Commercial Real Estate & Land Development Paralegal (In-House)
Position Summary
We are seeking an experienced Commercial Real Estate & Land Development Paralegal to join our in-house legal team and support a fast-paced commercial real estate development operation.This position will work closely with the Lead Attorney, Chief Legal Officer, Project Managers, other paralegals, outside counsel, title companies, surveyors, municipalities, consultants, lenders, tenants, and other stakeholders throughout the lifecycle of commercial real estate transactions and development projects.The Paralegal will play a key role in managing transactions from contract execution through due diligence, development, leasing, closing, and post-closing. The Paralegal will also maintain oversight of master development projects, including the interrelated purchase and sale agreements, leases, development agreements, due diligence requirements, entitlement milestones, and closing obligations associated with each project.The ideal candidate is highly organized, proactive, detail-oriented, and capable of independently managing multiple transactions and deadlines while identifying issues before they become problems.This is an excellent opportunity for a commercial real estate paralegal who enjoys being directly involved in transactions and development projects rather than working solely in a traditional law firm environment.Key ResponsibilitiesCommercial Real Estate Transactions
- Assist attorneys with commercial real estate acquisitions, dispositions, and development transactions.
- Coordinate purchase and sale agreements, amendments, extensions, assignments, escrow documents, and other transaction-related agreements.
- Maintain comprehensive contract and transaction checklists from execution through closing.
- Track critical dates, including effective dates, due diligence periods, financing deadlines, extension deadlines, notice requirements, and closing dates.
- Coordinate contract execution, document circulation, signatures, and final document retention.
- Prepare transaction summaries and maintain organized electronic files for each active project.
- Proactively identify upcoming deadlines, missing documents, and unresolved transaction items for the legal and development teams.
Master Development, Lease & PSA Coordination
- Maintain and track master development agreements, purchase and sale agreements, leases, amendments, and related project documents for active developments.
- Understand and monitor the relationship between acquisition agreements and corresponding leases, development agreements, site-control documents, and other project-specific obligations.
- Track interdependent deadlines and conditions across related agreements, including acquisition deadlines, lease commencement requirements, delivery conditions, entitlement milestones, construction obligations, tenant approvals, due diligence periods, and closing requirements.
- Maintain comprehensive trackers for master developments involving multiple parcels, tenants, acquisitions, leases, and closings, providing clear visibility into the status of each component of the development.
- Coordinate with attorneys and Project Managers to ensure that obligations under leases and development agreements remain consistent with and are timely satisfied in connection with applicable purchase and sale agreements.
- Identify and flag inconsistencies, timing conflicts, missing documents, or other issues between purchase agreements, leases, development agreements, and closing requirements.
- Track tenant-related conditions that may affect acquisition or development timelines, including lease execution, tenant approvals, landlord work, site delivery requirements, access, utilities, entitlements, and other conditions precedent.
- Maintain executed leases, amendments, exhibits, site plans, memoranda of lease, commencement documentation, and related tenant files for each development.
- Assist with estoppels, SNDAs, lease amendments, assignments, consents, notices, and other lease-related documentation associated with acquisitions, development projects, financing, and closings.
- Provide attorneys, Project Managers, and leadership with regular status updates identifying upcoming milestones and dependencies across the acquisition, leasing, entitlement, development, and closing timelines.
Title & Survey
- Coordinate with title companies, surveyors, attorneys, and Project Managers regarding title and survey matters.
- Obtain and organize title commitments, exception documents, tax certificates, surveys, pro formas, and related materials.
- Assist attorneys with the review and tracking of title exceptions, survey matters, access issues, easements, restrictions, and other property-related concerns.
- Maintain title and survey comment lists and track outstanding curative items through resolution.
- Coordinate requests for title endorsements, updated commitments, owner policies, lender policies, and final title documentation.
- Confirm receipt and organization of recorded documents and final title policies following closing.
Due Diligence & Development
- Coordinate legal due diligence for commercial real estate acquisitions and development projects.
- Organize and track due diligence materials including title, survey, environmental reports, zoning information, property condition materials, utility information, governmental approvals, and other property documentation.
- Assist with matters involving zoning, platting, subdivision, access, utilities, easements, rights-of-way, development agreements, restrictive covenants, and other land development matters.
- Coordinate with Project Managers, engineers, surveyors, municipalities, title companies, and outside consultants regarding outstanding development requirements.
- Maintain clear due diligence and development trackers showing outstanding items, responsible parties, deadlines, and status.
- Assist with the preparation, execution, and recording of easements, declarations, restrictive covenants, plats, and other development-related documents.
Contract & Legal Administration
- Prepare initial drafts of routine agreements, amendments, notices, correspondence, closing documents, and other legal documents under attorney supervision.
- Coordinate document revisions, redlines, execution versions, and final executed copies.
- Maintain accurate version control for agreements and transaction documents.
- Organize executed contracts, recorded documents, correspondence, and supporting materials.
- Assist attorneys in maintaining forms, templates, transaction checklists, and internal legal processes.
- Coordinate legal requests submitted by Project Managers and other internal departments and ensure appropriate follow-up.
Closing Coordination
- Manage transaction closing checklists and coordinate outstanding closing requirements.
- Work with attorneys, title companies, escrow officers, lenders, Project Managers, sellers, buyers, tenants, and outside counsel to prepare transactions for closing.
- Coordinate execution and delivery of deeds, affidavits, assignments, closing certificates, easements, and other closing documents.
- Review closing packages for completeness and assist with closing statement and settlement documentation.
- Coordinate recording and delivery of documents following closing.
- Maintain complete closing files, including executed documents, recorded instruments, title policies, surveys, settlement statements, and other final closing materials.
Post-Closing & Ongoing Property Matters
- Track post-closing obligations, survival periods, escrow matters, holdbacks, and outstanding deliverables.
- Maintain organized records of recorded instruments and final transaction documentation.
- Assist with property-related legal matters that arise following acquisition, including easements, restrictions, access matters, development agreements, tenant documentation, and other real estate issues.
- Assist attorneys with estoppels, SNDAs, lease-related documentation, assignments, consents, and other commercial real estate matters as needed.
Project & Deadline Management
- Maintain legal and transaction workflows using Microsoft Planner, Excel, and other project-management and tracking systems.
- Manage multiple active commercial real estate transactions and development projects simultaneously.
- Maintain accurate contract, due diligence, title/survey, leasing, development, and closing trackers.
- Provide regular status updates regarding outstanding legal matters and upcoming deadlines.
- Proactively follow up with internal and external parties regarding outstanding documents and deliverables.
- Escalate material delays, risks, and unresolved issues to the appropriate attorney or Project Manager.
Litigation & Dispute Support
- Assist the legal team with real estate-related disputes, claims, and litigation matters as needed.
- Coordinate document collection, correspondence, timelines, and information requested by outside counsel.
- Maintain organized files and track deadlines associated with active disputes and litigation matters.
Qualifications & Experience
- 3+ years of commercial real estate, real estate development, transactional, or closely related paralegal experience required.
- 5+ years of relevant experience preferred.
- Experience with commercial real estate acquisitions, dispositions, development projects, leasing, or closings strongly preferred.
- Experience working with purchase and sale agreements, leases, title commitments, surveys, easements, closing documents, and transaction deadlines strongly preferred.
- Experience managing transactions or developments involving multiple interrelated agreements, parcels, tenants, or closings preferred.
- Experience in an in-house legal department, commercial real estate development company, title company, or real estate law practice preferred.
- Paralegal certificate, Associate's degree, Bachelor's degree, or equivalent combination of education and relevant professional experience preferred.
Skills & CompetenciesThe successful candidate should possess:
- Exceptional organizational and deadline-management skills.
- Strong attention to detail and commitment to maintaining accurate documentation.
- Ability to manage numerous transactions and projects simultaneously.
- Ability to understand and track dependencies between purchase agreements, leases, development obligations, entitlement milestones, and closings.
- Ability to independently follow matters through completion while recognizing when attorney involvement is necessary.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills.
- Ability to communicate professionally with attorneys, executives, Project Managers, tenants, title companies, surveyors, municipalities, consultants, and other third parties.
- Strong proficiency with Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, and Microsoft Planner.
- Ability to review complex real estate documentation and identify missing information, inconsistencies, deadlines, and follow-up items.
- Strong document-management and version-control skills.
- Sound judgment and discretion when handling confidential or sensitive information.
- A proactive mindset and willingness to take ownership of assigned matters.
Preferred Qualifications
- Significant commercial real estate or land development experience.
- Experience reviewing and coordinating title and survey matters.
- Experience managing master developments with multiple acquisitions, tenants, leases, and development timelines.
- Experience with zoning, platting, easements, restrictive covenants, development agreements, and municipal development processes.
- Experience coordinating commercial real estate closings.
- Experience with commercial leases, estoppels, SNDAs, memoranda of lease, commencement documentation, or related landlord/tenant documentation.
- Experience supporting real estate litigation or development-related disputes.
- Experience working directly with developers, Project Managers, engineers, surveyors, title companies, tenants, and governmental entities.
Work EnvironmentThis is an office-based, in-house position supporting a commercial real estate development company and its legal and development teams.The position involves regular interaction with executive leadership, attorneys, Project Managers, other legal professionals, tenants, title companies, surveyors, engineers, consultants, governmental entities, and outside counsel.The successful candidate should be comfortable working in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment where priorities can shift quickly and multiple transactions, leases, and development projects are active at the same time.
Full Time
Salary: $70,000 - $100,000
Pay: $70,000.00 - $100,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- Dental insurance
- Health insurance
- Paid time off
- Vision insurance
Work Location: In person
