General Counsel

Weston Associates Inc.•Warrensville Heights, OH

25d•Onsite

About The Position

The General Counsel serves as a trusted strategic advisor to ownership and executive leadership, providing legal leadership across the Company’s commercial real estate business. The role develops legal strategies that support long-term objectives while protecting the Company’s assets, reputation, and stakeholders. It manages outside counsel, establishes legal policies and procedures, oversees complex transactions, and partners with leadership to enable sound business decisions in a collaborative, entrepreneurial environment. The position covers commercial real estate acquisitions, dispositions, financing, development, construction, leasing, asset management, operations, corporate governance, litigation, regulatory compliance, and enterprise risk management. It also manages departmental priorities, staffing, budgets, legal resources, workflows, and relationships with internal teams and external partners. The role requires a Juris Doctor from an ABA-accredited law school, an active license in good standing to practice law in Ohio, and Ohio Notary Public certification or the ability to obtain it within a reasonable period after hire. Candidates must have at least ten years of progressively responsible legal experience, significant commercial real estate experience, and experience managing outside counsel and complex legal matters. The role is full-time, exempt, and salaried, with a Monday-through-Friday schedule; longer hours and occasional weekend work may be required. It primarily operates in a professional office environment.

Requirements

Juris Doctor (J.D.) from an ABA-accredited law school.
Licensed and in good standing to practice law in the State of Ohio.
Ohio Notary Public certification, or ability to obtain it within a reasonable period after hire.
Minimum of ten years of progressively responsible legal experience.
Significant experience in commercial real estate transactions, acquisitions, dispositions, development, financing, and leasing.
Experience managing outside counsel and complex legal matters.
Demonstrated ability to balance legal risk with practical business objectives.
Exceptional commercial real estate transactional expertise and advanced contract drafting and negotiation skills.
Strong knowledge of commercial lending and structured finance.
Experience with corporate governance, entity management, and partnership structures.
Working knowledge of environmental law, zoning, land use, and regulatory compliance.
Excellent analytical, organizational, and problem-solving abilities; ability to manage multiple complex matters and meet deadlines.
High degree of emotional intelligence, integrity, sound judgment, and professionalism.
Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite and legal technology platforms.
Demonstrated interest in emerging legal technologies, document automation, contract lifecycle management systems, and artificial intelligence applications in the legal profession.

Nice To Haves

Thorough understanding of construction and development law is preferred.

Responsibilities

Serve as the principal legal advisor to ownership and executive leadership and provide practical, business-focused guidance.
Develop legal strategies that balance business objectives with risk management and promote ethics, integrity, compliance, and sound corporate governance.
Lead legal aspects of commercial real estate acquisitions, dispositions, developments, and redevelopments; structure, draft, negotiate, and close related agreements and documents.
Review title commitments, surveys, easements, restrictive covenants, access issues, and closing documentation, and complete closings with transaction partners and counsel.
Lead legal negotiations for construction loans, permanent financing, refinancing, credit facilities, and other debt transactions; negotiate related financing documents.
Support and complete 1031 exchanges, tax credit financing, governmental incentives, economic development programs, and other tax-efficient transaction structures.
Provide legal support throughout development projects, including agreements and contracts for construction, design, engineering, consulting, and professional services.
Advise on land use, zoning, entitlements, permitting, utilities, infrastructure, environmental compliance, and governmental approvals.
Manage legal issues involving mechanics’ liens, construction disputes, orders, payment disputes, warranties, and contractor claims; review and negotiate easements, rights-of-way, access, and utility agreements.
Direct, draft, negotiate, and administer commercial leases and related documents, and advise internal teams on tenant matters, lease interpretation, enforcement, defaults, and landlord-tenant disputes.
Develop legal policies, procedures, templates, and contract standards; monitor legal and regulatory developments, industry trends, technologies, and best practices affecting commercial real estate and legal operations.
Improve legal workflows using technology, document automation, contract lifecycle management, and responsible AI adoption while maintaining confidentiality, security, and regulatory compliance; reduce legal costs while improving efficiency and consistency.
Structure, negotiate, and document joint ventures, operating agreements, partnership agreements, and strategic alliances; assist with governance, capital contributions, distributions, transfers, and exit strategies.
Oversee litigation, arbitration, mediation, collections, foreclosure, bankruptcy, and other disputes; manage outside counsel, strategy, budgets, invoices, and legal spend, and pursue practical, cost-effective resolution where appropriate.
Manage departmental priorities, workload, staffing, budgets, outside legal resources, goals, performance expectations, and operational metrics.
Build collaborative relationships across company functions and cultivate relationships with lenders, consultants, title companies, and external legal partners.
Perform additional duties and special projects as assigned.