Real Estate Counsel

Job Title: Real Estate Counsel

Location: Manhattan, New York City

Salary: $365,000 – $435,000 bonus

Overview

A highly regarded New York real estate practice is seeking an experienced Real Estate Attorney with strong commercial leasing expertise to join its Midtown Manhattan office. The team represents sophisticated real estate owners, developers, investors, and private capital clients across some of the most prominent transactions in the New York market.

This opportunity offers direct client exposure, significant responsibility, and the ability to work on complex leasing and transactional matters within a lean, entrepreneurial environment. The practice combines top-tier work quality with a collaborative structure that allows attorneys greater autonomy and visibility than traditional large-firm platforms.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and negotiate complex office, retail, and mixed-use leasing transactions throughout New York City
• Draft and negotiate leases, amendments, renewals, SNDAs, estoppels, and related leasing documentation
• Advise clients on leasing strategy, asset positioning, and value optimization across commercial real estate portfolios
• Handle acquisitions and dispositions of commercial real estate assets
• Assist with borrower- and lender-side real estate finance transactions
• Manage transactions from structuring and negotiation through execution and closing
• Serve as a primary point of contact for clients, counterparties, and outside advisors
• Provide commercially focused legal advice to sophisticated institutional and entrepreneurial real estate clients
• Coordinate with internal and external stakeholders to ensure efficient transaction execution

Requirements

• JD from an accredited U.S. law school
• Admission to the New York Bar
• 5 years of experience in commercial real estate law
• Strong experience handling sophisticated commercial leasing transactions within the New York market
• Excellent drafting, negotiation, and communication skills
• Ability to independently manage transactions and maintain direct client relationships
• Strong commercial awareness and business-oriented approach to legal counsel
• Experience across acquisitions, dispositions, and finance matters preferred

What’s on Offer

• Opportunity to join a Chambers-recognized real estate practice with a strong reputation in the New York market
• High-end transactional work with direct exposure to owners, developers, and private investors
• Lean team structure offering significant autonomy and responsibility
• Sophisticated leasing and real estate transactional matters across Manhattan and the wider New York market
• Competitive compensation package with strong bonus potential
• Hybrid working model and comprehensive benefits package
• Long-term career growth within a highly respected and entrepreneurial platform
• This role would suit a commercially minded real estate attorney seeking sophisticated leasing work, meaningful client interaction, and greater autonomy within a high-performing New York real estate practice.

Lorna Hardcastle

Lorna.hardcastle@simpsonjudge.com

331-215-9850