Corporate Counsel

Role Purpose

Under the guidance of a Vice President –Associate General Counsel or Senior Counsel, provides legal counsel, support and representation to the department or division served. May perform complex legal assignments in area of specialization

Key Accountabilities

• Provide primary legal support for hotel development across MLAC, including managed, franchised, conversion, mixed-use, and branded residential projects.
• Draft and negotiate letters of intent, franchise agreements, hotel management agreements, key money agreements, guarantees, confidentiality agreements, amendments, side letters, and related documents.
• Support development transactions from initial deal structuring and internal approval through due diligence, negotiation, signing, and closing.
• Advise the Development team on ownership structures, commercial terms, project milestones, fees, guarantees, financing arrangements, termination rights, and other transaction matters.
• Coordinate legal and compliance due diligence and manage local outside counsel across MLAC jurisdictions.
• Support franchise disclosure and other regulatory requirements applicable to development transactions.
• Provide additional legal support to hotel operations and internal business teams on commercial contracts, owner matters, operational issues, and other day-to-day legal needs.

• Identify and escalate material legal, commercial, compliance, and reputational risks.

Key Skills & Experiences

Education

• Law degree and authorization to practice law in a relevant jurisdiction

Experience

• 3 to 4 years of relevant legal experience, preferably in corporate, commercial, real estate, franchising, or hospitality matters.
• Transactional experience drafting and negotiating commercial agreements.
• Strong drafting, negotiation, analytical, and organizational skills.
• Practical business judgment and ability to communicate legal issues clearly to business teams.
• Ability to manage multiple transactions across different MLAC jurisdictions.
• Professional fluency in English and Spanish. Portuguese is an advantage.
• Hospitality, franchise, hotel management, or real estate development experience is preferred.

Technical Skills and Knowledge

• Demonstrated ability to draft a variety of legal documents.
• Demonstrated project management experience in organizing, planning and executing large-scale
  projects from conception through implementation.
• Demonstrated experience in leading, advising and developing people.
• Demonstrated effective verbal and written communication skills for the purpose of providing information to clients, outside counsel, vendors and other third parties, senior management and staff.