Legal Associate (Corporate Counsel) - Real Estate

About the role

Harrison Street Asset Management ("HSAM") is a leading global alternative investment management firm focused on real estate, infrastructure, and credit strategies across North America and Europe. Headquartered in Chicago, Toronto, and London with offices across North America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East, the firm has over $108 billion in assets under management on behalf of institutional investors and registered investment advisors globally.

Founded on a culture of innovation, HSAM is an early mover in alternative real estate and mid-market infrastructure. Today, the firm's global team, consisting of more than 520 professionals, is committed to creating long-term value through deep sector expertise and forward-thinking strategies.

Are you ready to take on a pivotal role in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment? The Firm is on the lookout for a Corporate Counsel to become an integral part of our legal team.

As Corporate Counsel, you will work closely with the credit investment, asset management, finance, operations, and compliance teams on the origination, structuring, negotiation, closing, and ongoing management of commercial real estate and other private credit investments. The role will include substantial responsibility for loan documentation, intercreditor arrangements, co-lender and participation structures, amendments and workouts, and credit fund matters.

Responsibilities

• Lead and support the legal execution of private credit investments from term sheet through closing, including senior mortgage loans, mezzanine loans, preferred equity investments, note purchases, participations, and other structured credit transactions.
• Draft, review, and negotiate loan agreements, promissory notes, guarantees, security instruments, cash management agreements, account control agreements, assignments, participation agreements, co-lender agreements, intercreditor agreements, credit facilities and other related financing documents.
• Negotiate intercreditor arrangements and other agreements governing the respective rights and remedies of senior lenders, subordinate lenders, preferred equity providers, participants, co-lenders, and other capital providers.
• Negotiate, structure, and document credit facilities and leverage arrangements supporting the platform, including warehouse facilities, repurchase (repo) facilities, note-on-note financings, subscription lines, and other fund-level or balance-sheet financing.
• Coordinate transaction execution and legal due diligence, including review of organizational documents, authority, collateral, title, survey, zoning, environmental, insurance, leasing, and other property- and borrower-level matters.
• Advise investment and asset management teams on transaction structuring, closing conditions, covenant compliance, consents, amendments, waivers, restructurings, workouts, enforcement matters, and other post-closing issues.
• Manage and supervise outside counsel across loan originations, note purchases, amendments, workouts, fund matters, and ongoing portfolio matters, with attention to quality, responsiveness, and cost.
• Develop and maintain forms, playbooks, closing procedures, and other knowledge-management resources for the credit platform, and assist with policies, procedures, and best practices.
• Serve as the primary legal contact for KYC, AML, sanctions, beneficial ownership, organizational, and related diligence and onboarding processes in connection with loan originations, note purchases, warehouse facilities, repurchase facilities, note-on-note financings, and other credit transactions, including coordination among borrowers, sponsors, lenders, financing counterparties, administrators, compliance personnel, and outside counsel.

Who We're Looking For

The ideal candidate has approximately 4-7 years of relevant legal experience, with meaningful experience representing lenders, private credit funds, real estate debt funds, banks, or other institutional capital providers in commercial lending transactions.

The successful candidate will be comfortable taking primary responsibility for transaction execution, identifying and escalating material legal and business issues, and providing practical advice in a collaborative, fast-moving environment. Experience with commercial real estate credit is strongly preferred; experience with private credit fund formation, leverage facilities, workouts, or special situations is a plus.

Qualifications

• J.D. from an accredited law school with admission in good standing to at least one state bar (California preferred).
• Approximately 4-7 years of relevant experience at a leading law firm and/or in-house with a private credit manager, real estate investment manager, bank, insurance company, or other institutional lender.
• Substantive experience with loan origination and financing documentation, including loan agreements, guarantees, collateral documents, intercreditor agreements, co-lender arrangements, participations, and related ancillary documents.
• Demonstrated ability to manage transactions from initial structuring through closing and to coordinate effectively with investment professionals, borrowers and sponsors, counterparties, administrators, consultants, and outside counsel.
• Strong communication, organization, and negotiation skills are a must.

Additional Desired Qualities

• Adaptability: Thrives in an ever-evolving legal landscape and can pivot seamlessly to meet the demands of complex real estate transactions.
• Proactive Mindset: Anticipates challenges and takes initiative to address potential issues before they arise, contributing to the smooth execution of transactions.
• Team Player: Collaborates effectively with cross-functional teams, recognizing that success is a collective effort.

Additional information

Harrison Street does not accept unsolicited headhunter and agency resumes. Harrison Street will not pay fees to any third-party agency or company that does not have a signed agreement with Harrison Street.