Description:
We are looking for a talented attorney with institutional real estate transactional experience to work on a range of transactions for the Company, including community purchases and multi-asset acquisitions, as well as property operating company and regulatory matters. This position will be integral to our legal department and will also collaborate closely with our property management team to have a ground up view on real estate assets and related federal, state and local laws.The ideal candidate is intellectually curious, focused, can explain complex matters easily, works well with others, detail oriented, organized, and looking for a challenge in a fantastic work culture. They will have graduated law school with great grades and spent three to five years working with institutional real estate matters in a national midsize or large law firm before deciding to explore in-house roles.
The Role: This position is wide-ranging and covers many aspects of the business, including the following responsibilities:
- Advice: Provide timely, practical, and risk-based legal guidance to the property management team and other internal stakeholders on a wide range of matters, including, consumer complaints, demand letters, threatened litigation, active litigation, insurance claims, regulatory inquiries, and reputationally sensitive issues. Serve as a trusted advisor, addressing complex legal inquiries and ensuring alignment with regulatory requirements and industry best practices. Must be comfortable interacting with sophisticated institutional investors. Collaborate closely with teams across property management, operations, compliance, communications, and leadership to support business initiatives and ensure legal considerations are appropriately addressed in both routine and high-impact matters.
- Insurance and Claims: Manage and advise on insurance-related matters, including claim intake, coverage analysis, coordination with carriers, and dispute resolution. Partner with internal teams to ensure proper documentation, escalation, and handling of claims, and identify opportunities to improve claims processes and outcomes.
- Drafting and Review: Draft, review, and revise a wide range of documents and communications relating to disputes, claims, property management operations, and risk mitigation efforts. This may include, but is not limited to, settlement documents, demand responses, escalation communications, internal guidance materials, and other legal and operational documentation. Implement meticulous drafting practices to ensure documents adhere to company standards and comply with relevant legal statutes and regulations, facilitating seamless operational processes and minimizing legal risks.
- Leasing and Community Operations: Review residential lease agreements and community operating documents. Advise on landlord-tenant matters, lease enforcement, and tenant-related disputes. Provide guidance on homeowner association matters and community governance where applicable, and support property management teams with lease administration and enforcement.
- Regulatory: Assist with responses to regulatory reviews, agency inquiries, complaints, and compliance-related matters affecting property management operations. Continually monitor and ensure compliance with federal, state, and local laws and regulations across multiple jurisdictions. Collaborate with the compliance team to develop policies tailored to property management activities that foster a culture of adherence and accountability within the organization.
- Escalations: Lead management of higher-impact property management matters, including pre-litigation disputes, formal litigation, consumer complaints, demand letters, regulatory reviews, and other escalated issues across the property management portfolio, including tenant disputes, habitability claims, personal injury/property damage claims, and other operational issues. Oversee outside counsel where engaged, help develop case strategies, monitor exposure, and drive matters toward efficient and practical resolution while protecting the company's interest. Provide strategic guidance and oversight in managing the company's outside real estate counsel to ensure efficient and legally sound resolution of disputes while safeguarding the company's interests and reputation.
- Risk Management: Identify and mitigate legal and headline risk across our platform. Conduct comprehensive risk assessments, leveraging insights to develop preventive measures and contingency plans that safeguard the company's assets and reputation in the face of potential legal challenges or adverse events. Support new initiatives and operational changes by assessing risk, developing practical guardrails, and implementing scalable solutions to minimize exposure. Monitor regulatory requirements and legal developments affecting residential real estate operations, evaluate their implications for the business, and recommend appropriate updates to policies, procedures, agreements, and operational practices.
- Stakeholder Management: Interact professionally with senior management, business units, and external partners, including investors, lenders, and title companies. Develop and maintain key relationships with specialized outside counsel for complex matters, and communicate legal advice clearly and persuasively to non-legal audiences.
- Training and Education: Develop and deliver targeted training programs and educational initiatives to equip the property management team with the requisite legal knowledge and best practices necessary for regulatory compliance. Offer ongoing support and guidance, to foster legal awareness and proficiency throughout the organization, and empower staff to navigate legal complexities effectively in their day-to-day activities.
- Legal Matter Management: Own end-to-end management of the property management legal docket, including matter intake, triage, assignment, and prioritization across claims, disputes, escalations, and regulatory matters. Maintain organized matter tracking systems and records. Maintain comprehensive document management systems, matter records, and organized legal files. Develop and maintain legal forms, templates, and playbooks for recurring matters, and ensure consistency in legal language across property management and service provider agreements.
- General Legal Support: Provide general legal support to the Legal Department and business teams on matters affecting residential real estate operations.
- Location: This role is based in our Downtown Dallas office and is a fully in-office position. Candidates should be located in the Dallas-Fort Worth area or open to relocating.
- Such other matters as reasonably requested by the General Counsel or Associate General Counsel.
Qualifications and Experience:
- JD or equivalent, excellent academic credentials, and admission to at least one US state bar required
- 2+ years' experience, with significant involvement in corporate real estate transactions and/or or property management legal matters, whether in-house or with a nationally recognized midsize or large law firm that has a strong real estate or structured finance practice
- In-house experience strongly preferred
- Property Management, residential real estate legal experience strongly preferred
- Strong judgment and ability to assess legal and business risk in a practical, solutions-oriented manner
- Experience balancing legal risk with operational needs and delivering clear, actionable recommendations to stakeholders
- Experience working with and managing outside counsel, driving litigation strategy, and litigation operations
- Ability to work effectively and collaboratively with operations, finance, and investment management teams, as well as external partners, including sophisticated institutional investors
- Team player; highly collaborative and adaptable – curious and an agile learner
- Excellent time management, comfortable working efficiently and staying focused in a fast-paced environment with changing priorities
- Strong writing, legal research, and communication skills
- Must be a problem solver; solution oriented
- High initiative and personal standards of performance, strives for constant improvement
- Highly interested in progressing your career and company goals
- Technically savvy – proficient in the Microsoft suite of products and with legal software
