Real Estate Associate Attorney

Real Estate Associate Attorney

Direct Counsel is seeking a Real Estate Associate Attorney to join a highly regarded California-based real estate practice in Sacramento. This is an excellent opportunity for an attorney with 3+ years of meaningful real estate and finance experience to focus primarily on commercial real estate transactions, while working alongside a team that also handles development-related disputes and strategic counseling matters.

The role offers sophisticated exposure to the full real estate life cycle, from early-stage development through financing, asset management, and project execution.

Location

Sacramento, California

Position Overview

The ideal candidate will have at least 3 years of commercial real estate transactional experience, including meaningful work involving:

• Commercial acquisitions and dispositions
• Real estate finance
• Development projects
• Asset management matters
• Leasing and operational agreements
• Due diligence and title review
• Transaction structuring and closing execution

This position is primarily transactional, though the successful attorney will work closely with litigators and counselors on broader real estate strategy matters when needed.

Key Responsibilities

• Draft and negotiate:
  • Purchase and sale agreements
  • Loan and financing documents
  • Development-related agreements
  • Leasing and operational documents
• Support commercial real estate acquisitions, dispositions, and financings
• Conduct due diligence, including title, survey, and project review
• Advise clients through early-stage development and project commencement
• Assist with asset management and ongoing property-related legal issues
• Collaborate with litigation colleagues on disputes when transactional support is needed
• Counsel clients on risk management and project strategy

Qualifications

• J.D. from an accredited law school
• 3+ years of real estate law and finance experience
• Strong background in commercial real estate transactions
• Excellent drafting and analytical skills
• Client-focused and highly responsive communication style
• Self-motivated, team-oriented, and eager to grow
• California bar admission preferred

Compensation

Base salary range: $165,000 – $210,000. Compensation will depend on years of experience, transaction sophistication, and overall fit.

Ideal Candidate

The ideal attorney will be:

• Transactionally strong in commercial real estate
• Interested in development-oriented work
• Comfortable with financing and deal structuring
• Entrepreneurial and client-facing
• Excited by Sacramento regional growth and project work
• Looking for a collaborative California platform

Why This Opportunity

This is a compelling opportunity for a California real estate associate seeking substantive transactional work tied to active regional development and growth projects. The Sacramento platform is especially attractive for candidates interested in development, finance, and long-term client counseling relationships.