Senior Real Estate Attorney

Morae; California; On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Morae is seeking an experienced Senior Real Estate Attorney to join its in-house Real Estate Legal team on a 6-month contract. You will lead complex commercial real estate transactions, advise senior leaders, and support expansion initiatives across multi-unit operations in California.

The ideal candidate brings a JD and CA license, 5+ years of experience in acquisitions, leasing, and development, and a pragmatic, business-focused approach to risk.

Qualifications

• JD from an accredited law school.
• Active license to practice law in California.
• 5+ years of progressively responsible legal experience with emphasis on commercial real estate transactions.
• Extensive experience negotiating and managing ground leases, purchase/sale agreements, site development, and related real estate matters.

Responsibilities

• Review, drafting, negotiation, and execution of complex real estate transactions (ground leases, purchase/sale, development agreements).
• Provide strategic legal counsel to internal partners, development teams, and senior leadership on real estate matters.
• Support development and growth initiatives by identifying practical solutions to legal and business challenges.
• Conduct risk assessments and mitigation strategies related to acquisitions, leasing, and development.
• Manage relationships with outside counsel to ensure efficient, cost-effective support.
• Serve as lead attorney in specialized practice areas (assets management, litigation management, due diligence).
• Partner with real estate, construction, development, and operations teams to support business objectives.
• Mentor and develop junior attorneys and legal staff; assist with recruiting and onboarding.
• Lead strategic initiatives and special projects for executive leadership.

Skills

Real estate transactions

Negotiation

Leadership

Mentoring

Stakeholder management

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Juris Doctor (JD)

California bar admission

Job description

We are seeking an experienced Senior Real Estate Attorney to join the in-house Real Estate Legal team of a nationally recognized multi-unit organization on a 6-month full-time contract basis. This strategic role offers the opportunity to lead complex commercial real estate transactions, advise senior business leaders, and support the company's ongoing development and expansion initiatives. The ideal candidate will bring extensive experience in real estate acquisitions, leasing, and development matters, along with the ability to provide pragmatic legal guidance in a fast-paced, growth-oriented environment.

As a trusted legal advisor, you will play a critical role in supporting the organization's continued expansion by leading complex real estate transactions, providing practical business-focused counsel, and collaborating with cross-functional stakeholders across the enterprise. This position offers the opportunity to influence key development projects, mentor legal professionals, and serve as a subject matter expert within a specialized area of practice.

Key Responsibilities

• Review, drafting, negotiation, and execution of complex real estate transactions, including ground leases, purchase and sale agreements, development agreements, and other related commercial real estate documents.
• Provide strategic legal counsel to internal business partners, development teams, and senior leadership on a wide range of real estate matters.
• Support the company's development and growth initiatives by identifying practical solutions to complex legal and business challenges.
• Conduct comprehensive legal risk assessments and develop mitigation strategies related to real estate acquisitions, leasing, and development activities.
• Manage and oversee relationships with outside counsel to ensure efficient and cost-effective legal support.
• Serve as a lead attorney in a specialized practice area, including legal asset management, litigation management, due diligence, or other strategic legal functions.
• Partner closely with real estate, construction, development, and operations teams to support business objectives while protecting the company's interests.
• Mentor and develop junior attorneys, paralegals, and legal support professionals, fostering strong legal talent and succession planning within the department.
• Assist department leadership with recruiting, onboarding, and retaining high-performing legal professionals.
• Lead and contribute to strategic initiatives and special projects on behalf of executive leadership.

Qualifications

• Juris Doctor (JD) from an accredited law school.
• Active license to practice law in California.
• Minimum of 5 years of progressively responsible legal experience, with significant emphasis on commercial real estate transactions.
• Extensive experience negotiating and managing complex ground leases, purchase and sale agreements, site development transactions, and related real estate matters.
• Demonstrated ability to provide practical legal guidance that balances business objectives with legal and regulatory requirements.
• Experience in a specialized legal discipline such as asset management, litigation, due diligence, or a related practice area preferred.
• Proven leadership experience mentoring, managing, and developing attorneys, paralegals, and legal staff.
• Strong interpersonal, negotiation, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
• Prior in-house legal experience supporting a multi-unit, retail, restaurant, hospitality, healthcare, or similarly scaled organization is highly desirable.