Corporate Counsel - Transactions

Hyatt Hotels Corporation; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 160,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Free hotel stays globally

Headspace subscription by Hyatt

Family assistance policy

Paid Time Off and benefits

Job summary

Hyatt Hotels Corporation, based in Chicago, seeks a Corporate Counsel to join the North America transactions team. The role involves advising on hotel ownership, franchising, and management agreements, while supporting development, asset management, and portfolio transactions.

You will interact with stakeholders across the organization, domestically and abroad. The ideal candidate has 4-8+ years of transactional experience, a JD, and US bar licensure, plus strong leadership, accountability, and

Qualifications

• 4-8+ years of transactional experience in a law firm or in-house.
• Juris Doctorate degree and US licensure.
• Strong leadership and accountability for outcomes.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Advise on a broad range of commercial matters including hotel ownership, franchise relationships and management structures.
• Support development and asset management teams on deals, renewals, financings, restructurings, and portfolio transactions.
• Negotiate and draft hotel management and franchise agreements and related arrangements.
• Structure, diligence, and negotiations for acquisitions, dispositions and hotel openings/ exits.
• Coordinate with cross-functional teams and outside counsel to meet business objectives.

Skills

Leadership

Accountability

Communication

Interpersonal skills

Education

Juris Doctorate

Job description

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\"I believe successful people are the ones who take the initiative to learn, unlearn and relearn. It’s important to constantly challenge your knowledge and step out of your comfort zone.\"

Peggy Focheux Duval: Director of Learning & Development, France

Hyatt Hotels Corporation is looking for a passionate and enthusiastic Corporate Counsel (the “Counsel”) to join its Legal Department. The Counsel will be a part of and report into the transactions team and support transactions for Hyatt-franchised and Hyatt-managed hotels in North America. The Counsel will work on deals both independently and with other lawyers and paralegals in the Legal Department, manage outside counsel, support diverse client groups within the Company, and interact with leaders at all levels of the Company, both in the Chicago headquarters and the field. The position is located at the Company’s headquarters in downtown Chicago, Illinois, with a minimum requirement of 3 days per week in office. You will be part of a team that is passionate about our purpose, committed to nurturing curiosity and new skills, and building connections across the organization with colleagues, customers, and guests.

Experience: The successful candidate will have 4-8+ years of experience in a law firm and/or an in-house legal department with experience in commercial transactions, mergers and acquisitions, real estate, or finance. Experience with the hotel industry, hotel management agreements, and franchise agreements is preferred but not required.

Who We Are

At Hyatt, we believe in the power of belonging and creating a culture of care, where our colleagues become family. Since 1957, our colleagues and our guests have been at the heart of our business and helped Hyatt become one of the best and fastest-growing hospitality brands in the world. Our transformative growth and the addition of new hotels, brands, and business lines can open the door for exciting career and growth opportunities for our colleagues.

As we continue to grow, we never lose sight of what’s most important: People. We turn trips into journeys, encounters into experiences, and jobs into careers.

Why Now?

This is an exciting time to be at Hyatt. We are growing rapidly and are looking for passionate changemakers to be a part of our journey. The hospitality industry is resilient and continues to offer dynamic opportunities for upward mobility, and Hyatt is no exception.

How We Care for Our People

What sets us apart is our purpose—to care for people so they can be their best. Every business decision is made through the lens of our purpose, and it informs how we have and will continue to support each other as members of the Hyatt family. We’re proud to have earned a place on Fortune’s prestigious 100 Best Companies to Work For list since 2013. This recognition is a testament to the tremendous way our Hyatt family continues to come together to care for one another, our commitment to a culture of inclusivity, empathy, and respect, and making sure everyone feels like they belong.

• Annual allotment of free hotel stays at Hyatt hotels globally
• Work-life benefits including wellbeing initiatives such as a complimentary Headspace subscription, and a discount at the on-site fitness center
• A global family assistance policy with paid time off following the birth or adoption of a child as well as financial assistance for adoption
• Paid Time Off, Medical, Dental, Vision, 401K with company match

Who You Are

As our ideal candidate, you understand the power and purpose of our culture of care, and embody our core values of Empathy, Inclusion, Integrity, Experimentation, Respect, and Wellbeing. You enjoy working with others, are results-driven, and are looking for a variety of opportunities to develop personally and professionally.

The Role

Key responsibilities include providing legal support to clients throughout the organization as well as colleagues within the Legal Department. This role involves interaction at all levels of the Company, both in the corporate headquarters and in the field.

This includes, but is not limited to:

• Advising on and handling a broad range of commercial matters relating to hotel ownership, franchise relationships, and hotel management structures, including structuring, drafting, and negotiating hotel management agreements, hotel franchise agreements, and related commercial arrangements.
• Supporting Hyatt’s development and asset management teams in connection with new hotel deals, contract renewals, amendments, financings, restructurings, and portfolio transactions.
• Advising on owner/franchisee relationship matters, including contract renewals, terminations, amendments, owner/franchisee financings, and dispute avoidance/resolution.
• Structuring, negotiating, and conducting diligence in connection with acquisitions, dispositions, co-ownership, and credit support structures, purchase and sale agreements, and other operative agreements for opening and operating hotels.
• Negotiating agreements and liaising across legal and other departments related to hotel transitions, including conversions between managed and franchised properties, changes of hotel ownership, openings, and exits.
• Effectively working with attorneys, paralegals, and outside counsel on matters, as necessary, to accomplish legal and business objectives.

Qualifications

Experience Required

• 4-8+ years of experience in a transactional practice in a law firm or an in-house legal department.
• Juris Doctorate degree and licensed to practice in a jurisdiction within the United States.
• Leadership acumen and a track record of demonstrating these skills.
• Demonstrated track record of accountability for outcomes.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; ability to communicate clearly and concisely.
• Responsible and proactive self-starter, capable of simultaneously handling multiple, multi-faceted projects and competing deadlines.
• Ability to work both independently with minimal supervision and collaboratively as part of cross-functional teams.
• High level of integrity and professional ethics.
• Superior intellect, with the ability to think critically and make clear and well-reasoned decisions; ability to see and handle more than the legal issues of a project; strong, pragmatic business acumen with the ability to recognize the business consequences of legal advice; a strategic and innovative thinker who can bring value to his or her clients, anticipate issues and find creative solutions to complex legal problems.
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to interface effectively and appropriately with individuals at all levels, both within and outside the Company.
• Enthusiasm, passion, and a down-to-earth attitude with a “roll up your sleeves” approach.

Experience Preferred:

• Experience with the hotel industry and/or hotel management agreements and franchise agreements.

The position responsibilities outlined above are in no way to be construed as all-encompassing. Other duties, responsibilities, and qualifications may be required and/or assigned as necessary.

The salary range for this position is $160,000 to $190,000. This position is also eligible to earn incentive awards, an annual bonus, monthly or quarterly incentives, etc. The final pay rate/salary offered to the successful candidate will depend on experience, skill level, and other qualifications for the role, as well as the location of the performance of work. Pay for the successful candidate will meet local requirements, including the local minimum wage rate.

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