Associate General Counsel

Arbor Realty Trust•New York, NY

22h•$175,000 - $195,000

About The Position

We are seeking a highly motivated and detail-oriented Internal Counsel to join our in-house legal team. This role is designed for an attorney with 2–3 years of law firm experience who is looking to transition into a broad, business-facing in-house position. The Counsel will serve as a legal generalist, supporting a wide range of corporate, operational, litigation, and transactional matters. This individual will work closely with the General Counsel and Associate General Counsels to provide practical, risk-based legal guidance across the organization.

Requirements

J.D. from an accredited law school.
Active bar membership in good standing (or ability to become admitted in-house in the applicable jurisdiction).
2–3 years of experience at a reputable law firm.
Experience in one or more of the following preferred: litigation, corporate law, real estate finance, structured finance, banking, or employment law.
Strong drafting, analytical, and issue-spotting skills.
Ability to manage multiple matters simultaneously in a fast-paced environment.
Business-oriented mindset with strong interpersonal and communication skills.
High degree of professionalism, discretion, and sound judgment.

Nice To Haves

Prior Commercial Real Estate or Real Estate Finance experience a strong plus.

Responsibilities

Support Arbor’s key business groups, Servicing, Technology, Facilities, Marketing, Compliance, Human Resources and Underwriting, on commercial transactions and contracts, including but not limited to drafting, negotiating and post-closing legal matters.
Work closely with Arbors Facility, HR and other related business partners to negotiate letters of intent, leasehold interests, construction buildouts, various vendor agreements.
Draft, review, and negotiate a broad range of commercial agreements, including: vendor and service agreements, facilities and property-related contracts such as office leases, build-out expansion, SNDA’s, estoppels, subleases, NDAs and consulting agreements and professional services contracts.
Provide clear, business-oriented guidance to internal stakeholders.
Develop and improve internal contract review processes and templates.
Draft offer letters, confidentiality agreements, and severance agreements in consultation with EVP, Human Resource.
Draft notice of termination letters in consultation with EVP, Human Resources and MD, Human Resources.
Draft performance improvement plans in consultation with EVP, Human Resources and MD, Human Resources.
Assist in internal investigations regarding employee complaints.
Oversight of Immigration filings and process and coordination w/ external counsel.
Assist in managing employment-related litigation and coordination with outside counsel.
Support the General Counsel and other AGCs on strategic initiatives and special projects.
Conduct legal research and prepare memoranda on regulatory, corporate, and operational matters.
Assist in compliance-related initiatives and policy development.
Serve as a trusted advisor to business teams across the organization.