Senior Counsel, Operations: Real Estate & Compliance

Cortland; Atlanta (GA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Cortland seeks a senior Counsel, Operations to serve as the strategic legal advisor for our residential operations, guiding resident matters, property management, compliance, litigation, and risk management. You will partner with Operations leadership to protect the organization and drive community performance across the portfolio.

You will lead a small team, manage outside counsel, and help implement scalable legal processes that balance risk with business objectives across multiple states.

Qualifications

• JD and active Georgia Bar membership or eligibility for in-house authorization.
• 7+ years of legal experience in multifamily housing or related operations.
• In-house counsel experience preferred; multi-state portfolio exposure.
• Experience handling litigation, regulatory matters, and risk management.

Responsibilities

• Lead as senior legal advisor for Operations and Community teams on day-to-day property management issues.
• Provide practical legal guidance to support operational objectives while mitigating risk.
• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local laws governing multifamily housing (Fair Housing, ADA, etc.).
• Monitor regulatory developments and recommend compliant changes across the portfolio.
• Lead compliance reviews, investigations, audits, and trainings with Risk Management and Operations.
• Advise on resident disputes, lease enforcement, evictions, collections, and resident safety matters.
• Direct litigation strategy and manage outside counsel for disputes and regulatory proceedings.
• Draft, review, and negotiate contracts supporting property operations and vendor relations.

Skills

Legal counsel

Regulatory compliance

Risk management

Contract negotiation

Litigation management

Leadership

Education

Juris Doctor (JD) and Georgia Bar

Job description

Cortland seeks a senior Counsel, Operations to serve as the strategic legal advisor for our residential operations, guiding resident matters, property management, compliance, litigation, and risk management. You will partner with Operations leadership to protect the organization and drive community performance across the portfolio.

You will lead a small team, manage outside counsel, and help implement scalable legal processes that balance risk with business objectives across multiple states.