Deputy General Counsel

The role

The Deputy General Counsel will serve as a senior member of the legal department and a partner to the General Counsel. This role involves involvement in real estate transactions, finance, accounting, human resources, asset management, and compliance.

What you will do

• Oversee legal work for real estate transactions including acquisitions, dispositions, development, recapitalizations, joint ventures, and financings.
• Partner with the finance team on financings and capital structuring.
• Provide legal advice to human resources, accounting, and asset management on employment, contract, and operational matters.
• Provide legal support to alternative and ancillary business lines and new business ventures.
• Review and support responses to RFPs and RFQs.
• Provide legal advice on general corporate matters, entity formation, and corporate governance.
• Oversee legal and regulatory compliance across affordable housing programs and corporate operations.
• Review and approve transaction and corporate documents.
• Manage outside counsel and external resources.
• Supervise, mentor, and develop the in-house legal team.

Required qualifications

• Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from an accredited law school.
• Admission to the New York State Bar and in good standing.
• Minimum of 10 years of legal experience, including partner-level experience at a large law firm and senior leadership roles in an in-house position.
• Experience with a variety of complex transactions.
• Proven ability to manage multiple deals simultaneously.
• Strong general corporate and finance experience, including capital structuring, financings, and compliance.
• Demonstrated ability to supervise and develop legal staff and to manage outside counsel.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Ability to work independently and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.

Nice to have

• Litigation experience

About the company

Fairstead is a purpose-driven real estate firm dedicated to building affordable communities. It is an integrated owner, operator, and innovator with a portfolio of more than 30,000 apartments.