Commercial & Leasing Lawyer

The Buckle, Inc.; Kearney (NE); On-site; USD 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

The Buckle, Inc. is seeking a Commercial and Leasing Counsel to support the negotiation, drafting, and management of commercial contracts and retail real estate leases essential to store development.

This role relies on established templates, playbooks, and negotiation standards under the guidance of senior Legal Department leadership. The position requires cross-functional collaboration with Leasing, Store Construction/Operations, IT, Marketing, Sales, Finance, and other leaders to steer

Qualifications

• Experience drafting, reviewing and negotiating commercial agreements and real estate leases.
• Familiarity with compliance concepts and risk assessment in real estate transactions.
• Ability to work with templates, playbooks, and standardized forms.

Responsibilities

• Negotiate and administer real estate leases and related documents using company templates.
• Draft, review, and negotiate a broad range of commercial agreements.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to guide negotiations and mitigate risks.

Skills

Commercial contracts

Real estate leases

Drafting & negotiation

Risk management

Cross-functional collaboration

Templates & playbooks

Education

J.D. degree

Job description

Summary

The Commercial and Leasing Counsel supports the Company's commercial contract negotiation, drafting, and management; retail real estate leasing transactions in support of store development; and day-to-day compliance processes and procedures. This role manages a high volume of commercial agreements and lease transactions, relying on the Company's established templates, playbooks, and negotiation standards under the supervision of senior Legal Department leadership and in partnership with senior Leasing leadership, and exercises sound judgment about when to escape novel, higher-risk, or unusually complex matters.

This is a highly cross-functional, high-visibility role that requires building trusted working relationships with partners across Leasing, Store Construction/Operations, IT, Marketing, Sales, Finance, and other Company leaders. Success depends on the ability to think commercially, anticipate business implications, and guide business partners through negotiations toward efficient resolution.

Essential Duties And Responsibilities

This description intends to describe the general nature and level of work performed by Teammates assigned to this job. It is not intended to include all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications. To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Real Estate Leasing and Portfolio Management

• Support the Company’s real estate portfolio by negotiating and administering leases, amendments, renewals, and related transaction documents, primarily using the Company’s conformed lease forms; support Leasing and Store Construction/Operations on new store development, relocations, expansions, and closures.
• Support and lead resolution of disputes and legal matters involving contracts, leasing, landlord-tenant issues, and other business matters, including coordinating with outside counsel as directed.

Commercial Contract Negotiation, Risk Management and Legal Support

• Draft, review, and negotiate a broad range of commercial agreements, including technology, intellectual property, confidentiality, data privacy, marketing, vendor/procurement, and other business agreements, using and helping refine the Company’s standard templates and playbooks.
• Partner proactively and collaboratively with business stakeholders throughout negotiations, anticipating commercial implications, offering practical alternatives, and helping steer transactions through competing priorities and complex deal dynamics toward efficient, business-appropriate resolution.
• Identify and flag legal, operational, and financial risks in commercial contracts, leases, and portfolio matters, and recommend practical, business-aligned mitigation strategies.

Cross-Functional Collaboration, Process Improvement and Legal Operations

• Help maintain and continuously improve the Legal Department’s leasing and commercial contracting templates, negotiation standards, playbooks, and training resources.
• Build and sustain strong, trust-based, cross-functional relationships that promote effective collaboration and position Legal as a proactive business partner.

General

• Fulfill mission statement by performing job duties with a high level of customer service while contributing to a positive team spirit.
• Special projects and other duties as assigned.

Supervisory Responsibilities

This job has no supervisory responsibilities.

Education And/or Experience

• Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from an ABA-accredited law school and active member in good standing of at least one U.S. state bar required.
• At least two (2) to four (4) years of relevant experience as a practicing attorney required. Candidates with as few as two (2) years of experience will be considered where that experience is concentrated in commercial real estate/leasing matters.
• Prior in-house experience preferred but not required.

Key Competencies

• Experience negotiating and drafting commercial agreements and/or real estate leases strongly preferred; familiarity with retail real estate leasing, including lease amendments and the use of standardized or conformed lease forms, is a plus.
• General familiarity with compliance and regulatory concepts required; exposure to public company governance or disclosure considerations related to real estate transactions is a plus but not required at this level.
• Strong drafting, negotiation, analytical, and written/verbal communication skills.
• Sound, practical judgment and the ability to work autonomously with light supervision and support, independently managing a high volume of transactions and deadlines while recognizing when to seek guidance or elevate.
• Highly collaborative mindset with a demonstrated ability to quickly build trust and rapport with cross-functional, non-legal stakeholders.
• Commercially minded problem-solver who can proactively guide and steer business partners through ambiguity, competing priorities, and complex transactions toward practical resolution.
• Comfort operating within, and helping to continuously improve, standardized templates, playbooks, and processes.
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to prioritize and manage multiple concurrent projects and deadlines.

Physical Demands

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

While performing the duties of this Job, the Teammate is regularly required to sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel and talk or hear. The Teammate is occasionally required to stand; walk; reach with hands and arms and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The Teammate must frequently lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.

Ability to operate a motor vehicle and complete errands based on business needs.

Work Environment

While performing the duties of this job, the Teammate regularly works in an office setting. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Buckle is committed to hiring and developing the most qualified Teammates from the available workforce in the communities we serve.

Equal employment opportunity has been, and will continue to be, a fundamental principle at Buckle, where employment is based upon personal capabilities and qualifications without discrimination and retaliation because of veteran status, uniformed service member status, race, color, national origin or ancestry, creed, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, pregnancy (including childbirth, lactation, and related medical conditions), national origin or ancestry, physical or mental disability, genetic information (including characteristics and testing), or any other protected characteristic as established by applicable local, state, or federal law. For state specific information, refer to the Teammate Center.