Commercial Counsel

Position Summary

The Commercial Counsel supports the Legal Department of National Community Renaissance of California and its affiliated entities (collectively, National CORE), with primary responsibility for drafting, reviewing, and negotiating commercial agreements across the enterprise. Reporting to the General Counsel, the attorney works closely with Property Management, vendor management and procurement teams, resident services, Development, Construction, Information Technology, and other business leaders.

The position is intended for an experienced attorney capable of independently handling a substantial volume of contracts and providing practical advice on recurring commercial and selected general corporate matters. The Commercial Counsel will strengthen internal contracting capacity, improve responsiveness and consistency, and is intended to reduce reliance on outside counsel for work that can be handled effectively in-house. Specialized development, financing, landlord-tenant, litigation, tax, and other matters will be coordinated with the General Counsel and appropriate internal or outside specialists.

Principal Responsibilities

Contract Drafting and Negotiation: Take primary responsibility for assigned commercial agreements from intake through negotiation and execution support. Prepare clear documents that reflect business terms, operational requirements, and appropriate legal protections. Manage counterparty negotiations directly and identify issues requiring business decisions or escalation.

Property Management and Vendor Agreements: Draft and negotiate third-party property management agreements and related implementation, transition, staffing, fee, and service arrangements. Handle contracts with maintenance, repair, landscaping, janitorial, security, professional services, and other property management vendors. Address service scope, performance standards, client obligations, termination, and transition requirements.

Resident Services Agreements: Draft and review agreements for resident programs, supportive services, community partners, and service providers. Coordinate with resident services and property teams on access to residents, protection of vulnerable populations, confidentiality, service responsibilities, and insurance requirements.

Real Estate and Construction Agreements: Handle assigned real estate and construction-related commercial documents, including leases, licenses, access agreements, confidentiality agreements, brokerage agreements, consultant contracts, and selected acquisition, disposition, or construction documents. Coordinate project-specific issues with business teams and specialist counsel, including title, land use, financing, and affordable housing requirements.

Enterprise Operating Agreements: Draft and negotiate consulting, purchasing, equipment, marketing, event, sponsorship, and other operating agreements. Support technology contracts, including software subscriptions, licenses, implementation, data processing, cybersecurity obligations, and support services. Provide commercial contracting support to ancillary business activities as assigned.

Risk Allocation and Insurance: Evaluate indemnification, liability limits, warranties, insurance, guarantees, confidentiality, intellectual property, data use, dispute resolution, assignment, renewal, and termination terms. Align contractual obligations with the services National CORE actually controls and can perform. Work with Risk Management and brokers on insurance provisions and escalate material financial or operational exposure.

Contract Standards and Processes: Develop and maintain agreement templates, standard clauses, negotiation guidance, and approval workflows. Partner with vendor management and procurement teams to improve contract intake, legal review, execution, storage, renewal tracking, and change control. Establish practical criteria for routine review and escalation.

Business Counseling and Contract Performance: Advise internal clients on interpreting agreements, documenting amendments, managing performance issues, and exercising notice, cure, termination, or other contractual rights. Coordinate pre-dispute resolution efforts and refer significant claims or litigation to the appropriate legal team.

Selected General Corporate Matters: Support entity documentation, resolutions, policies, confidentiality arrangements, and other corporate matters assigned by the General Counsel. Assist with commercial due diligence and documentation for new initiatives, restructurings, and transactions, coordinating specialized advice as needed.

Outside Counsel Coordination: Coordinate outside commercial counsel on assigned matters, provide business context, and monitor scope, deadlines, and fees. Identify recurring work suitable for internal handling and circumstances requiring specialist expertise.

Training and Cross Departmental Collaboration: Provide practical guidance and training to employees on contract requirements, approval authority, negotiation practices, and legal escalation. Build effective relationships with internal clients and counterparties and communicate recommendations in plain language.

Workload Management and Accountability: Manage multiple agreements and deadlines, maintain visibility into assigned matters, and communicate priorities and status. Protect confidential information and privilege, identify recurring risks, and perform other related Legal Department duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• J.D. from an accredited law school and active membership in good standing with the California Bar.
• Approximately minimum of 7 years of relevant legal experience, with extensive hands-on experience drafting and negotiating commercial agreements at a law firm, in-house legal department, or combination thereof.
• Demonstrated ability to independently manage contracts from initial drafting through negotiation and execution support, including complex agreements and a substantial volume of recurring matters.
• Broad experience with vendor and services agreements, commercial risk allocation, and general corporate counseling. Experience with property management, resident services, real estate, construction, or related operating agreements is helpful.
• Ability to understand operational and financial terms, identify obligations that exceed the intended business arrangement, and negotiate practical solutions.
• Experience developing contract templates, standard provisions, approval procedures, or other improvements to a contracting process is preferred.
• Familiarity with technology agreements, privacy and confidentiality provisions, insurance requirements, and nonprofit or affordable housing operations is helpful.
• Strong written and oral communication, negotiation, judgment, organization, and relationship-building skills; ability to prioritize competing deadlines and recognize when specialist advice or escalation is needed.

Core Competencies

Drafting and Negotiation: Produce precise, usable agreements and negotiate terms that reflect business objectives and appropriate risk allocation.

Commercial Judgment: Understand the relationship among contract language, economics, service delivery, and operational capacity.

Communication and Collaboration: Explain legal issues clearly, work effectively across departments, and maintain constructive counterparty relationships.

Responsiveness and Organization: Manage a substantial contract workload, meet deadlines, and keep internal clients informed.

Process Improvement and Accountability: Build consistent contracting practices, reduce avoidable external expense, and take ownership of assigned matters.

Work Environment and Physical Requirements

This position primarily operates in a professional office environment and may require travel to National CORE offices, properties, meetings, Board or committee sessions, trainings, and organizational events. The employee must be able to perform the essential functions of the position with or without reasonable accommodation.

FLSA Status

Exempt