Real Estate Attorney (Counsel)

Location: Los Angeles, CA or New York, NY
Position Type: Senior Associate / Counsel
Experience Level: 8 years

Direct Counsel is partnering with a leading Am Law 100 firm to identify a senior-level real estate attorney for its Los Angeles or New York office. This role offers the opportunity to take ownership of sophisticated, large-scale transactions within a Chambers-ranked real estate practice.

About the Practice:
The firm’s real estate group advises a broad range of clients—including private equity fund managers, family offices, and Fortune 50–500 companies—on complex transactions across asset classes such as multifamily, industrial, office, retail, data centers/digital infrastructure, and sustainable energy projects.

Key Responsibilities:

• Independently lead and manage commercial real estate transactions, including:
  • Acquisitions and dispositions
  • Joint ventures
  • Financing transactions
  • Leasing matters
• Oversee the full lifecycle of transactions from structuring through closing
• Review and negotiate loan documents, purchase agreements, and leases
• Provide strategic counsel to sophisticated clients, investors, and developers
• Collaborate with a national team while maintaining significant autonomy

Qualifications:

• 8 years of commercial real estate experience
• Strong experience representing owners, investors, developers, lenders, landlords, and tenants
• Proven ability to independently run complex transactions
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail
• JD or LLM from an ABA-accredited law school
• Admission or eligibility for admission in California or New York

Work Environment:

• Hybrid schedule with approximately 60% in-office presence

Compensation:

• Base salary range: $300,000 – $420,000
• Bonus eligible with comprehensive benefits package