Real Estate Counsel

DivcoWest•San Francisco, CA

22d•$175,000 - $200,000•Onsite

About The Position

DivcoWest is seeking an experienced Real Estate Transactions Attorney to join our Legal & Compliance team in either our New York, NY or San Francisco, CA office. This attorney will work closely with the General Counsel, in-house Real Estate Counsel, and internal business units to provide legal support across a wide range of real estate transactional matters. This role offers a unique opportunity to work on complex, high-value transactions across the U.S. and contribute meaningfully to the firm’s investment, asset management, and capital formation activities. Key benefits of the role include the ability to: Work across multiple asset classes, including office, life science, R&D, industrial, multifamily, and mixed-use properties. Gain exposure to investment committee materials, strategic decision-making, and deal modeling considerations. Take meaningful responsibility for transactions while collaborating with senior leadership. Receive mentorship and development opportunities with high visibility across the platform. This position requires four days per week in office at our New York, NY or San Francisco, CA location. The ideal candidate is a business-minded, detail-oriented, and highly responsive attorney with a strong foundation in real estate transactions, excellent drafting skills, and the ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment.

Requirements

J.D. from a top-tier law school and active membership in good standing with a U.S. state bar (California or New York preferred).
3–5 years of relevant real estate transactional experience at a top law firm; in-house experience is a plus.
Strong drafting, negotiation, and analytical skills.
Demonstrated ability to manage multiple transactions and priorities in fast-paced environments.
Excellent judgment with the ability to translate legal risk into practical, business-aligned solutions.
Strong organizational, communication, and project management skills.
Ability to work collaboratively with internal stakeholders and external counsel.
Ability to manage workstreams independently with limited supervision.
Comfort working with business teams and non-legal professionals.

Nice To Haves

Familiarity with private equity, investment structures, and fund operations preferred.
Experience drafting and negotiating joint venture agreements with institutional partners preferred.
Experience with complex financing structures—including construction financing, mezzanine financing, and agency loans—is a plus.

Responsibilities

Provide legal support on a broad range of real estate transactions, including acquisitions, dispositions, financings, and joint ventures.
Review, draft, and negotiate a variety of organizational and transactional documents, including purchase and sale agreements, joint venture agreements, loan documents, and operating agreements.
Assist with asset management matters, including leasing, development, entitlements, property operations, and other asset-level legal issues.
Support capital formation by reviewing offering memoranda, subscription documents, side letters, and investor materials.
Coordinate and oversee the work of external counsel to ensure efficiency, alignment, and quality across transactions.
Collaborate with internal teams—including Investments, Asset Management, Portfolio Management, and Finance—to identify risks, propose solutions, and advance business objectives.
Lead or coordinate due diligence efforts across legal, financial, and technical workstreams.
Support dispositions and portfolio-level initiatives, including recapitalizations and financing strategies.
Conduct legal research and participate in department-wide initiatives to enhance processes, workflows, and knowledge management.
Provide timely, practical, business-oriented advice to stakeholders across the organization.