Corporate Legal Counsel

Vaco LLC; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 200,000 - 250,000; Full time

Job summary

Real Estate – Property Management Firm is seeking a Corporate Legal Counsel in New York City. Hybrid—3 days in office—to advise senior leadership and business teams on legal, regulatory, contractual, and risk matters across the organization.

The ideal candidate has a J.D. with real estate or property management experience, in-house background preferred, and the ability to partner with across-function teams on governance, employment, commercial agreements, and strategic initiatives.

Qualifications

• Juris Doctor from an accredited law school.
• Real Estate or Property Management industry experience.
• In-house counsel experience and supporting employee law, HR, or contract management preferred.
• Broad exposure across governance, compliance, employment, and commercial matters.

Responsibilities

• Advise executive leadership on legal and business matters.
• Oversee governance, regulatory compliance, risk management, and contracts.
• Draft, review, negotiate, and manage contracts and legal documents.
• Develop contract management processes and governance procedures.
• Support employment-related matters and employee relations.
• Coordinate with outside counsel and manage disputes.
• Monitor regulatory developments and advise stakeholders.

Skills

Legal expertise

Contract drafting

Regulatory compliance

Negotiation

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Juris Doctor (J.D.) from an accredited law school

Job description

Company: Real Estate – Property Management Firm

Role: Corporate Legal Counsel

Salary: $200,000 - $250,000/annually

Location: New York City (Hybrid – 3 days a week in office)

About the Role: Our client, a top real estate firm, isseeking an experienced legal professional to serve as a trusted advisor to senior leadership and business teams across the organization. This role will provide guidance on a broad range of legal, regulatory, contractual, and operational matters while helping to manage risk and support business objectives.The ideal candidate combines strong legal expertise with sound business judgment and the ability to work effectively across multiple functions in a fast-paced environment. This position offers broad exposure to corporate operations, governance, compliance, employment matters, commercial agreements, and strategic initiatives.

Must have Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from an accredited law school. Must have Real Estate or Property Management industry experience. Prior in-house counsel and experience supporting employee law, HR, or contract management strongly preferred.

This role is ideal for an attorney looking for broad exposure across legal, compliance, governance, employment, and commercial matters while serving as a strategic partner to leadership and supporting the continued growth of the organization.

Responsibilities:

• Serve as a key legal advisor to executive leadership and business stakeholders on a wide range of legal and business matters


• Provide guidance on corporate governance, regulatory compliance, risk management, commercial transactions, and operational initiatives


• Draft, review, negotiate, and manage a variety of contracts, agreements, and legal documents


• Develop and maintain contract management processes, approval frameworks, and governance procedures


• Evaluate legal and business risks associated with company operations and recommend practical solutions


• Partner with business leaders to ensure compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and internal policies


• Support employment-related matters, workplace policies, investigations, and employee relations issues


• Assist with claims management, dispute resolution, litigation oversight, and coordination with external counsel


• Review insurance matters, vendor agreements, service contracts, and other commercial arrangements


• Support compliance programs, policy development, and risk mitigation initiatives


• Monitor legal and regulatory developments that may impact the organization and advise stakeholders accordingly


• Assist with corporate records, governance requirements, internal investigations, audits, and regulatory reviews


• Develop training materials and educational programs related to legal, compliance, and risk management topics


• Manage relationships with outside counsel, consultants, and other external advisors


• Support strategic projects and business initiatives as needed

Qualifications:

• Juris Doctor (J.D.) from an accredited law school


• Active license to practice law in at least one U.S. jurisdiction (preferably New York)


• 8+ years of legal experience, including a combination of law firm and/or in-house counsel experience


• Experience advising businesses on corporate, commercial, employment, compliance, and risk management matters


• Strong background in contract drafting, negotiation, and contract management


• Experience managing litigation, disputes, and external legal providers


• Prior experience supporting cross-functional business teams preferred


• Strong legal research, writing, analytical, and problem-solving abilities


• Excellent negotiation and stakeholder management skills


• Ability to balance legal risk with practical business objectives


• Exceptional organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously


• Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively with leadership and business teams


• Sound judgment, professionalism, and a solutions-oriented mindset

Ideal Candidate:

• Business-minded attorney who enjoys partnering with operational leaders


• Comfortable working across multiple legal disciplines rather than specializing in a single area


• Proactive, collaborative, and highly responsive


• Able to navigate ambiguity and provide practical guidance in a dynamic environment


• Strong relationship builder with executive presence and the ability to influence stakeholders across the organization

By submitting to this position, you are agreeing to be included in our talent pool for future hiring for similarly qualified positions.