Law Clerk

Location

Brookfield Place - 181 Bay Street

Job Description

DESCRIPTION: 

Reporting to the Vice President, Legal, this position will provide commercial leasing law clerk (office/retail) services with respect to all legal entities in Eastern Region Canada within the Brookfield Properties’ portfolio.  This includes but is not limited to drafting and negotiating offers, leases and related documents, providing legal support and performing lease administration functions.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Draft, revise, and assist in negotiating office/retail Leases & ancillary lease documents such as Lease Extensions/Renewals, Amendments, Surrender, Overhold, Consent to Subleases, Parking Agreements, Storage Agreements, Default Letters, NDAs, and general correspondence to landlords and legal counsel
• Maintain, update, and perform data entry for lease document information on behalf of counsel in VTS (Electronic Lease Workflow)
• Interact with internal clients and external legal counsel and tenants, under the supervision of counsel
• Provide general administrative support to counsel and managers
• Instruct outside counsels with respect to the preparation, negotiation and completion of legal documentation including reviewing drafts and approval of final documents submitted by outside counsels for execution by Landlord.
• Participate in legal initiatives including preparation of estoppel certificates and major tenants' lease summaries in connection with financing, organizing leasing precedent system, updating lease document templates, and participating in other special projects.
• Handle tenant's requests for transfer of lease including obtaining all required information for Landlord’s review, reviewing lease documents to determine Landlord's rights, and obtaining Landlord's approval (including discussion with financial analyst, property manager and asset managers). Inform tenants of Landlord's decision including drafting and sending letters explaining Landlord's refusal, or preparing, negotiating, and completing any required consent documents.
• Supervise and review ancillary documents prepared by junior legal assistants including aiding in drafting and reviewing tenant's amendments.
• Provide ongoing support to leasing managers, property managers, asset managers and other Brookfield staff in areas such as interpretation and review of lease documents, providing advice as to rights, restrictions, and obligations, and drafting documentation and correspondence as requested.
• Perform other lease administration functions including preparation of lease summaries, ensuring quality of information recorded in Lease Management Systems (including inputting and approving deals), providing updates for status reports and maintaining list of retail exclusives and first rights.

QUALIFICATIONS

SERVICE / PERSONAL SKILLS: 

• The ideal candidate would have prior experience in an inhouse legal department or law firm with excellent interpersonal and communications skills (oral and written).
• Exceptional attention to detail, with superior level of reading comprehension skills, sophisticated drafting skills, good judgement and strong negotiating and analytical skills.
• This individual should be able to work independently with minimal supervision and is self-motivated with a positive attitude.
• Candidate should be a team player, able to work under pressure, meet deadlines, judge changing priorities, and take strong initiative.

EXPERIENCE & TECHINCAL SKILLS:

• Minimum 5 years related legal experience in commercial (office and retail) leasing
• Sophisticated comprehension of leasing issues
• Advanced level Microsoft Office skills
• Knowledge of Yardi and VTS would be considered an asset but not essential

EDUCATION / DESIGNATIONS / LICENSES:

• Recognized law clerk course or equivalency in experience

We are proud to create a diverse environment and are proud to be an equal opportunity employer. Accordingly, we will accommodate the needs of all qualified applicants with disabilities during the recruitment and selection process in accordance with the Ontario Human Rights Code and Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act.

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