Senior Real Estate Law Clerk

ZSA Canada; Toronto; On-site; CAD 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading real estate development organization is seeking a highly experienced Senior Real Estate Law Clerk to join their in-house legal team in Toronto, Ontario. This role involves managing real estate transactions and financial processes, providing vital support to the legal department. Candidates should have 8–12 years of relevant experience, exceptional organizational skills, and advanced financial acumen. The ideal candidate thrives in a high-performance environment and is comfortable working closely with senior executives.

Qualifications

• 8–12+ years of experience as a Real Estate Law Clerk in a real estate development environment.
• Experience with Low-Rise APS drafting and administration.
• Knowledge of Ontario real estate practice and Land Titles system.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate real estate transactions, including acquisitions and financings.
• Manage legal department invoicing and financial reporting.
• Ensure compliance with legal documentation requirements.

Skills

Real estate transactions management

Financial analysis

Legal compliance monitoring

Document drafting

Team collaboration

Education

Post-secondary diploma or degree in Law Clerk or Legal Administration

Tools

Microsoft Excel

Teraview

Job description

Overview

Our client is seeking a highly experienced Senior Real Estate Law Clerk to join the in-house legal team of a leading real estate development organization. This role will play a key operational and transactional support function within the Legal department, working closely with the SVP & General Counsel, development teams, finance, and external counsel.

The successful candidate will manage a broad range of real estate transactions across Ontario and the United States, oversee legal department financial processes, and support budgeting and business planning initiatives. This position is ideal for a senior law clerk who enjoys operating at the intersection of legal, financial, and development functions within a fast-paced development environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Real Estate Transactions & Development Support

• Independently manage and coordinate real estate transactions, including acquisitions, financings, joint ventures and inter-company transfers, including frequent land banking and take-down acquisitions of US lots related to Build-to-Rent projects with our US affiliate, Ashton Woods

• Draft updates, review and administer Low-Rise Agreements of Purchase and Sale, including amendments, assignments and related documentation

• Responsible for enrollment and registrations related to HCRA and Tarion

• For future launch projects, assist in the preparation and review of condominium documentation packages and coordinate with sales teams

• Coordinate closings, manage closing checklists, circulate signature packages and maintain transaction records

• Prepare summaries of key agreements for internal legal and business teams

• Prepare comprehensive summaries of key agreements for legal and business teams if required by lawyers within the Legal Group

• Legal Operations & Financial Management

• Manage legal department invoicing, including tracking, review, coding, and submission of external counsel invoices

• Prepare monthly legal spend summaries and accruals

• Support annual legal budgeting and matter-based cost tracking

• Assist with preparation of reports and financial summaries for senior leadership

• Maintain and improve legal tracking systems, dashboards, and reporting tools

• File Management & Compliance

• Maintain bring-forward systems for critical transaction dates and milestones

• Oversee electronic legal file management and documentation systems

• Track litigation matters and provide periodic status updates

• Monitor compliance documentation including HCRA, Tarion, and Land Registry requirements

• Identify and escalate potential risk exposures or missing documentation

• Strategic & Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Act as a key liaison between Legal, High-Rise and Low-Rise, Finance, and external counsel

• Support internal stakeholders throughout the development lifecycle

• Identify opportunities to improve legal processes and operational efficiency

• Assist with special initiatives led by the SVP & General Counsel

Qualifications & Experience

• 8–12+ years of progressive experience as a Real Estate Law Clerk within a real estate development company or leading real estate law firm

• Significant hands-on experience with:

• Low-Rise APS drafting and administration

• Real estate acquisitions, financings and joint ventures

• Deep working knowledge of Ontario real estate practice, Land Titles system and Teraview

• Strong understanding of development lifecycle

• Experience managing legal invoicing and supporting departmental budgets

• Advanced proficiency in:

• Microsoft Excel (financial tracking and reporting)

• Post-secondary diploma or degree in Law Clerk or Legal Administration

Core Competencies

• Exceptional organizational discipline and efficiency

• Strong financial acumen

• High level of initiative and ownership

• Comfortable working with senior executives

• Ability to manage multiple large projects simultaneously

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills

• Solutions-oriented mindset with strong judgment

Ideal Profile

This role is ideal for a senior clerk who:

• Is currently operating at a high level within a development company or leading major real estate law firm

• Wants to be deeply embedded in the business side of development

• Is comfortable being the operational anchor of a lean legal team, with landholdings in both the US and Ontario

• Enjoys taking ownership and improving systems

• Thrives in a high-accountability, high-performance environment

For more information or to submit your CV to [e-mail] reference #LI34231