Commercial Attorney

Our Story

About You:

You are a high achiever looking to thrive in a fast-paced environment. You take pride in your own work but are comfortable collaborating with a team of highly motivated individuals. You can communicate clearly and concisely with teammates and clients, and you enjoy strong company culture and camaraderie. You can navigate multiple corporate functions, including global lines of service and corporate centers of excellence. You possess strong interpersonal skills and are willing to take on diverse tasks to achieve the team’s common goal. You value personal and professional growth and are ready to take the next step in advancing your career.

If this sounds like you, well, then you will love the culture at Avison Young!

About Us:

Avison Young is a global commercial real estate brokerage and advisory firm, offering transaction, management, financial and consulting services. We’ve designed our corporate structure to best serve our clients by enhancing collaboration across our organization.

Real estate can have an enormous positive impact on people’s lives – and we’re in the business of making spaces and places work better for people. Our purpose is to create real economic, social and environmental value as a global real estate advisor, powered by people.

We care about each other and we have each other’s backs. This makes AY a great place to be a client, and a great place to work. We support the whole person and their complete wellness – economic, mental and physical – because what’s best for our business comes from our people bringing their whole selves to work.

We’re proud to be regularly recognized for our team, services and culture and our team members enjoy comprehensive compensation and benefit programs. Through our customized work options, we give our people the flexibility to create a work environment that puts their overall well-being first. After all, we are powered by people.

Overview

Avison Young is seeking a commercial transactional attorney to expand its legal function.  The successful candidate will report to the company’s Chief Legal Officer.  On a project by project and/or assignment by assignment basis, the successful candidate will take direction from and work closely with each of the company’s attorneys.  Avison Young’s legal department currently consists of five attorneys in the U.S., two attorneys in the U.K. and an equity administrator and paralegal, who support the company’s business functions across its global offices.  In addition, there are two attorneys and a paralegal in Canada who provide legal support to Avison Young clients.

The successful candidate will most likely be based in Avison Young’s Chicago, Illinois office, however, depending upon the successful candidate, the attorney’s primary work location could be another Avison Young office.

Responsibilities

The successful candidate will provide support and assistance to the company’s senior attorneys, with duties that may include, but are not limited to:

• Reviewing, drafting and negotiating commercial transactional documents in connection with various commercial real estate services, including brokerage, property management, project management and consulting
• Reviewing, preparing and negotiating agreements in connection with the company’s procurement of services from third parties
• Developing, reviewing and updating company policies, procedures and template agreements
• Managing the defense of any commercial transactional disputes
• Providing legal support with respect to acquisitions
• Providing legal support with respect to equity and debt financing transactions
• Initiating and managing collection-enforcement actions (including the preparation of demand letters)
• Conducting legal research as it relates to transactional, regulatory and other legal issues

Qualifications

• Five or more years of practice experience
• Experience reviewing, drafting and negotiating corporate and commercial transactional agreements and documents
• Sound legal and business judgment
• Strong interpersonal and relationship building skills and ability to work collaboratively with people at all levels within Avison Young and people outside of Avison Young
• Ability to communicate (both verbally and in writing) clearly, concisely and timely using plain English
• Strong negotiation and drafting skills
• Strong attention to detail
• Excellent organizational skills
• Ability to simultaneously manage multiple complex matters in a fast paced, high-energy environment while meeting deadlines
• Willingness to learn and take-on unfamiliar tasks

 Preferred 

• Experience handling or managing litigation matters (a plus, but not a requirement)
• International experience (a plus, but not a requirement)
• In-house experience, relevant industry experience and/or experience ascounsel to a professional services business (a plus, but not a requirement)

Our Equal Opportunity Commitment

Avison Young practices as an equal opportunity employer in all services locations around the world.  We are committed to building and maintaining a workforce diverse in experience, skills and knowledge with uniformity in service excellence, commitment and integrity. 

The firm maintains a strict policy to ensure employment opportunities are equal and do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, creed, age, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, citizenship, disability, marital and civil partnership/union status, protected veteran or military service status, or any other elements protected by law.

For those requiring assistance with disabilities, information relating to the need for accommodation and accommodation measures will be addressed confidentially. 

Avison Young is committed to employing the best talent with the most fair and equitable recruitment practices. Apply with us TODAY!