Real Estate Associate

About the Role:

We are seeking an experienced Real Estate Associate Attorney with 3+ years of commercial real estate transactional experience to join a sophisticated real estate practice in Los Angeles, CA, or Boston, MA. This opportunity involves representing institutional investors, private equity firms, real estate developers, property owners, lenders, and corporate clients in complex commercial real estate acquisitions, dispositions, financing, leasing, and development transactions.

The ideal candidate has experience handling commercial real estate transactions from initial due diligence through closing, with strong drafting and negotiation skills involving purchase and sale agreements, loan documents, and commercial leases. This position offers meaningful client interaction, sophisticated transactional work, and opportunities for professional development and increasing responsibility.

This is a full-time, hybrid position requiring approximately 60% in-office attendance, generally three days per week. The annual base salary range is $260,000 to $365,000, plus bonus eligibility and a comprehensive benefits package.

Responsibilities:

• Represent commercial real estate owners, investors, developers, operators, landlords, tenants, borrowers, and lenders in sophisticated real estate transactions.
• Draft, review, and negotiate commercial real estate purchase and sale agreements, financing documents, leases, and related transactional agreements.
• Manage commercial property acquisitions and dispositions, including transaction structuring, due diligence, contract negotiations, and closing coordination.
• Support commercial real estate financing transactions, including mortgage loans, secured lending arrangements, refinancing, and borrower-side or lender-side documentation.
• Review and negotiate commercial leasing agreements involving office, industrial, retail, multifamily, and other commercial properties.
• Conduct real estate due diligence, including reviewing title commitments, surveys, zoning matters, environmental reports, property agreements, and other transaction materials.
• Assist with real estate joint ventures, development projects, and investment transactions involving institutional and private investors.
• Prepare and negotiate loan agreements, promissory notes, mortgages, deeds of trust, guarantees, security agreements, and other financing documents.
• Coordinate with clients, opposing counsel, lenders, title companies, surveyors, and other transaction participants to facilitate efficient closings.
• Identify and address legal, financial, and operational risks associated with commercial real estate ownership, financing, leasing, and development.
• Collaborate with corporate, tax, environmental, finance, and other legal teams on complex transactions involving real estate assets.
• Provide practical, business-oriented legal advice while managing multiple transactions, meeting deadlines, and maintaining exceptional client service.

Qualifications:

• Juris Doctor (JD) or LLM from an ABA-accredited law school.
• Active admission to the California or Massachusetts Bar, or eligibility for admission in the applicable jurisdiction.
• Minimum of 3 years of commercial real estate transactional experience, preferably within a law firm representing sophisticated real estate clients.
• Experience representing commercial property owners, institutional investors, developers, lenders, borrowers, landlords, or tenants.
• Demonstrated experience with commercial real estate acquisitions, dispositions, financing transactions, and leasing matters.
• Strong understanding of the commercial real estate transaction lifecycle, including due diligence, contract negotiation, documentation, and closing.
• Proficiency in reviewing, drafting, and negotiating purchase and sale agreements, commercial leases, loan documents, and related real estate contracts.
• Ability to independently manage assigned transactional matters while collaborating effectively with senior attorneys and multidisciplinary teams.
• Excellent legal drafting, negotiation, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain complex legal issues to clients and transaction stakeholders.
• Exceptional organizational skills, attention to detail, and ability to manage multiple competing priorities in a deadline-driven environment.
• Professional judgment, responsiveness, and a demonstrated commitment to delivering high-quality legal services.

Desired Qualifications:

• Experience representing private equity real estate funds, family offices, institutional investors, or large commercial property owners.
• Experience with complex real estate joint ventures, development agreements, construction financing, or structured real estate investments.
• Familiarity with commercial real estate transactions involving multifamily, industrial, office, retail, sustainable energy, or data center and digital infrastructure properties.
• Experience handling sophisticated real estate financing arrangements, including acquisition financing, refinancing, and secured lending transactions.
• Experience managing commercial real estate transactions across multiple jurisdictions and coordinating with local counsel.
• Strong interest in long-term professional development, client relationship management, and advancing within a sophisticated commercial real estate practice.