Deputy General Counsel

McCormack Baron Companies•St. Louis, MO

13d•Onsite

About The Position

The Deputy General Counsel will serve as a senior legal leader supporting the ownership and management of a national portfolio of multifamily rental housing communities. A significant portion of this role involves overseeing, directing, and optimizing the company’s use of external counsel across a range of external, real estate ownership and management related matters, as well as McCormack Baron corporate and internal legal matters. This business‑minded attorney must balance hands‑on legal work with strategic oversight of outside legal resources, ensuring high‑quality, cost-effective work product in alignment with company priorities.

Requirements

Proficiency and high aptitude with Microsoft programs and applications (e.g., Microsoft Office, Enterprise Platforms: LawVu and HighQ).
Strong negotiation, communication, and analytical skills.
Business‑minded approach with the ability to translate legal considerations into practical guidance.
Confident decision‑maker with excellent judgment.
Skilled at building strong relationships with executives, property teams, and external partners.
Comfortable in a fast‑paced, high-growth, dynamic environment.
High integrity, professionalism, and discretion.
J.D. from an accredited law school; strong academic credentials.
Active bar membership in good standing.
10+ years of legal experience, with significant exposure to affordable multifamily real estate ownership and property management.
Demonstrated experience managing outside counsel across multiple practice areas.

Responsibilities

Advise McCormack Baron Companies on, and work with outside counsel relationships in executing on, legal matters related to ownership and operation of affordable and mixed-income housing:
Litigation – oversee third-party counsel and drive litigation defense and plaintiff strategies
Transactional – oversee third-party counsel and maintain ownership and property management contracts and agreement relating to property management, asset disposition/sale of ownership interest, exits, work-outs and refinancings
Regulatory and Statutory – oversee compliance with affordable rental housing regulations and statutes.
Serve as a trusted advisor to senior leadership, providing clear, practical guidance that balances legal risk with operational realities.
Develop and enforce guidelines, budgets, and performance expectations for external counsel.
Review and approve litigation strategies, pleadings, settlement positions, and major workstreams handled by outside firms.
Develop and enforce guidelines, budgets, and performance expectations for external counsel
Evaluate law firm performance, negotiate fee structures, and ensure cost‑effective use of external resources.
Provide company leaders with clear, business‑oriented summaries of outside counsel recommendations and risks.
Work with General Counsel to identify opportunities for efficient, in-house legal solutions for certain matters.
Oversee entity formation, governance, and corporate compliance for a multi‑entity real estate structure.
Mentor legal team members and help build scalable legal processes, including systems for managing outside counsel.