Director, Legal Leasing

Do you want to help revolutionize a major industry? At Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield (URW), you’ll have the opportunity to impact the future of real estate by developing innovative and engaging places that reinvent being together. Come join a team that builds excitement about working at URW. You’ll get to work with leaders who are passionate about tackling changing consumer behavior with innovative experiences. All this bold vision means the company culture embraces evolution and change. We believe there is no "perfect" candidate and want to encourage applying even if all the requirements listed aren’t met. If you're passionate about URW and looking to learn and grow, then we look forward to reviewing your application!

We are currently looking for our:

Director, Legal Leasing (Based out of Corporate HQ in Century City, CA)

What we offer

The Director of Legal Leasing is a senior legal leader responsible for overseeing all legal aspects of the Company’s leasing operations. This role provides strategic direction, ensures consistent and high‑quality legal documentation, and partners closely with Leasing, Asset Management, and senior leadership to drive business objectives. The Director will manage a team of attorneys and legal professionals, establish department standards and processes, and lead the negotiation and execution of complex retail, and mixed‑use lease documentation across the portfolio.

This is a high‑volume, fast‑paced role requiring strong leadership, excellent drafting and negotiation skills, and the ability to balance business strategy with legal risk.

Scope

Department Leadership & Strategy

• Co-Lead the Legal Leasing department, establishing strategy, priorities, goals, workflows, and performance standards.
• Oversee a team of attorneys, paralegals, and coordinators; provide coaching, training, and professional development to strengthen negotiation, communication, legal, and business skills.
• Ensure alignment between legal leasing operations and the Company’s leasing, operational, and financial objectives.
• Maintain strong internal partnerships with Leasing leadership, Asset Management, Development, IT, and Senior Executives.
• Monitor departmental KPIs, resource needs, and workload allocation to ensure timely and accurate delivery of all leasing documentation.

Legal Drafting, Negotiation & Advisory

• Oversee and participate in the drafting and negotiation of leases, amendments, LOIs, subleases, assignments, temporary licenses, and related documents.
• Provide high‑level legal and business counsel on landlord/tenant issues, defaults, disputes, and other real estate matters.
• Ensure consistency and standardization of lease language, templates, policies, and procedures across the organization.
• Guide teams through complex legal and business issues, offering solutions that align with Company strategy while minimizing risk.

Operational Excellence

• Ensure leasing documentation is processed efficiently through execution, including coordination between legal, leasing, operations, and other internal departments.
• Oversee development and maintenance of legal leasing databases, systems, and tools in partnership with IT.
• Implement compliance best practices, legal updates, and continued education initiatives to support a strong, informed legal practice.
• Maintain deep knowledge of the Company’s tenant portfolio, business priorities, and market considerations.

Collaboration & Communication

• Serve as key liaison between Legal and Leasing teams, ensuring clear communication, issue escalation, and timely delivery of solutions.
• Advise senior leadership on legal trends, portfolio risks, negotiation strategies, and operational process improvements.
• Represent the Legal Leasing function in cross‑functional initiatives, strategic planning, and portfolio decision‑making.

What we’re looking for

• Member of the California Bar in good standing.
• 12 years of experience negotiating and drafting complex retail, office, and/or mixed‑use lease documents; REIT or major retail/real estate company experience strongly preferred.
• Experience leading or managing a legal team in a high‑volume transactional environment.
• Strong academic background preferred; combination of big‑law and in‑house experience ideal.
• Exceptional drafting, negotiation, analytical, and communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple complex projects and deliver results under tight timelines.
• Strong business acumen with the ability to integrate legal judgment with practical business needs.
• Positive, collaborative, solutions‑oriented mindset with the ability to work in a dynamic, fast‑paced, team‑focused environment.
• Demonstrated adaptability and resilience, with a growth mindset that embraces change and proactively seeks solutions in evolving circumstances.

Compensation

• Exempt
• $180,000 - $225,000 per year Discretionary Annual Bonus

What is important to us

Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield (URW) is driven by an entrepreneurial foundation of talented and ambitious employees who embrace change, strive for innovation, and know when to venture into uncharted terrain. Teams within URW are collaborative and thrive by working together to seize opportunity and solve challenges. Employees receive mentorship and guidance while being empowered to drive their initiatives, embracing their individuality and unique backgrounds. URW‘s flagship destinations are interwoven into the community fabric, and we give employees the power to be impactful in their work and lead meaningful change in our communities through volunteering, DE&I programming and leading ESG efforts. URW is an innovator and trend setter in experiential entertainment and is making bold moves to be a brand that creates inspiring consumer experiences in-person and digitally. Breaking beyond conventional beliefs, URW is surprising and delighting customers by reinventing being together and creating memorable moments.

Our company purpose – to Reinvent Being Together – is about reimagining how individuals and communities come together, socialize, and enjoy dynamic experiences alongside one another in entirely new ways. We are at our best when we are TOGETHER safely and joyfully