Co-General Counsel

ACC - Association of Corporate Counsel; Petaluma (CA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

ACC - Association of Corporate Counsel in Petaluma, CA seeks two Co-General Counsels specializing in Commercial Real Estate to guide property transactions, leases, development, and regulatory/compliance efforts.

You will shape real estate strategy, mitigate risk across diverse projects, and advise business units on complex deals. A JD from an ABA‑accredited school and CA Bar admission are required, with strong negotiation and drafting skills.

Qualifications

• J.D. from ABA-accredited law school required.
• Active California Bar license required.
• Experience in commercial real estate, leases and financing preferred.
• Strong negotiation, drafting and risk assessment skills.

Responsibilities

• Provide legal guidance on real estate transactions, leasing, development and regulatory/compliance matters.
• Review, draft and negotiate agreements and lease documents.
• Advise on property management issues and lender-related matters.
• Collaborate with business units to structure complex deals and ensure governance.
• Oversee compliance reporting and risk mitigation across real estate projects.

Skills

Real estate transactions

Contract negotiation

Contract drafting

Regulatory compliance

Risk management

Legal advisement

Cross-functional collaboration

Litigation coordination

Education

Juris Doctor (J.D.) from ABA-accredited law school

California Bar admission (in good standing)

Bachelor's degree in Finance / Economics / Business / Real Estate

Job description

Job Overview

We are seeking TWO dynamic and highly skilled attorneys to serve as Co-General Counsel specializing in Commercial Real Estate to provide expert guidance on all legal matters related to property transactions, leasing, development, and regulatory/loan compliance. This pivotal role offers an exciting opportunity to shape our real estate strategy, mitigate risks, and ensure adherence to legal standards across diverse projects. The ideal candidate will possess a proactive mindset, exceptional negotiation skills, and a comprehensive understanding of the legal landscape surrounding commercial property operations.

Summary of Duties

• Legal advisor on business matters and real estate transactions.
• Review, draft and negotiate agreements.
• Review lease agreements
• Advise on property management issues.
• Advise business development, finance and other department staff on legal issues, risks, complex deal structures, approval processes, company policies, property rights and negotiation strategies.
• Manage lender compliance reporting; CMBS loan experience preferred.
• Negotiate, review and manage lender loans, abstracts and debt structure
• Assist with HR matters
• Manage Property Tax Appeals

Corporate:

• Structure and create legal entities.
• Assist with monitoring and maintaining corporate governance practices.
• Assist in preparing and filing corporate filings with local and state governments.

Contracts:

• Negotiate deal terms with company personnel and outside advisors, as needed.
• Review vendor contracts as needed
• Determine appropriate legal and business language and draft legal documents that accurately capture the terms of transaction and minimize legal risk.
• Review and analyze documents to determine and assist in fulfillment of contractual obligations.
• Ensure that contract provisions can be implemented and are capable of being administered after execution
• Support continuous improvement of standard forms, agreements, and legal processes.

Company Objectives:

• Participate in consideration, formulation, and execution of business objectives, strategies, and policies of the company.
• Provide legal guidance to meet business needs.
• Special projects as required.

Litigation Matters:

• Overall supervision of litigation matters including analysis of threats and merits of disputes, appropriate defense strategies, and strategic measures negotiation and approval of settlements.
• Provide internal legal recommendations and efficiently resolve business legal issues.

EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS

• Juris Doctor (J.D.) Degree: Must be from an American Bar Association (ABA) accredited law school.
• State Bar Admission: An active, "in good standing" license to practice law in California.
• Bachelor's Degree: A four-year degree from an accredited university. Preferably with a degree in Finance, Economics, Business Administration, or Real Estate.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

• This position has no supervisory responsibilities

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Movement within office complex environment
• Ability to write by hand and use keyboard extensively to perform general office functions
• Ability to communicate by speech and hearing continuously
• Visual acuity needed for close detail work and computer use
• Ability to sit for extended periods of time
• Ability to occasionally walk, stand, stoop, kneel, crouch, and reach with hands and arms
• Ability to occasionally lift and carry up to 20 pounds (periodic lifting of supplies)

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly exposed to a general office environment.
• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement:

We provide equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.

As part of our hiring process, we conduct background checks on candidates who receive a conditional offer of employment. You will be provided with a disclosure and authorization form prior to any screening.