Corporate General Counsel

With over 30 years of experience in the acquisition, development, rehabilitation, and management of apartment communities across the Western United States, we are a trusted partner in the property management industry. At MG Properties, we focus on enriching lives – physically in our community buildings, philanthropically through giving back to our local communities, and through development and growth of our employees.

MG Properties, a private real estate investment and management company, seeks an experienced corporate attorney to lead a new legal department, managing diverse legal tasks across the company.  This role requires a deep understanding of California real estate law.

Responsibilities:

Real Estate Transactions:

• While not the lead for transaction related work, provide legal guidance as needed for unique situations related to acquisitions, dispositions, leases, and financing. May perform title/survey review, abstract retail leases, review loan docs. 

Securities Compliance

• Track Securities legislation and ensure compliance of offerings.  Advice on changes to offerings.

Risk / Litigation

• Manage risk department and coordinate litigation, dispute resolution, and insurance matters.  Includes real estate, and operational disputes.
• Represent, guide, and train personnel on small claims matters.
• De-escalation of resident matters prior to engagement of external legal representation. Oversee representation by outside Landlord Tenant attorneys.
• Oversee insurance claims tracking and settlement process

Contracts

• Review, draft, and negotiate contracts, agreements, and other legal documents related to real estate matters, ensuring consistency across markets and departments.
• Track and negotiate vendor contracts, including acquisition analyses and assumptions, renewals/negotiations, and master agreements. (EG: Cable, laundry, cell tower)
• Construction contract negotiation, tracking, and compliance
• Retail broker listing agreements and tenant lease negotiation
• Track contracts to ensure compliance with terms, including extension/termination notices.

Investor Relations

• TIC restructurings, assignments, other investor-related legal issues.

Strategic Counsel

• Advise and support senior management and other departments on real estate and risk management matters on an ad-hoc basis.

Department Management

• Develop and implement best practices and processes for the operations of the legal department.

Operations

• Resident facing documents for signature (lease documents & addendums)
• Manage tracking of evictions and coordinate with outside counsel
• Operating policies and procedures

Compliance & Administrative

• Research and analyze legal issues and developments in the real estate industry.
• Track pending and current laws and regulations to proactively identify areas of risk, ensure compliance, and avoid litigation.
• Manage all entity legal compliance, ensuring licenses and permits are current, vendor contracts are monitored and coordinated, and insurance policies are in place.
• Responsible for management of entity filings, review/approval of invoices, SOP notices.
• New applications and annual renewals of licenses and permits for individual properties, entities, and for the broader company.

Qualifications

• Preferably at least 8 years’ experience in CA real estate law.
• Strongly prefer corporate counsel experience in multi-family industry or securities law experience.
• JD from an ABA-accredited law school.
• Must be an active member in good standing with the CA State Bar.
• Excellent knowledge of theory and practical application of corporate and real estate law.
• Management experience of multiple direct reports
• Strong analytical, communication, and negotiation skills.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• High ethical standards and professionalism.

We offer a competitive benefits package and excellent work environment.

Compensation and Benefits

• Company profit sharing
• Accrues 10 days Paid Time Off per year
• 10 Paid Holidays and 2 Paid Personal Days per year
• 40 Hours of Paid Sick Time
• 401K with employer match
• Medical, Dental, Vision, Employee Assistance Program
• Life Insurance
• Flexible Spending Account, Dependent Care Spending Account