Description:

About the role:
The Associate Corporate Counsel - Construction and Commercial Contracts is a parent-company legal role responsible for supporting contract review, negotiation, risk management, and contract governance across Meruelo Enterprises and its subsidiaries. The position partners with subsidiary contract coordinators, business leaders, project teams, and corporate functions to promote consistent contracting practices, identify and mitigate risk, and support timely business decisions. The role provides legal guidance and functional oversight while each subsidiary contract coordinator remains responsible for local contract intake, administration, tracking, and execution support.

Key Responsibilities:

Serve as the centralized legal resource for contracts submitted by Meruelo Enterprises subsidiaries and corporate departments.
Review, draft, analyze, and negotiate construction contracts, subcontracts, master service agreements, professional services agreements, vendor and supplier agreements, purchase orders, nondisclosure agreements, leases, and other commercial agreements.
Identify and communicate legal, operational, financial, insurance, and compliance risks in clear, practical business terms.
Review and provide guidance on various union labor agreements.
Reference utilizing Document Crunch.
Prepare contract redlines and alternative language addressing indemnification, defense obligations, limitations of liability, consequential damages, insurance, bonding, payment, change orders, warranties, delays, liquidated damages, termination, dispute resolution, and other risk-allocation provisions.
Advise executive leadership and subsidiary stakeholders regarding contractual obligations, exceptions, and recommended risk-mitigation strategies.
Provide legal guidance and functional oversight to contract coordinators located within each subsidiary, including review of escalated issues and nonstandard terms.
Establish consistent enterprise contract intake, legal review, approval, execution, retention, and escalation practices in partnership with subsidiary contract coordinators and business leaders.
Develop and maintain approved templates, clause libraries, contract playbooks, review checklists, approval matrices, and negotiation guidelines.
Support project teams during contract performance, including interpretation of notice requirements, change-order provisions, payment rights, claims procedures, and closeout obligations.
Assist with construction and commercial disputes involving change orders, delays, payment, defaults, mechanics liens, stop notices, bond claims, collections, and other contract matters.
Coordinate with outside counsel on specialized legal issues, disputes, litigation, arbitration, mediation, and other matters as directed by the General Counsel.
Partner with Risk Management and insurance professionals to evaluate contractual insurance and indemnity requirements.
Collaborate with Finance, Accounting, Operations, Estimating, Procurement, Project Management, Human Resources, and executive leadership on contract-related matters.
Provide training to contract coordinators and business stakeholders regarding contract risk, company standards, and escalation requirements.
Monitor legal and regulatory developments affecting construction and commercial contracting and recommend updates to templates, processes, and guidance.
Maintain organized legal records and support reporting on contract volume, risk themes, cycle times, escalations, and other relevant metrics.
Perform other legal duties and special projects as assigned.

Qualifications:

Juris Doctor degree from an accredited law school.
Active membership in good standing with the State Bar of California.
Two to three years of legal experience in commercial contracts, construction law, corporate transactions, procurement, real estate, or a related practice area.
Demonstrated experience reviewing, drafting, or negotiating contracts through employment, a clerkship, internship, or law firm practice.
Strong legal research, writing, analytical, and contract-drafting skills.
Ability to explain legal issues and recommendations to nonlegal stakeholders in practical, business-focused terms.
Ability to manage multiple matters, prioritize deadlines, and work across several subsidiaries in a fast-paced environment.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office and the ability to learn contract management and document-management systems.

Preferred Qualifications:

Experience with construction, engineering, utilities, infrastructure, telecommunications, public works, or related industries.
Juris Doctor degree from an accredited law school.
Active membership in good standing with the State Bar of California.
Familiarity with California construction law, public contracting, mechanics lien and stop-notice requirements, insurance, bonding, and construction claims.
Experience supporting multiple business units, subsidiaries, or decentralized contract-administration teams.
Prior in-house legal department experience or law firm experience representing construction or commercial clients.
Experience developing contract templates, clause libraries, playbooks, or standardized review procedures.
Bilingual English and Spanish skills are a plus.

Work Environment and Physical Requirements:

Work is primarily performed in a professional office environment, with regular use of a computer and other standard office equipment.
Ability to review detailed documents and remain seated for extended periods.
Occasional travel to subsidiary offices, project locations, or legal proceedings may be required.
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position.