General Counsel

Fontainebleau Development LLC; Florida; On-site; USD 260,000 - 400,000; Full time

Job summary

Fontainebleau Development LLC in Florida is seeking a strategic General Counsel to partner with the President and executive team on legal strategy for real estate acquisitions, development, and financing. The role oversees employment matters, manages outside counsel, and protects the company from regulatory and contractual risk across hospitality, gaming, and development assets.

The GC will draft and negotiate complex agreements, supervise risk, and build the in-house legal function as the

Qualifications

• Juris Doctor from an accredited law school.
• Active membership in the Florida Bar, or eligibility and willingness to obtain it (including Authorized House Counsel certification).
• 12+ years of legal experience, with significant time at a top-tier law firm and/or in-house with a real estate developer, owner, or investor.
• Deep experience structuring, negotiating, and documenting real estate financing transactions, including construction and acquisition loans, mezzanine debt, and joint venture equity.
• Strong drafting skills and command of complex transaction documentation from term sheet through closing.
• Working knowledge of employment and labor law and experience advising management on workforce matters.
• Proven ability to manage outside counsel and legal budgets.

Responsibilities

• Lead the legal side of acquisitions, dispositions, joint ventures, and development projects from term sheet through closing.
• Structure, negotiate, and document construction loans, acquisition financing, mezzanine and preferred equity, refinancings, and loan modifications.
• Draft and negotiate purchase and sale agreements, loan agreements, guaranties, inter-creditor agreements, JV and operating agreements, and ground and commercial leases.
• Oversee due diligence, title and survey review, zoning and entitlements, and closing documentation.
• Manage lender, investor, and partner relationships on legal matters, including compliance with loan covenants and reporting requirements.
• Draft and negotiate construction contracts, architect and design agreements, development agreements, and consultant contracts.
• Advise on construction risk, change orders, payment disputes, liens, bonding, insurance, and warranty claims.
• Support the in-house construction company on contract administration, subcontractor agreements, and dispute resolution.
• Coordinate with municipalities and regulators on permitting, licensing, and land-use matters.
• Advise HR and leadership on employment law compliance, investigations, terminations, severance and separation agreements, and restrictive covenants.
• Manage employment-related claims, agency charges, and litigation with outside counsel.
• Review and update employee handbooks, policies, and employment agreements across all entities.
• Advise on WARN Act notices, reductions in force, and other workforce actions.
• Maintain corporate records and entity structures across the portfolio; support formation of new project entities.
• Draft and review commercial contracts, vendor agreements, NDAs, and hospitality management agreements.
• Identify legal and regulatory risks, including gaming and hospitality licensing, and recommend practical solutions.
• Oversee litigation strategy and manage outside counsel, budgets, and results.
• Build and lead the legal function, including any future legal staff.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to ownership and senior leadership on legal matters affecting the business.

Skills

Real estate financing

Drafting contracts

Outside counsel mgmt

Employment law

Negotiation

Education

Juris Doctor

Florida Bar admission

Job description

Position Summary:

The General Counsel is a business partner to the President and executive team. Reporting to the President, this role leads legal strategy for real estate acquisitions, development, and financing, with a strong emphasis on structuring, negotiating, and documenting complex transactions.

The General Counsel also oversees employment and labor matters across a multi-entity hospitality, gaming, and development portfolio, manages outside counsel, and protects the company from legal, regulatory, and contractual risk.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Real Estate Transactions & Financing

• Lead the legal side of acquisitions, dispositions, joint ventures, and development pro-jects from term sheet through closing.
• Structure, negotiate, and document construction loans, acquisition financing, mezzanine and preferred equity, refinancings, and loan modifications.
• Draft and negotiate purchase and sale agreements, loan agreements, guaranties, inter-creditor agreements, JV and operating agreements, and ground and commercial leases.
• Oversee due diligence, title and survey review, zoning and entitlements, and closing documentation.
• Manage lender, investor, and partner relationships on legal matters, including compliance with loan covenants and reporting requirements.

Development & Construction

• Draft and negotiate construction contracts, architect and design agreements, development agreements, and consultant contracts.
• Advise on construction risk, change orders, payment disputes, liens, bonding, insurance, and warranty claims.
• Support the in-house construction company on contract administration, subcontractor agreements, and dispute resolution.
• Coordinate with municipalities and regulators on permitting, licensing, and land-use matters.

Employment & Labor

• Advise Human Resources and leadership on employment law compliance, including wage and hour, leave, discrimination, harassment, and accommodation.
• Guide investigations, terminations, severance and separation agreements, and restrictive covenants.
• Manage employment-related claims, agency charges, and litigation with outside counsel.
• Review and update employee handbooks, policies, and employment agreements across all entities.
• Advise on WARN Act notices, reductions in force, and other workforce actions.

Corporate, Governance & Risk

• Maintain corporate records and entity structures across the portfolio; support formation of new project entities.
• Draft and review commercial contracts, vendor agreements, NDAs, and hospitality management agreements.
• Identify legal and regulatory risks, including gaming and hospitality licensing, and recommend practical solutions.

Legal Department Leadership

• Oversee litigation strategy and manage outside counsel, budgets, and results.
• Build and lead the legal function, including any future legal staff.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to ownership and senior leadership on legal matters affecting the business.

Qualifications:

• Juris Doctor from an accredited law school.
• Active membership in the Florida Bar, or eligibility and willingness to obtain it (including Authorized House Counsel certification).
• 12+ years of legal experience, with significant time at a top-tier law firm and/or in-house with a real estate developer, owner, or investor.
• Deep experience structuring, negotiating, and documenting real estate financing trans-actions, including construction and acquisition loans, mezzanine debt, and joint venture equity.
• Strong drafting skills and command of complex transaction documentation from term sheet through closing.
• Working knowledge of employment and labor law and experience advising management on workforce matters.
• Proven ability to manage outside counsel and legal budgets.

Preferred

• Construction law experience, including AIA and ConsensusDocs contracts, construction claims, and lien matters.
• Experience with luxury hospitality, mixed-use, or condominium development projects.
• Exposure to gaming, hospitality, or liquor licensing and regulatory compliance.
• Prior experience as General Counsel or Deputy General Counsel of a privately held company.
• Admission in Nevada or other states where the company operates.

Key Competencies

• Commercial judgment: practical, deal-focused advice that moves transactions forward while managing risk.
• Executive presence and clear, direct communication with ownership and senior leadership.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment with multiple active projects and tight deadlines.
• Discretion and integrity when handling highly confidential business and personnel matters.