Corporate Counsel

Cousins Properties; Atlanta (GA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Cousins Properties in Atlanta seeks a Counsel to provide high-quality legal services with a focus on operational support across all markets. The role handles commercial contracts, property-related disputes, and leases, partnering with property management and internal teams.

This on-site position reports to the General Counsel; candidates must hold a JD and 4+ years in a corporate setting, with experience in real estate, drafting and negotiating, risk assessment, and collaboration across

Qualifications

• Juris Doctor (J.D.) from an accredited law school.
• Strong drafting, negotiation, and analytical skills.
• Experience in commercial contracts, commercial real estate, or property-related litigation.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a day-to-day legal partner to property management across all markets.
• Draft, review, negotiate, and manage leases and other commercial contracts.
• Manage property-related litigation and coordinate with outside counsel as needed.
• Advise on insurance, indemnity, and risk allocation in contracts and disputes.
• Collaborate with business partners and risk management on legal issues.

Skills

Contract drafting

Negotiation

Analytical skills

Communication

Risk assessment

Education

Juris Doctor (J.D.)

Tools

Microsoft Office

Contract management systems

Knowledge management systems

Job description

Headquartered in Atlanta, Cousins is a fully integrated, self-administered and self-managed real estate investment trust (REIT). Cousins has a simple, compelling strategy: Premier urban Sun Belt office portfolio, Disciplined about capital allocation, Best-in-class balance sheet, with Strong local operating platforms. Acting through its operating partnership, Cousins Properties LP, primarily invests in Class A office buildings located in high-growth Sun Belt markets. Cousins Properties (NYSE: CUZ) develops, owns, and manages a 20+ million square foot trophy office portfolio in the high-growth Sun Belt markets of Atlanta, Austin, Charlotte, Dallas, Nashville, Tampa, and Phoenix.

Founded in 1958, Cousins creates shareholder value through its extensive expertise in the development, acquisition, leasing, and management of high-quality real estate assets. The Company has a comprehensive strategy in place based on a simple platform, trophy assets, and opportunistic investments. For more information, please visit www.cousins.com.

Job Summary

The Counsel role is designed to deliver high-quality legal services within the organization in an impactful and efficient manner, with a focus on operational support across all Cousins markets. The Counsel will serve as a legal partner to property management and other internal teams, managing commercial contracts, property-related litigation, and a broad range of legal issues affecting the company’s properties and operations. Strategic lease negotiations, real estate transactions, corporate governance, and other legal matters are handled by other members of the legal team; this role focuses on operational support, commercial contracts, and property-related disputes.

This position reports to: General Counsel.

This position is located in Atlanta, Georgia. This is an on-site position. This is not a remote or hybrid position.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a day-to-day legal partner to property management teams across all Cousins markets, providing practical, business-oriented advice on operational matters, including support on all property owner associations
• Draft, review, negotiate, and manage a broad range of office leases (including ancillary leasing documents) and other commercial contracts, including vendor and service agreements, property management agreements, construction and capital project contracts, licensing and access agreements, NDAs, consulting agreements, and other operational agreements supporting the company’s properties and corporate functions
• Manage property-related litigation and pre-litigation matters, including landlord-tenant disputes, tenant defaults, vendor/contractor disputes, insurance defense, and casualty matters, coordinating with outside counsel as appropriate
• Advise on insurance, indemnity, and risk-allocation provisions across contracts and disputes, partnering with the company’s risk management function on claims, coverage issues, and loss matters
• Provide advice and counsel to business partners on legal issues affecting the company’s properties and other areas of the company
• Participate in strategy and collaboration regarding risk assessment and management across the legal department and business units
• Contribute to the continuous creation and improvement of legal templates, playbooks, and clause libraries to enhance consistency and efficiency
• Support the implementation and optimization of legal technology tools, including contract lifecycle management, matter management, and knowledge management systems
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders and outside counsel as needed on specialized or escalated matters, and assist in managing outside counsel relationships, scope, and budgets
• Work closely with the General Counsel and Associates General Counsel on operational legal matters, with appropriate escalation of strategic, transactional, or governance matters
• Perform other duties and special projects as assigned by the General Counsel

The above statements are intended only to describe the general nature of the job and should not be construed as an all-inclusive list of position responsibilities.

Qualifications

Successful Candidate

• Juris Doctor (J.D.) from an accredited law school;
• 4+ years of relevant legal experience, with experience in a corporate legal department preferred;
• Background in commercial contracts, commercial real estate, and/or property-related litigation;
• Strong drafting, negotiation, and analytical skills;
• Demonstrated ability to translate legal analysis into clear, practical guidance for non-lawyer business partners;
• Sound judgment and the ability to identify, elevate, and manage legal risk in a fast-paced operational environment;
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage a high volume of matters across multiple markets and stakeholders;
• Comfort working both independently and collaboratively across legal, property management, accounting, risk, and other corporate functions; and
• Willingness to travel periodically to Cousins’ markets as needed.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (Minimum Required)

• Active license to practice law in good standing in at least one U.S. jurisdiction; if not already admitted in Georgia, must obtain admission to the State Bar of Georgia within two (2) years of hire;
• 4+ years of relevant legal experience;
• Working knowledge of commercial contract law;
• Familiarity with insurance and indemnification concepts as applied to commercial real estate operations and disputes;
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and comfort adopting and optimizing legal technology tools;
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills;
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build trusted relationships across the organization; and
• Commitment to the highest standards of professionalism, ethics, and confidentiality.

Compensation

Cousins Properties offers a competitive compensation and benefits package, including base salary, annual bonus eligibility, and a comprehensive benefits program.

Cousins is an equal opportunity employer where employment decisions are based on merit, qualifications, and aptitude. The Company does not discriminate in employment opportunities or employment practices on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, sex (including gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity), national origin or ancestry, physical or mental disability, veteran status, age, genetic information, or any other class or characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.