Realty Income aims to be a globally recognized leader in the S&P 100, committed to creating long-term value for all stakeholders. These stakeholders include our dedicated team members, who embody our purpose: building enduring relationships and brighter financial futures. This guiding principle serves as a beacon for our team, influencing every action we take.
Realty Income’s employees consistently invest their time, commitment, and dedication into the company, and in turn, they receive investment returns in the form of purpose, belonging, and opportunities for advancement.
Realty Income is committed to best-in-class corporate responsibility practices through environmental initiatives, governance programs, and community outreach projects. From the boardroom to the breakroom, our team members make a difference every day.
Our expansion into Europe is well underway and we are looking for a Chartered Legal Executive to build and manage our asset and property management capability. The role has four key areas of focus:
- Supporting Legal Counsel and Associate Vice President in building an effective and scalable legal function and processes for the management of an ever-growing portfolio.
- Collaborating with the Portfolio Management team to enhance value.
- Managing renewals including 1954 Act process and tactics.
- Contributing to ESG initiatives including energy efficiency and solar projects.
As the lead on assigned transactions, the Chartered Legal Executive will work with the Portfolio Management team and external advisors to manage various real estate assets and companies, including multi-let assets in the UK and Europe. They will oversee legal services with outside counsel and third-party providers, supervise Legal Assistants from external firms, and collaborate with the interdisciplinary team to optimize asset management, value-add initiatives, energy efficiency, solar projects, and property litigation, providing proactive legal advice to executives.
What you will be working on:
Portfolio Management (“PM”):
- Coordinate, analyse, manage, negotiate, document, and close a wide range of multifaceted asset management transactions.
- Where applicable, supervise assigned Real Estate Legal Assistants and collaborate with interdisciplinary team to devise optimal approach in context of assigned transaction.
- Handle wide range of routine PM legal matters, e.g., draft/negotiate lease agreements, agreed lease renewals, opposed and unopposed lease renewals with security of tenure under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954, ground leases, confidentiality agreements, exclusivity agreements, consents to sublease, lease assignments, collateral assignments, deeds of surrender, alterations and improvements, landlord waivers/subordinations, license agreements, deeds of easement, rent review memoranda etc.
- Review and draft third party supplier agreements.
- Review solar panel installation, energy, and income sharing agreements.
- Attend director meetings and present transactions to the Board of Directors, coordinate execution of documents, and assist with entity management responsibilities where required.
- Analyse transactions and structuring on transactions in the UK and other countries as necessary.
- Review, evaluate and approve information and reports received from external advisors in connection with management transactions.
- Manage and monitor environmental issues and reports from a legal perspective.
- Supervise Legal Assistants in coordinating their own asset management matters where applicable.
- Consult with PM on deal structuring, lease compliance matters and interpretation of lease terms, conditions and issues.
- Develop and make recommendations to Legal team regarding improvements to internal policies and procedures for handling asset management transactions and litigation.
- Tenant Defaults:
- Advise the Company on best practice in the event of tenant defaults;
- Retain and oversee external solicitors as and when necessary.
- Manage/oversee routine litigation and retain/supervise outside legal counsel, including but not limited to opposed and unopposed lease renewals with security of tenure under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954.
- Provide clarification on legal language or specifications to PM.
- Apply effective risk management techniques and offer proactive advice on possible legal issues.
- Communicate and negotiate with external parties (brokers, external counsel, third party vendors etc.), creating relationships of trust.
General:
- General legal research and investigation.
- Routine advice/counsel to all departments on legal matters.
- General legal document review, drafting and negotiating.
- Work with the acquisition department to coordinate the review and analysis of confidentiality/non-disclosure agreements on the front-end of potential acquisition targets.
- Assist the Company devising and implementing strategies resulting from tenant default or other property related litigation matters.
- Handle miscellaneous and various corporate legal matters as necessary.
What you need to be successful:
- Qualified Chartered Legal Executive (England & Wales).
- Minimum approximately 4 years post-qualification on-point legal experience in a City law firm or real estate focused investment fund; strong candidates outside of this range will be considered.
- Substantial experience in commercial real estate transaction law and real estate litigation.
- Fluent (spoken and written) English; additional European language helpful.
