What are the responsibilities and job description for the Director, Real Estate Counsel position at NNN REIT, INC?
ABOUT THIS OPPORTUNITY
We are seeking an experienced and business-savvy Real Estate Counsel to join NNN’s legal team and support our growing national portfolio. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in commercial real estate transactions, acquisitions, dispositions, leasing and asset management, will be skilled in delivering practical, business-oriented guidance on complex, high-value transactions, and will have the proven ability to independently manage sophisticated transactions from diligence through closing. This is an excellent opportunity for a motivated attorney to contribute to a high-performing and collaborative legal team that is integral to driving organizational success in a growing public company environment.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
- Draft, review, and negotiate a wide variety of real estate transaction documents, including: purchase and sale agreements; commercial leases (NNN, double net, SLBs), amendments, renewals, and terminations; easements, access agreements, declarations, and restrictive covenants, estoppels, landlord waivers, consents, and SNDAs; operational contracts (vendor, service, SOWs, MSAs); non-disclosure agreements (NDAs)
- Serve as strategic thought partner to the General Counsel, while establishing and maintaining reputation as a trusted legal advisor to business teams, exercising sound judgment, intellectual curiosity and balanced risk analysis to support portfolio and asset-level decision making
- Independently lead and manage real estate transactions from diligence through closing, including title and survey review, transaction structuring, coordination, and execution
- Be accountable for real estate closings and coordination with internal legal and business teams, title companies, and outside counsel
- Provide day-to-day legal support related to portfolio and asset management, including landlord-tenant matters, lease compliance and disputes, tenant defaults, easement and consent requests, casualty and condemnation matters, and insurance-related claims, ensuring appropriate risk allocation and alignment with company policies
- Manage outside counsel across select transactions, litigation matters, tenant bankruptcies, and environmental matters, driving efficient, cost-effective outcomes
- Support environmental compliance matters related to the acquisition, ownership, and disposition of real property
- Contribute to corporate governance, policy development, compliance initiatives, and risk mitigation efforts consistent with public REIT best practices
- Identify and implement opportunities to improve legal workflows, templates, playbooks, and operational efficiency through process improvements and technology solutions, including automation tools, legal AI, and project management systems
- Partner cross-functionally to align legal strategies with corporate objectives and operational priorities
- Stay current on emerging legal trends, regulatory developments, and best practices in transactional commercial real estate law and public REITs
- Perform other duties as assigned
CORE COMPETENCIES
- Expertise in Transactional Commercial Real Estate Law
- Strong Drafting and Negotiating Skills in Commercial Leasing and Real Estate Contracts
- Transaction Management & Execution
- Business Acumen & Strategic Thinking
- Risk Assessment & Practical Judgment
- Initiative, Drive, High Ownership, Integrity & Sense of Urgency
- Exceptional Written & Verbal Communication & Attention to Detail
- Adaptability, Agility, Humility, Low-Ego, and Team-First Mentality
- Process Improvement & Legal Operations Mindset
Experience With HotDocs automation software, LawVu project management, CoCounsel AI, eDiscovery tools, legal operations platforms, and e-billing system a plus.
SUPERVISORY & DEPARTMENTAL RESPONSIBILITIES
This role provides day-to-day guidance to legal staff and manages outside counsel performance. The position supports department goals, budgeting, resource planning, metrics and continuous improvement initiatives.
Qualifications:EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE:
- Juris Doctor (J.D.) from an ABA-accredited law school.
- Licensed to practice law in Florida or eligible for admission via waiver.
- 8-12 years of relevant experience in commercial real estate law, ideally including:
- Experience at a reputable law firm with strong commercial real estate transactions practice.
- In-house experience preferably with a real estate company or REIT.
- Public company experience as a real estate subject matter expert and corporate generalist.
- Demonstrated ability to independently manage complex real estate transactions from inception to closing, including advanced contract and lease drafting, negotiation, and legal analysis.
CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS
Licensed to practice law in Florida or eligible for admission via waiver.
TRAVEL
Occasional travel to properties, meetings, and proceedings as needed.