Position Overview
John L. Scott Real Estate is seeking an experienced, highly organized, and proactive Legal OperationsManager. In this pivotal role, you will serve as a trusted operational partner to the General Counsel, supporting a broad range of legal, compliance, brokerage, franchise, corporate governance, and risk management.
This is a unique opportunity to work across virtually every aspect of a leading real estate organization, including legal operations, brokerage compliance, franchise support, risk management, corporate governance, litigation support, insurance administration, commercial leasing, and strategic projects.
The successful candidate will independently manage critical legal and operational functions, lead cross-functional initiatives, support executive decision-making, prepare high-quality written materials, and help the Legal Department scale effectively as the business continues to grow.
Success in this role requires equal comfort leading complex initiatives, exercising independent judgment, and handling the day-to-day operational responsibilities that keep a high-performing legal department running effectively.
About John L. Scott:
Founded in 1931, John L. Scott Real Estate is a leading Pacific Northwest real estate company known for its commitment to transactional excellence, innovation, and its guiding purpose of Living Life as a Contribution®
What Success Looks Like
The successful candidate takes ownership of both strategic projects and recurring administrative responsibilities, recognizing that each plays an important role in supporting the Legal Department and broader organization.
- Litigation, subpoena, and discovery matters are managed efficiently and accurately.
- Corporate records, licenses, and compliance obligations are consistently maintained and up to date.
- Commercial lease obligations, CAM reconciliations, renewal options, and critical dates are proactively managed.
- Cross-functional projects move forward on schedule with clear accountability and follow-through.
- Legal department workflows are organized, scalable, and continuously improving.
- The General Counsel can confidently delegate operational and project responsibilities knowing they will be executed effectively and independently.
Primary responsibilities may include, but are not limited to:
Legal Operations & Litigation Support
- Coordinate responses to subpoenas, records requests, and discovery matters, including internal document collection and production.
- Maintain tracking systems for litigation, claims, and legal matters.
- Coordinate with outside counsel regarding litigation support, document collection, and claims management.
- Support implementation and administration of legal department policies, procedures, and workflows.
- Draft routine legal correspondence and communications.
Corporate Governance & Compliance
- Maintain corporate records, minute books, and entity documentation.
- Coordinate business license renewals and regulatory filings across multiple jurisdictions.
- Maintain compliance calendars and ensure timely completion of recurring legal obligations.
- Support corporate governance activities and entity management.
Commercial Leasing & Facilities Support
- Maintain company's commercial lease portfolio and lease database.
- Abstract leases, amendments, and other leasing documents.
- Monitor and track critical lease dates, renewal options, notice periods, rent escalations, and landlord obligations.
- Review and reconcile CAM, operating expense, and tax reconciliations.
- Prepare lease summaries and analyses for leadership.
- Coordinate with Finance, Operations, landlords, brokers, and outside counsel regarding lease matters.
- Support lease negotiations, amendments, renewals, and office relocation projects.
Insurance & Risk Management
- Support administration of the company's insurance programs, including annual renewals and underwriting submissions.
- Coordinate certificates of insurance and policy documentation.
- Track insurance claims and assist with claim administration.
- Support risk management initiatives and legal claims procedures.
Legal Operations, Financial Administration, & Workflow Management
- Manage legal invoices, coding, tracking, and payment processing.
- Track legal department expenses and support budgeting activities.
- Maintain contract repositories, vendor agreements, and legal records.
- Prepare expense reports and support departmental administration.
- Design, implement, and continuously improve processes that streamline legal department operations and increase efficiency.
- Develop and maintain legal intake systems to ensure matters are routed, prioritized, tracked, and resolved consistently.
- Create workflows, templates, tracking mechanisms, and reporting tools to support litigation, compliance, contracts, insurance, leasing, and brokerage-related matters.
- Identify recurring issues and operational bottlenecks and recommend practical solutions to improve service levels and reduce risk.
- Support implementation of technology solutions and automation opportunities that improve department effectiveness.
Brokerage Operations & Legal Compliance
- Assist with interpretation, implementation, and administration of brokerage policies, transaction forms, and risk management initiatives.
- Review transaction files, contracts, and brokerage forms for compliance with company policies, risk management standards, and applicable laws.
- Assist with internal investigations involving brokers, employees, transaction disputes, ethics complaints, and policy violations.
- Support brokerage compliance efforts, including transaction file audits, document review, and corrective action processes.
- Participate in disciplinary matters, ethics complaints, and lawsuits, including coordinating materials, scheduling, documentation, and tracking outcomes.
- Assist with preparation of educational materials, policy updates, and communications regarding transaction forms, legal developments, and industry best practices.
- Serve as a resource to Office Leaders and support staff regarding operational, compliance, and procedural questions.
- Monitor emerging legal and regulatory developments affecting residential real estate brokerage operations and escalate issues as appropriate.
Affiliate & Franchise Support
- Support franchise renewals and ongoing franchise operations.
- Draft franchise-related agreements, amendments, disclosure documents, notices, and other franchise documentation.
- Manage the company's franchise registration and renewal processes with applicable state regulatory agencies, including coordinating filings, gathering required information, tracking deadlines, and working with outside counsel and business stakeholders as needed.
- Serve as a resource to affiliate offices on legal, compliance, and operational matters.
- Assist with affiliate communications, meetings, and training initiatives.
Project Leadership & Process Improvement
- Lead cross-functional projects involving Legal, Operations, Finance, IT, Risk Management, and Franchise Services.
- Facilitate meetings, document decisions, track action items, and ensure follow-through.
- Develop project timelines and coordinate stakeholders to drive successful outcomes.
- Identify opportunities to improve efficiency and consistency within legal and operational processes.
- Implement practical solutions to reduce risk, increase efficiency, and improve department effectiveness.
- Lead recurring operational and project meetings, prepare agendas, facilitate discussion, drive decision-making, and ensure accountability for follow-up actions.
Qualifications
- 5+ years of progressively responsible experience in legal operations, compliance, brokerage operations, corporate governance, project management, risk management, franchise operations, or related business functions.
- Ability to exercise independent judgment and solve problems with minimal supervision.
- Experience handling subpoenas, discovery responses, litigation support, or records management.
- Experience with corporate compliance, entity management, licensing, or governance processes.
- Strong project management and organizational skills.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines independently.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Strong proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, including Excel, PowerPoint, and CoPilot.
- Demonstrated experience drafting professional business communications, agreements, policies, procedures, reports, or other written materials.
- Strong written communication skills with the ability to tailor communications to a variety of audiences, including executives, brokers, franchise owners, vendors, and outside counsel.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience in residential real estate brokerage operations.
- Experience with franchise registration, disclosure, renewal, and compliance requirements.
- Experience drafting contracts, amendments, and other business or franchise-related documents.
- Experience conducting transaction audits or compliance reviews.
- Experience supporting brokerage investigations, disciplinary proceedings, or transaction file reviews.
- Familiarity with real estate contracts, transaction forms, and risk management practices.
- Commercial leasing experience, including lease abstraction, CAM reconciliations, and lease administration.
Key Competencies
- Sound judgment and discretion.
- Exceptional attention to detail and commitment to accuracy.
- Strong drafting, editing, and written communication skills, with the ability to prepare clear, concise, and professional correspondence, agreements, policies, procedures, reports, and educational materials.
- Ability to review and analyze documents for completeness, accuracy, consistency, and compliance with company standards and applicable requirements.
- Ownership mentality and accountability.
- Ability to work independently with minimal supervision.
- Process-oriented with a continuous improvement mindset.
- Strong relationship-building and collaboration skills.
- Professionalism, confidentiality, and integrity.
- Willingness to take ownership of work at all levels, from leading cross-functional initiatives to managing recurring administrative processes.
- Understands that organizational effectiveness depends on consistent execution of both high-profile projects and routine operational tasks.
- No task is considered "beneath" the role if it contributes to the success of the department and company.
- Ability to independently identify issues, recommend solutions, and drive initiatives to completion.
- Ability to facilitate meetings, coordinate stakeholders, and create accountability across departments.
- Comfortable interacting with executives, Office Leaders, brokers, affiliates, outside counsel, landlords, vendors, and regulators.
Work Arrangement
This role is expected to be performed primarily on-site during onboarding and training. After the employee has successfully learned the role and demonstrated consistent performance, a hybrid work arrangement may be considered based on business needs and manager approval.
Position & Benefits:
- The position is full-time, Monday-Friday, and is considered exempt for purposes of Wage and Hour Law
- Annual salary range is from $85,000 to $110,000 depending on qualifications, experience, and demonstrated skills
- JLS benefits offerings for full-time employees include: Medical, Dental, Vision, Prescription, Long Term Disability, Term Life, AD&D, FSA, and supplemental insurance options
- Employees are eligible to participate in the JLS 401K Retirement Plan
- Paid time off and personal paid leave in accordance with JLS policies
- 8 to 9 paid holidays a year, 1 floating holiday
- Internal career growth and training opportunities
- Living Life as a Contribution® volunteer opportunities through the JLS Foundation
Physical Demands:
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee in an office setting to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
- While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand, sit, talk, hear, and use hands and fingers to operate a computer and telephone. The employee may occasionally be required to reach, stoop, and kneel to access items on or near the floor.
- Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision requirements due to computer work
- Light to moderate lifting is required occasionally, 10-25 pounds
- Regular, predictable attendance is required on site at this position’s location
Equal Employment Opportunity Policy:
John L. Scott Inc. provides equal employment opportunities to all employees, and applicants for employment, and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, caste, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.
This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.
Pay: $85,000.00 - $110,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- Dental insurance
- Employee assistance program
- Employee discount
- Flexible spending account
- Health insurance
- Health savings account
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
- Retirement plan
- Vision insurance
Work Location: In person
