shape the future development of the legal function.

Required Qualifications

• J.D. from an accredited law school and bar membership in good standing (NY strongly preferred; ability to register in NY as in-house counsel acceptable).
• ~5-10+ years of legal experience in commercial real estate law. Strong preference for candidates trained at a sophisticated law firm or established real estate company.
• Substantial experience leading real estate transactions (commercial acquisitions, dispositions, leasing) and coordinating real estate financing deals (loans, refinancings, joint ventures). Comfort navigating loan documents and working with lenders and outside counsel on closings.
• Prior in-house counsel experience is a plus (not strictly required), but you must demonstrate the ability to operate independently and own projects in a lean environment, with minimal hand-holding.
• Excellent judgment, issue-spotting, and problem-solving skills. Must be able to identify legal and business issues proactively and provide practical, solutions-oriented advice to non-lawyer colleagues.
• Culture fit: Self-starter who is business-minded, adaptable, and hands-on. Thrives in a family-owned, entrepreneurial company with an all-hands-on-deck mentality. Collaborative and low-ego, able to build trust with a small leadership team.
• Work ethic and independence: Willing to be a doer - from drafting documents and managing contracts to advising on strategy - and comfortable as the go-to legal resource for the entire organization.

·

Personal Attributes

• Self-starter with strong initiative and accountability
• Practical, business-oriented mindset
• Strong collaboration and communication skills

Work Environment

• New York City-based role
• Primarily on-site environment with flexibility for personal scheduling needs; possibility for a hybrid schedule once acclimated

Compensation and Benefits

• Competitive compensation, based on experience. Anticipated range is base of $175-210k plus annual bonus
• Benefits package available including medical, dental, and vision benefits and paid time off program, including vacation, sick leave, and paid holidays

Actual compensation will be determined based on experience, skills, and qualifications.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled To read our Candidate Privacy Information Statement, which explains how we will use your information, please navigate to -privacy The Company will consider qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records in accordance with federal, state, and local laws and/or security clearance requirements, including, as applicable: • The California Fair Chance Act • Los Angeles City Fair Chance Ordinance • Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers • San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance

Pay Details: $175,000.00 to $210,000.00 per year

Search managed by: Carolyn Aberman

Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled

Military connected talent encouraged to apply

To read our Candidate Privacy Information Statement, which explains how we will use your information, please navigate to -privacy

The Company will consider qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records in accordance with federal, state, and local laws and/or security clearance requirements, including, as applicable:

• The California Fair Chance Act
• Los Angeles City Fair Chance Ordinance
• Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers
• San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance

Massachusetts Candidates Only: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.