Associate Counsel ( Commercial Real Estate ) ( Hybrid )

About the Company

Lamar Companies is a full-service, privately held, real estate investment company headquartered in New Jersey.  Since its founding in 1972, the Company has routinely been ranked in the top 100 largest owners of retail shopping centers in the US according to National Real Estate Investors rankings. Lamar primarily focuses on opportunities created by real estate economic cycles and underperforming assets across the United States and is a principal investor in projects for its own account and in partnership with major institutions. Throughout the years the firm has maintained its entrepreneurial roots as a hands-on operating partner with a deep expertise in the retail and office space, and a unique ability to drive value for its investors.  

Description

Lamar Companies seeks an enterprising and tech-savvy real estate attorney to serve as its sole in-house counsel. This role offers a unique opportunity for an attorney earlier in their in-house or transactional career to take ownership of the company’s legal functions, including acquisitions, dispositions, leasing, operations, and corporate matters.  Hybrid work arrangement in Madison, NJ (three days/week). Compensation: $150,000–$200,000 base salary with opportunity for discretionary bonus.

Core Responsibilities

•  Draft, interpret, and negotiate commercial real estate documents, including retail and office leases; purchase and sale agreements; service agreements; vendor and construction contracts; estoppels; SNDAs; LOIs; and related instruments.
• Support all phases of acquisitions, dispositions, and leasing, including drafting purchase and sale agreements; operating agreements, reviewing title, use restrictions, zoning, surveys, easements, development agreements, and CC&Rs; negotiating loan agreements; addressing closing requirements; and conducting legal due diligence as needed.
•  Maintain lease, contract, and other jurisdictionspecific property forms.
•  Manage and resolve commercial tenant lease issues and ensure lease compliance.
• Oversee the lease administration process.
•  Monitor state licenses, regulatory filings, and related compliance requirements.
• · Manage company legal matters as needed, providing practical counsel aligned with business objectives.
• Advise company executives on corporate matters, real estate issues, and general legal considerations.
• Manage litigation and oversee outside counsel, as needed.
• Leverage company-approved AI-powered legal tools — including Anthropic's Claude Legal Plugin and Claude Cowork platform — to streamline contract review, lease abstraction, compliance tracking, and due diligence workflows. Identify and implement opportunities to integrate AI into day-to-day legal operations, enhancing efficiency across acquisitions, dispositions, and portfolio management activities while following AI guidelines put forth by the American Bar Association.

Required Qualifications

• J.D. degree with strong law school academic performance.
• Inhouse counsel and/or law firm background with commercial retail real estate experience required.
• 5+ years of experience in real estate transactions, with emphasis on acquisitions, dispositions, and commercial retail and office leasing.
• Admission to practice law in New Jersey.
• Real estate litigation experience is helpful.
• Like-Kind Exchange (1031) knowledge is helpful.
• Ability to multitask in a dynamic team environment and meet demanding deadlines.
• Proficiency with company-approved AI-assisted legal tools and a demonstrated willingness to adopt emerging legal technology into daily workflows. Experience with or strong interest in platforms such as Anthropic's Claude (including its Legal Plugin for contract review, risk flagging, and compliance workflows) is highly preferred. Candidate should be comfortable using AI to draft, review, and redline documents while maintaining confidentiality and the critical judgment and oversight expected of a licensed attorney. 
• Interest in taking ownership of the firm's legal technology strategy, including evaluating AI tools for document management, deal workflow automation, and playbook-driven contract analysis

Benefits

• Four weeks PTO.
• Paid holidays.
• Comprehensive medical, dental, vision, disability, and life insurance.
• 401(k) with company match.
• Family and medical leave.
• Potential long-term opportunity to invest in the Company’s real estate deals.

Equal Opportunity Statement

Lamar Companies is an Equal Opportunity Employer.