Director, Senior Corporate Counsel – Real Estate

This position is listed on behalf of a partner company, who manages all applications and next steps. Our partner is looking for a Director, Senior Corporate Counsel – Real Estate based in United States.

This is a senior legal leadership opportunity supporting a large-scale retail real estate portfolio and its ongoing evolution. You will serve as a strategic legal advisor to real estate, store development, construction, facilities, and property management teams. The role covers sophisticated transactions across new store development, leasing, remodels, relocations, portfolio optimization, and closures. You will negotiate complex commercial real estate agreements while balancing legal risk, business priorities, and operational objectives. The position combines hands-on transactional work with strategic counsel to senior stakeholders in a fast-paced retail environment. You will also oversee external counsel, manage legal budgets, and support the resolution of real estate-related disputes. This role is ideal for an experienced real estate attorney who can provide practical, commercially focused advice and operate confidently across complex, high-value matters.

• Draft, negotiate, review, and oversee documentation for sophisticated retail real estate transactions, including leases, amendments, construction agreements, architectural and design agreements, letters of intent, reciprocal easement agreements, purchase and sale agreements, SNDAs, estoppels, and related documents.
• Provide strategic legal counsel supporting the development, repositioning, and optimization of the retail store portfolio.
• Advise real estate, development, construction, facilities, and property management teams on transactional and operational legal matters.
• Counsel business leaders and management on real estate strategy, legal risks, contractual obligations, and practical approaches to achieving business objectives.
• Monitor compliance with real estate-related contractual obligations and address non-compliance through negotiation, amendments, and other appropriate legal solutions.
• Partner with internal stakeholders to support new store development, lease negotiations and renewals, remodels, relocations, portfolio optimization initiatives, and store closures.
• Manage relationships with external legal counsel involved in real estate transactions, including oversight of document preparation and negotiations.
• Review and manage outside counsel fees against established budgets and ensure efficient use of external legal resources.
• Provide legal support for real estate-related disputes and litigation, including matters involving mechanics' liens and construction cost disputes.
• Balance legal, commercial, operational, and risk considerations while providing clear, practical, and business-oriented recommendations.
• Build trusted relationships with internal clients and serve as a strategic legal partner in a highly collaborative retail environment.

Requirements

• Juris Doctor (JD) degree and admission to practice law in an applicable U.S. jurisdiction.
• 8+ years of legal practice experience, preferably within a law firm, corporate legal department, or relevant regulatory environment.
• Strong experience handling sophisticated commercial real estate transactions, ideally within a retail or similarly complex multi-site environment.
• Demonstrated expertise negotiating leases, complex lease amendments, construction and design agreements, purchase and sale agreements, reciprocal easement agreements, SNDAs, estoppels, and related real estate documentation.
• Proven ability to advise business stakeholders on complex legal issues while balancing risk management with commercial and operational objectives.
• Experience supporting real estate development, construction, facilities, property management, and portfolio-related activities.
• Strong negotiation, drafting, analytical, and problem-solving skills, with exceptional attention to detail.
• Ability to communicate complex legal concepts clearly and practically to executives, business leaders, and cross-functional stakeholders.
• Experience managing outside counsel, legal budgets, and third-party relationships.
• Familiarity with real estate-related disputes and litigation, including mechanics' liens and construction cost matters, is valuable.
• Strong judgment and the ability to prioritize and manage multiple complex matters in a fast-paced business environment.
• A collaborative, commercially minded approach and the ability to operate effectively as a strategic business partner.
• Experience at a senior level handling complex matters commensurate with the scope and responsibilities of the position.

Benefits

• Targeted pay range of $127,000–$237,800.
• Competitive total rewards package that may include incentive compensation, equity, and additional benefits.
• Individual compensation determined based on experience, location, internal pay equity, and other relevant business considerations.
• Regular compensation reviews focused on competitive and equitable pay.
• Generous benefits package.
• Paid leave in accordance with applicable state requirements.
• Remote work opportunity.
• Opportunity to operate in a senior strategic legal role supporting a complex national retail real estate portfolio.
• Exposure to sophisticated transactions spanning real estate, development, construction, facilities, and portfolio strategy.