Director, Legal Counsel

McDonald's Corporation•Chicago, IL

1d•$195,371 - $244,214

About The Position

McDonald’s Property Management Legal Team is a team of real estate legal professionals who are responsible for navigating real estate matters impacting any of McDonald’s properties in the United States, in order to protect and enhance our nearly 14,000 existing restaurants. The team enforces McDonald’s rights as a property owner, landlord, or tenant to maximize restaurant operations, negotiates real estate-related agreements to support and improve restaurant operations, supports the remodeling and rebuilding of McDonald’s restaurants, resolves property-related disputes and litigation, and oversees the leasing, management, and sale of McDonald’s excess properties.

Requirements

Individual who is driven by values of inclusiveness, kindness, integrity, and professionalism and is motivated, intellectually curious, adaptable to change, and eager to learn.
Excellent analytical, organizational and communication skills.
Ability to handle multiple projects, deadline pressures, and sensitive information.
Ability to work well individually and also as part of a team.
Attorney licensed to practice law and in good standing with a state bar association.
A minimum of seven (7) years’ experience as an attorney practicing commercial real estate law preferred.

Responsibilities

Enforces McDonald’s rights as a property owner, landlord, or tenant to maximize restaurant operations.
Negotiates real estate-related agreements to support and improve restaurant operations, such as the acquisition of additional adjacent property or easements to improve access, signage or parking.
Supports the remodeling and rebuilding of McDonald’s restaurants, including by conducting real estate due diligence for reinvestment projects and negotiating associated real estate agreements.
Resolves property-related disputes and litigation, including disputes with landlords or adjacent property owners, construction-related disputes, ADA lawsuits, and condemnation proceedings.
Oversees the leasing, management, and sale of McDonald’s excess properties, which are typically former McDonald’s restaurant locations where McDonald’s retains a real estate interest.
Demonstrate strong analytical, organizational, and communication skills to provide advice and counsel to business partners on a diverse array of complex, time-sensitive commercial real estate legal issues.
Draft, negotiate, and analyze leases, contracts, easement agreements, license agreements, and other commercial real estate agreements.
Review title and survey, existing real estate documents and other due diligence to determine property-related rights and obligations regarding our existing real estate portfolio, including in connection with the remodeling or rebuilding of existing restaurants.
Partner with the Portfolio Management business team to align on practical solutions to legal issues, with a focus on business objectives while mitigating legal risk, avoiding litigation, and protecting the brand.
Actively manage real estate-related disputes and litigation, including partnering with in-house litigation team and/or outside counsel to develop and execute litigation strategy for litigation with landlords or adjacent property owners, municipal violations, condemnations, ADA lawsuits, or construction litigation.
Strategically engage with colleagues and business clients to anticipate future business needs and identify opportunities for efficiencies.
Identify and counsel business regarding risks and provide guidance on risk tolerance to help drive business decisions.
Work collaboratively on cross-functional teams within the legal department and serve as a commercial real estate subject matter expert.
Mentor, train, and oversee the work of more junior attorneys and paralegals.