VP of Legal - Retail Leasing

Full Time

Washington DC or Dallas, TX

Posted 1 week ago

A national commercial real estate owner/operator is seeking an experienced real estate attorney to serve as a senior legal advisor to its business teams.

Responsibilities

Act as the lead legal advisor for a portfolio of commercial properties, delivering practical and responsive guidance.

Negotiate, draft, and close complex leasing and real estate transactions, including major tenant leases, ground leases, lease modifications, and related property agreements.

Advise business stakeholders across acquisitions, development, leasing, operations, and finance on deal terms, tenant issues, construction obligations, and risk.

Provide guidance on significant transactions, acquisitions, dispositions, and strategic initiatives.

Oversee and coordinate the work of attorneys, paralegals, and outside counsel, including managing legal spend.

Improve legal processes, templates, and use of technology to increase efficiency and consistency.

Mentor and support the development of junior team members.

Represent the legal function in leadership and cross-functional discussions.

Support other priority matters as needed.

Qualifications

J.D. from an ABA-accredited law school and active bar admission in at least one U.S. jurisdiction

8-10+ years of progressive legal experience in commercial real estate, including substantial retail leasing experience

Demonstrated experience leading complex, multi-party leasing, development, and redevelopment transactions

Senior in-house experience or a comparable role requiring independent judgment and close business partnership

Experience with legal operations, contract management and workflow tools, and outside counsel management and cost control

Strong executive presence and a record of delivering results with minimal supervision

Preferred

Experience with a commercial real estate owner, operator, or investor

Background in development, construction, or real estate finance matters

Exposure to environmental or regulatory issues in real estate

Mentoring or management experience