In-House Counsel

Upward On; New York (NY); On-site; USD 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Upward On seeks an Associate Counsel – Real Estate in New York, a hands-on attorney with 2–5 years of real estate experience who can represent landlords and work closely with business teams. The role focuses on advising on real estate and transactional matters, partnering with leasing and property management, and handling landlord-tenant issues including Housing Court proceedings.

The ideal candidate is practical, responsive, and capable of moving deals forward while managing multiple matters

Qualifications

• Admitted to the New York State Bar and in good standing.
• 2–5 years of real estate legal experience.
• Experience representing landlords/owners in New York.
• Familiar with NYC rent stabilization laws and regulation.
• Strong negotiation, writing and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Represent ownership in NYC Housing Court.
• Handle landlord-tenant proceedings and related matters.
• Draft, review, and negotiate leases and related documents.
• Advise ownership and internal teams on transactional matters.
• Coordinate with leasing, property management and outside counsel.
• Identify risks and propose practical solutions.

Skills

Real estate law

Negotiation

Legal drafting

Education

Admitted NYS Bar

Job description

Associate Counsel – Real Estate

New York, NY

About the Role

Our client, a growing New York City real estate owner, operator, and management company, is seeking an Associate Counsel to join its team. This is a hands‑on role for an attorney with 2–5 years of real estate experience who understands the realities of representing landlords and wants to work closely with the business rather than practice from the sidelines.

The Associate Counsel will advise on a range of real estate and transactional matters, partner closely with the leasing and property management teams, and represent ownership in landlord‑tenant matters, including Housing Court proceedings.

The right person is practical, responsive and solutions‑oriented — someone who knows the law but also knows how to get a deal done, resolve an issue and keep things moving.

About the Company

Our client owns and manages a portfolio of luxury residential and mixed‑use assets throughout New York City. They pride themselves on providing exceptional service to residents while maintaining well‑operated, highly maintained buildings through a collaborative and hands‑on management approach.

Responsibilities

• Represent ownership in New York City Housing Court
• Initiate non-payments, nuisance or holdover proceedings and other landlord‑tenant matters as needed
• Track, follow up, and close out any outstanding tenant‑related issues
• Work closely with the leasing and property management teams on tenant escalations, disputes, holdovers and lease‑related issues
• Negotiate settlements, agreements and resolutions with tenants
• Draft, review and negotiate commercial leases, amendments, agreements and other real‑estate‑related documents
• Advise ownership and internal teams on real‑estate transactional matters
• Provide practical legal guidance on landlord‑tenant issues and day‑to‑day matters affecting the portfolio
• Identify potential legal and business risks and recommend practical solutions
• Coordinate with outside counsel when appropriate
• Build strong relationships across leasing, property management and ownership and serve as an accessible internal legal resource

Qualifications

• Admitted and in good standing with the New York State Bar — required
• 2–5 years of relevant real estate legal experience
• Meaningful experience representing landlords/owners in New York
• Familiarity with NYC rent stabilization laws and regulation
• Experience with landlord‑tenant matters and New York City Housing Court
• Transactional real estate experience, including drafting and negotiating agreements
• Please note: experience focused primarily on residential purchases and closings is not the background we are seeking
• Strong negotiation, writing and communication skills
• Able to communicate effectively with tenants, attorneys, leasing teams, property managers and senior leadership
• Organized, responsive and comfortable managing multiple matters simultaneously

Compensation & Benefits

• Base Salary: $120,000 - $150,000, depending on experience
• Annual performance bonus
• Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance
• 401(k) retirement plan
• Paid Time Off (PTO)

Location: Midtown Manhattan (In Person)