VP - Senior Counsel

Description VP - Senior Counsel Full-Time Remote The VP - Senior Counsel serves as the principal legal advisor for the day-to-day operations of Conifer's asset management and property management lines of business — designing enterprise-wide risk frameworks, navigating affordable housing regulatory requirements, and protecting the company from systemic liabilities. Working closely with the Chief Legal Officer and cross-functional teams in Asset Management, Property Management and Corporate Office functions, the successful candidate will be a trusted, highly responsive, and solutions-oriented legal partner. The main areas of legal activity requiring expertise: Contract Architecture & Vendor Management • Establish enterprise-level contract standards, templates, and standard operating procedures for high-value vendor partnerships, technology platforms, and asset-level and property-level services across the portfolio • Negotiate enterprise agreements, master service agreements (MSAs), and strategic vendor contracts, ensuring favorable indemnity, liability limits, insurance, and data protection provisions • Streamline the commercial contract lifecycle across all operational divisions to balance business speed with sound risk protection Regulatory Compliance & Government Relations • Formulate proactive compliance strategies to navigate evolving municipal, state, and federal real estate mandates, affordable housing program rules, environmental laws, and consumer protection requirements • Advise on affordable housing regulatory frameworks including LIHTC regulatory agreements, HUD requirements, and state and local housing authority (HFA) rules affecting the portfolio • Act as a primary legal interface with local and state regulatory agencies, housing authorities, building departments, and elected officials on zoning interpretations, municipal compliance, and enforcement actions • Interpret the business impact of emerging regulatory trends and implement policy changes to reduce corporate exposure Fair Housing, Civil Rights & Accessibility • Oversee the investigation and resolution of Fair Housing, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and civil rights or discrimination complaints across the portfolio • Partner with operational leaders to draft and audit enterprise-wide accessibility policies and anti-discrimination frameworks, including reasonable accommodation and modification procedures • Represent the organization, or direct specialized counsel, in administrative audits and investigations by agencies such as HUD, state HFAs, and civil rights commissions Litigation Management & Risk Assessment • Oversee the company's operational litigation portfolio — general liability, and commercial matters — to identify systemic operational vulnerabilities • Direct outside litigation counsel, define defense and settlement strategies, approve major filings, manage legal spend, and provide regular status updates to the CLO • Conduct routine corporate risk assessments across all business lines and deploy mitigation programs to minimize corporate liability People & Culture • Review and advise on HR-related policies as they relate to multi-state staff and applicable employment law, in coordination with People & Culture and the CLO Requirements EXPERIENCE • Minimum eight (8+) years of law firm or in-house legal experience, including experience in a corporate in-house operations role • Deep, high-level understanding of real estate operational mechanics, commercial insurance structures, and systemic regulatory risks • Experience working with affordable housing regulatory frameworks (LIHTC, HUD, state HFA / housing authority programs) is strongly preferred • Demonstrated success navigating sensitive investigations, dealing with regulatory bodies, and interfacing effectively with public officials • Prior in-house counsel experience in a property management, real estate, or affordable housing environment is preferred • Proficient in legal research and writing, with the ability to make practical, business-focused recommendations • Proficient in MS Office Suite (Word, Outlook) EDUCATION • Juris Doctor (J.D.) from an accredited U.S. law school • Active member in good standing of a state bar; admission in NY, NJ, MD, PA, VA, and/or CO is a plus ATTRIBUTES REQUIRED Effective communicator — able to translate complex legal matters into clear, actionable guidance for non-legal staff Demonstrated ability to manage a high volume of matters with strong organizational and time management skills Solutions-oriented with a proactive, hands-on approach to legal support Flexible — able to prioritize competing demands, address issues as they arise, and adapt quickly when needed Exercises sound business judgment and professionalism at all times Resourceful; effective research and problem-solving skills, able to "think outside the box" Able to work both independently and collaboratively as part of a geographically distributed team Positive, outgoing attitude toward colleagues, residents, and third parties