Counsel

Franklin Templeton; United States; On-site; USD 200,000 - 250,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health care benefits

401(k) plan

Volunteer opportunities

Parental leave

Childcare programs

Discount purchase programs

Job summary

Clarion Partners, a leading real estate investment manager, seeks a lawyer to support its Legal and Compliance Department. The role involves advising on formation and operation of U.S. funds, drafting documents, and ensuring regulatory compliance across SEC-regulated activities.

You will interact with the General Counsel and senior business teams, manage multiple projects, and help shape governance, vendor agreements, and investment documents for offshore and private equity structures.

Qualifications

• JD from a top US law school with bar admission.
• Bachelor’s degree from a top US university.
• 5+ years of investment management or real estate law experience.
• Strong drafting and negotiation skills.
• Familiarity with private equity fund structuring and real estate management issues.

Responsibilities

• Provide legal advice on formation, structuring, and operations of U.S. and offshore private equity funds and Investment Company Act funds.
• Draft and negotiate fund organizational and offering documents, distribution agreements, etc.
• Draft and negotiate investment documents including joint venture agreements, LLC/LP agreements, subscription and advisory agreements, side letters.
• Review marketing materials and corporate communications.
• Manage governance deliverables and regulatory compliance across the firm.
• Negotiate and draft vendor, confidentiality and other agreements for the investment advisory business.
• Advise on securities laws, tax issues and ERISA considerations.
• Support regulatory inquiries from the SEC, FINRA and others; maintain policies and procedures.
• Act as a business partner with General Counsel, Senior Counsel and senior business teams.

Skills

Drafting & Negotiation

Regulatory Compliance

Risk Management

Project Management

Interpersonal Skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Juris Doctorate (Law)

Job description

Clarion Partners has been a leading real estate investment manager for over 40 years. Headquartered in New York, the firm maintains strategically located offices across the United States and Europe. Clarion Partners offers a broad range of real estate strategies across the risk/return spectrum to approximately 500 institutional investors across the globe. Clarion Partners operates independently as a Specialist Investment Manager owned by Franklin Templeton (FT), a diversified firm that spans asset management, wealth management, and fintech, giving us many ways to help investors make progress toward their goals.

The role, part of Clarion’s Legal and Compliance Department, reports directly to the Managing Director and ultimately to Clarion’s General Counsel and CCO. The key responsibilities involve supporting the company’s commercial real estate investment platform, and overall regulatory requirements of our SEC-regulated US investment adviser and broker-dealer, more specifically:

• Provide legal advice with respect to formation, structuring and operations of U.S. and offshore private equity funds and Investment Company Act registered funds
• Draft and negotiate fund organizational and offering documents, distribution agreements, etc.
• Draft and negotiate additional investment documents including joint venture operating agreements, limited partnership agreements, limited liability company agreements, subscription agreements, investment management agreements, advisory and sub-advisory agreements, separately managed account agreements and side letters (including negotiations with sovereign wealth funds, pension plans, banks, wirehouses, broker-dealers and other institutional counterparties)
• Review marketing materials and corporate communications
• Manage internal corporate governance deliverables such as legal entity tracking, maintenance of corporate books and records, and monitoring of regulatory compliance
• Negotiate and draft vendor, confidentiality and other agreements related to the firm’s investment advisory business
• Advise business units on ongoing compliance with securities laws, including the Investment Advisers Act, Investment Company Act, Securities Act, Securities Exchange Act, and tax and ERISA issues
• Advise on regulatory compliance issues and support the compliance team in maintaining policies and procedures within each business unit for the firm, and responding to regulatory inquiries from the SEC, FINRA, etc.
• Act as a business partner and demonstrate expert and practical commercial understanding

REQUIREMENTS:

• Bachelor’s degree from a top US university
• Juris Doctorate (Law) degree from a top US law school
• 5+ years of experience in the investment management or real estate practice group of an AM 100 law firm; or 2+ years at a law firm and comparable in-house experience at a major investment bank or financial services firm
• Excellent drafting and negotiation skills
• Familiarity with private equity fund structuring and/or real estate investment management issues. Additional familiarity with private wealth products (Investment Company Act registered funds, non-traded REITs, BDCs, HNW feeders, etc.) is a plus, but not required
• Ability to manage multiple projects in a fast-paced environment with minimal supervision, and to work directly with the Firm’s General Counsel, Senior Counsel and senior business team
• Effective risk management skills and knowledge
• Excellent judgment in dealing with legal, compliance and risk issues
• Strong solution-oriented interpersonal skills
• Excellent organizational skills
• Energetic, positive team player

If based in New York, the base salary range for this position is USD $200,00.00 - $250,00.00. Actual base salary offered will be determined by several components including but not limited to the candidate’s experience, job-related knowledge, and qualifications. Base salary does not include other forms of compensation or benefits offered in connection with the advertised role. Total compensation may vary based on role, location, and individual performance. For roles located outside of Chicago, please disregard the posted salary range as these roles will follow a separate compensation process based on the local market.

Clarion Partners is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all applicants and existing employees, and we evaluate qualified applicants without regard to ancestry, age, color, disability, genetic information, gender, gender identity, or gender expression, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, and any other basis protected by federal, state, or local law, ordinance, or regulation.

By joining us, you will become part of a culture that focuses on employee well-being and provides multidimensional support for a positive and healthy lifestyle. Clarion Partners offers generous benefits designed with the health and financial welfare of our employees and their families in mind, including highly competitive and expansive health care coverage, a comprehensive 401K, company-sponsored volunteer opportunities, individual volunteer time off, parental leave and childcare programs, as well as other benefits and discount purchase programs.

Clarion Partners is committed to fostering an inclusive environment. We provide employees with the tools, resources, and learning opportunities to help them excel in their career and personal life.