The Senior Corporate Counsel serves as a key legal advisor to Jackson Companies, with primary responsibility for real estate transactions and legal matters supporting the Real Estate Department. This role also provides counsel across the organization on commercial contracts, corporate transactions, governance, regulatory matters, risk management, and other business-related legal issues.
This is a highly visible, hands-on position that partners closely with senior leadership and business teams throughout the organization. The ideal candidate brings significant experience in real estate transactions, contract drafting and negotiation, and general corporate law, combined with strong business and financial acumen. This individual will provide practical, solutions-oriented legal guidance, identify and manage risk, and help advance the Company's strategic and operational objectives.
This position is based at the Jacksons Store Support Center in Meridian, Idaho.
Duties & Responsibilities
- Lead legal aspects of real estate transactions, including acquisitions, dispositions, development matters, leasing, financing, and other property-related transactions.
- Draft, review, and negotiate purchase and sale agreements, leases, operating agreements, joint venture agreements, common area maintenance agreements, declarations, cross-access agreements, loan and security documents, and other real estate agreements.
- Draft, review, and negotiate a broad range of commercial agreements, including vendor contracts, supply agreements, and other corporate contracts.
- Conduct and oversee transactional due diligence, including in-depth title review, economic feasibility analysis, financial analysis, and review of other legal and business considerations.
- Manage and track open escrows, tax-free exchange property nominations and closings, prepare closing documentation, and facilitate transaction closings.
- Support administration of the Company's real estate portfolio, including lease administration, option exercises, terminations, CAM reconciliations, amendments, and landlord and tenant default matters.
- Provide legal support for mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, partnerships, entity formations, and other strategic corporate transactions.
- Advise senior leadership and internal business partners on contractual obligations, business terms, legal risk, regulatory compliance, and corporate legal strategy.
- Provide corporate governance support, including preparation and maintenance of minutes, resolutions, entity documentation, and corporate records.
- Represent and advocate for Company interests before governmental and public agencies, including city councils and planning and zoning authorities, as appropriate.
- Monitor relevant legislative and regulatory developments and advise leadership regarding potential impact to the Company and its affiliates.
- Evaluate condemnation matters and provide legal analysis and recommendations.
- Provide oversight and recommendations regarding business-related insurance claims, disputes, and litigation.
- Partner with senior management in the selection, retention, management, and evaluation of outside legal counsel.
- Collaborate with internal stakeholders to ensure legal agreements appropriately support business objectives while managing organizational risk.
- Develop practical solutions to complex legal and business matters and effectively communicate recommendations to senior leadership.
- Manage multiple transactions, projects, priorities, and deadlines in a fast-paced business environment with a high degree of independence.
Education, Experience & Qualifications
- Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from an accredited law school and active membership in good standing with an applicable state bar.
- 7+ years of experience in corporate law, real estate transactional matters, and contract negotiation, with demonstrated knowledge of corporate law, business law, real estate law and regulations, and finance.
- Significant experience drafting, negotiating, documenting, and managing complex real estate and corporate transactions with minimal oversight.
- Demonstrated experience with transaction documents, operating agreements, purchase and sale agreements, leases, dealer site agreements, and other commercial contracts.
- Experience conducting transactional due diligence, evaluating economic feasibility, reviewing title matters, and managing transactions through closing.
- Strong understanding of real estate investment principles and demonstrated business and financial acumen.
- Proficiency in real estate financial analysis, including discounted cash flow analysis and analysis of real estate market data.
- Experience with risk management, dispute evaluation, and legal risk assessment.
- Ability to effectively manage multiple transactions and legal matters simultaneously in a fast-paced, deadline-driven, hands-on environment.
- Strong judgment and demonstrated ability to independently resolve unexpected issues, obstacles, and complex legal matters.
- Excellent negotiation, analytical, planning, and organizational skills.
- Superior written and verbal communication skills with the ability to influence and build effective relationships across all levels of an organization.
- Demonstrated professionalism, discretion, sound judgment, and ability to maintain a high degree of confidentiality.
- Strong proficiency with Microsoft Word and Excel; experience with Yardi/OneSite and advanced Excel functionality is a plus.
- Knowledge of franchise law and/or the Petroleum Marketing Practices Act (PMPA) is a plus.
Physical Requirements
- While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit.
- The employee is occasionally required to reach with hands, and arms.
- Upon occasion, will be required to bend, stoop, kneel, and lift weights up to 35 pounds.
- Exert up to 20 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 10 pounds of force frequently, and/or a negligible amount of force constantly to move objects.
- This job is performed in a professional office environment.
Physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by employees to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
