VP, Legal Corporate Development

Detroit Pistons • Detroit, MI

18h

About The Position

The VP, Legal Corporate Development is a senior legal executive who leads complex business transactions, real estate matters, and strategic legal initiatives for the Detroit Pistons. The role serves as a senior advisor to executive leadership, providing commercially minded counsel on corporate development, real estate acquisitions and dispositions, development-related transactions, partnerships, and other business arrangements. The position requires the judgment and deal-making experience of a senior law firm partner or seasoned in-house transactional leader, along with exceptional legal writing and analytical skills and the ability to build productive relationships across the organization and with external stakeholders.

Requirements

• Juris Doctor (J.D.) from an accredited law school and active membership in good standing with a state bar, with eligibility to practice in Michigan.
• 10+ years of progressive legal experience with significant responsibility for complex corporate, commercial, and real estate transactions.
• Proven experience independently structuring, negotiating, and closing sophisticated commercial real estate and corporate transactions.
• Strong business acumen, negotiation skills, and ability to provide strategic legal guidance to executive leadership.
• Exceptional legal drafting, analytical, communication, and problem-solving skills.
• Demonstrated ability to build relationships with senior executives, external business partners, government agencies, and civic stakeholders.
• Executive presence, sound judgment, discretion, and ability to navigate complex and sensitive business matters.

Nice To Haves

• Experience as a law firm partner, senior transactional attorney, or in-house legal executive is strongly preferred.
• Experience within sports, entertainment, corporate partnerships, or other consumer-facing industries is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead and negotiate complex corporate and commercial transactions, including acquisitions, dispositions, joint ventures, strategic investments, and development agreements.
• Oversee real estate transactions from structuring and due diligence through negotiation, financing, closing, and post-closing obligations.
• Serve as a strategic legal advisor to executive leadership, providing practical guidance on corporate development, business opportunities, and organizational initiatives.
• Draft, review, and negotiate sophisticated transaction documents, commercial agreements, and executive-level legal recommendations.
• Advise on corporate partnerships, sponsorships, vendor agreements, and other revenue-generating arrangements, including applicable NBA rules and policies.
• Build and maintain relationships with developers, lenders, outside counsel, municipal officials, civic leaders, and external business partners.
• Partner with internal teams and government stakeholders on development approvals, permitting, public-private initiatives, and related matters.
• Evaluate legal, regulatory, financial, and reputational risks while developing commercially sound solutions that support business objectives.
• Lead outside counsel and cross-functional transaction teams, ensuring effective coordination, timely execution, and successful deal closings.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Executive
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree