Associate, Real Estate

White-; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 225,000 - 390,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

Life and disability coverage

401(k) retirement savings

Vacation time, and parental leave

Job summary

White & Case is seeking a mid-level real estate associate in Chicago focused on data center transactions. The role requires a JD from an accredited law school, Illinois bar admission, and at least four years of real estate experience in a large firm.

Experience with international transactions is preferred, including coordinating multi-country workstreams and managing local counsel. Strong drafting and communication skills are essential in a high-volume, deadline-driven practice.

Qualifications

• JD required from an accredited law school.
• Admitted to the Illinois bar.
• Minimum four years of real estate experience in a large firm.
• Experience with data centers or digital infrastructure transactions preferred.
• International transaction exposure preferred.
• Fluency in English; excellent drafting and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Represent domestic and international investors, developers, lenders in data center and CRE transactions.
• Draft and negotiate purchase/sale agreements, leases, joint venture agreements, and finance documents.
• Advise on leasing, acquisition, disposition, development, financing and operations of data centers.
• Coordinate cross-border multi-country transactions by coordinating local counsel and diligence.
• Support all stages of leasing transactions from structuring to closing.
• Conduct due diligence including lease review, title and survey reviews.
• Identify jurisdictional differences affecting property rights and structures.
• Assist other practice groups on real estate matters as needed.
• Conduct legal research and prepare practical analyses on real estate issues.

Skills

Data center transactions

Commercial real estate leasing

Cross-border coordination

Negotiation and drafting

Client service and communication

Team collaboration

Education

Juris Doctor (JD) degree

Admitted to Illinois bar

Job description

Our Real Estate Practice provides market-leading advice on transactions and disputes with real estate at the core. We assist developers, owners, private and institutional investors, corporates, lenders, and underwriters around the world in understanding industry trends and their impact on business. Our expertise extends to advising borrowers, lenders, and servicers across all types of domestic and international real estate financings. Clients trust us to manage the intricacies of their transactions and disputes, synthesising legal and commercial knowledge to provide counsel that translates into successful outcomes. By leveraging our deep understanding of real estate and legal frameworks, we help clients achieve their goals in a dynamic and evolving market.

Position Summary

We are currently looking for a mid-level real estate associate to join our Chicago office with a focus on data center transactions. In addition to strong academic credentials, you should possess excellent technical skills and a solid foundation in commercial real estate leasing. Bright and adaptable, you should be willing to work across a broad range of real estate matters and asset classes, including work that may fall outside a traditional real estate practice. Experience with international transactions is preferred, particularly coordinating multi-country workstreams, managing local counsel and recognizing jurisdiction-specific issues that affect transaction structure, diligence and execution. Strong oral and written communication skills will be significant assets, enabling you to explain complex legal concepts to non-lawyers. Working on a relatively high volume of matters at any one time, you will need to be highly organized, adept at managing multiple workstreams and producing outstanding results within the short deadlines often demanded by our clients’ projects. Collaborative and cooperative, you should enjoy working as part of a team but also demonstrate an independence of thought and action, proactively anticipating clients’ needs and exceeding their expectations by developing creative and original solutions to their problems.

Duties and Accountabilities

• Represent domestic and international investors, owners, developers, operators, lenders and institutions in data center, digital infrastructure and other commercial real estate transactions
• Draft and negotiate documentation for a wide range of real estate transactions, including purchase and sale agreements, joint venture agreements, leases, development agreements and real estate finance documents, as well as ancillary documents such as certificates, resolutions and consents
• Advise on leasing, acquisition, disposition, development, financing and operational matters involving data centers and other commercial real estate assets
• Assist with cross-border and multi-country transactions by coordinating local counsel, diligence workstreams and jurisdiction-specific advice
• Support all stages of leasing transactions, including transaction structuring, document preparation, negotiation, diligence, signing and closing
• Conduct and coordinate due diligence for real estate transactions, including acquisitions, dispositions, financings and joint ventures
• Identify and communicate material jurisdictional differences affecting property rights, leasing structures, utilities, permitting, data center operations and transaction execution
• Support M&A, private equity, fund formation, debt finance and other practice groups with respect to real estate matters
• Ensure that our clients’ interests are properly represented and protected at all times
• Conduct legal research and prepare practical analyses of real estate, leasing, data center and jurisdiction-specific legal issues

Qualifications

• A Juris Doctor (JD) degree (LLM or foreign equivalent) from an accredited law school required
• Admitted to the Illinois bar
• Minimum of four years of relevant real estate experience in a large firm setting
• Strong general commercial leasing experience, including drafting, reviewing and negotiating leases and related transaction documents
• Experience should include representing borrowers and lenders in financing transactions with respect to various asset classes, with a preference of experience in data centers or other digital infrastructure transactions
• Exposure to international transactions, multi-country coordination and local counsel management preferred
• Familiarity with jurisdiction-specific differences affecting real estate transactions and an ability to recognize when specialized local advice is required
• Experience conducting due diligence, including lease review, title and survey review and drafting due diligence reports
• Strong time management skills, ability to stay calm under pressure when juggling multiple projects
• Strong professional presence with a client service focus
• Team player with sound judgment
• Proactive, resourceful, takes initiative and a self-starter driven by professional growth
• Outstanding communication skills
• Excellent drafting skills
• Fluency in English

Locations and Compensation

Offices: Chicago
Salary range: $225,000 - $390,000

Equal Opportunities

White & Case is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer and is committed to creating a fair workplace. It is our Firm's policy to recruit, employ, train, compensate and promote without regard to race, color, religion, creed, national origin, age, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, military or veteran status, disability, genetic information, or any other category protected by applicable law. Applicants who are interested in applying for a position and require an accommodation during the process should contact [e-mail].

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Life and disability coverage
• 401(k) retirement savings
• Vacation time, and leave programs (including parental leave)
• Exempt roles are also performance bonus eligible

Note to Recruitment Agencies

Our internal Recruitment team manages all aspects of lateral hiring. All agencies must have signed terms of business-before submitting any candidates. CVs or applications sent directly to White & Case partners or employees will also not be considered formal introductions. If you have questions, please contact the relevant Recruitment team. We work with our preferred suppliers when engaging agencies.

Firm Summary

White & Case is an elite global law firm serving leading companies, financial institutions and governments worldwide. With a long history as an international firm, we are well-positioned to help clients resolve their most complex legal challenges wherever they may arise. Operating across six continents and working in virtually every country, we have invested heavily in building a high-quality, full-service practice that competes at the top of the market. We are distinguished by our on-the-ground presence in key financial markets and our expertise in handling complex cross-border work. What sets us apart is not just our global network of offices but the interconnectedness of our Firm. Our people and clients value our collaboration across geographic and practice boundaries, which is why we attract and retain significant cross-border work. Representing multiple nationalities from across the world and speaking a vast array of languages, our lawyers and Business Services professionals are globally minded, enterprising, and committed to excellence.