Director, Legal Counsel

Company Description

Job Description

Job Description:

Company Description:

McDonald's is proud to be one of the most recognized brands in the world, with restaurants in over 100 countries that serve 70 million customers daily. We continue to operate from a position of strength. Our updated growth strategy is focused on staying ahead of what our customers want and realizing further growth potential. Our relentless ambition is why McDonald's remains one of the world's leading corporations after almost 70 years. Joining McDonalds means thinking big and preparing for a career that can have influence around the world.

At McDonald's, we see every day as a chance to create positive impact. We lead through our values centered on inclusivity, service, integrity, community and family. From support of Ronald McDonald House to our Youth Opportunity project and sustainability initiatives, our values keep us dedicated to using our scale for good: good for our customers, people, industry and planet. We also offer a broad range of outstanding benefits including a sabbatical program, tuition assistance and flexible work arrangements.

Department Overview

McDonald's Property Management Legal Team is a team of real estate legal professionals who are responsible for navigating real estate matters impacting any of McDonald's properties in the United States, in order to protect and enhance our nearly 14,000 existing restaurants.

More specifically, the Property Management Legal Team:

• Enforces McDonald's rights as a property owner, landlord, or tenant to maximize restaurant operations.
• Negotiates real estate-related agreements to support and improve restaurant operations, such as the acquisition of additional adjacent property or easements to improve access, signage or parking.
• Supports the remodeling and rebuilding of McDonald's restaurants, including by conducting real estate due diligence for reinvestment projects and negotiating associated real estate agreements.
• Resolves property-related disputes and litigation, including disputes with landlords or adjacent property owners, construction-related disputes, ADA lawsuits, and condemnation proceedings.
• Oversees the leasing, management, and sale of McDonald's excess properties, which are typically former McDonald's restaurant locations where McDonald's retains a real estate interest.

Duties

Senior Counsel attorneys on the Property Management Legal team are expected to:

• Demonstrate strong analytical, organizational, and communication skills to provide advice and counsel to business partners on a diverse array of complex, time-sensitive commercial real estate legal issues.
• Draft, negotiate, and analyze leases, contracts, easement agreements, license agreements, and other commercial real estate agreements.
• Review title and survey, existing real estate documents and other due diligence to determine property-related rights and obligations regarding our existing real estate portfolio, including in connection with the remodeling or rebuilding of existing restaurants.
• Partner with the Portfolio Management business team to align on practical solutions to legal issues, with a focus on business objectives while mitigating legal risk, avoiding litigation, and protecting the brand.
• Actively manage real estate-related disputes and litigation, including partnering with in-house litigation team and/or outside counsel to develop and execute litigation strategy for litigation with landlords or adjacent property owners, municipal violations, condemnations, ADA lawsuits, or construction litigation.
• Strategically engage with colleagues and business clients to anticipate future business needs and identify opportunities for efficiencies.
• Identify and counsel business regarding risks and provide guidance on risk tolerance to help drive business decisions.
• Work collaboratively on cross-functional teams within the legal department and serve as a commercial real estate subject matter expert.
• Mentor, train, and oversee the work of more junior attorneys and paralegals.

Qualifications

• Individual who is driven by values of inclusiveness, kindness, integrity, and professionalism and is motivated, intellectually curious, adaptable to change, and eager to learn.
• Excellent analytical, organizational and communication skills.
• Ability to handle multiple projects, deadline pressures, and sensitive information.
• Ability to work well individually and also as part of a team.
• Attorney licensed to practice law and in good standing with a state bar association.
• A minimum of seven (7) years' experience as an attorney practicing commercial real estate law preferred.

Compensation

Bonus Eligible: Yes

Long - Term Incentive: Yes

Benefits Eligible: Yes

Salary Range

The expected salary range for this role is $195,371.00 - $244,214.00 per year.

The above represents the expected salary range for this job requisition. Ultimately, in determining your pay, we may also consider your experience, and other job-related factors.

Additional Information:

Benefits eligible: This position offers health and welfare benefits, including but not limited to comprehensive health insurance, which includes medical, prescription drug, mental health, dental and vision coverage, as well as, life insurance.

Bonus eligible: This position is eligible for a bonus, calculated based on individual and company performance.

Long term Incentive eligible: This position is eligible for stock or other equity grants pursuant to McDonald's long-term incentive plan.

McDonald's is an equal opportunity employer committed to the diversity of our workforce. We promote an inclusive work environment that creates feel-good moments for everyone. McDonald's provides reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities as part of the application or hiring process or to perform the essential functions of their job. If you need assistance accessing or reading this job posting or otherwise feel you need an accommodation during the application or hiring process, please contact mcdhrbenefits@us.mcd.com. Reasonable accommodations will be determined on a case-by-case basis.

McDonald's provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to sex, sex stereotyping, pregnancy (including pregnancy, childbirth, and medical conditions related to pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding), race, color, religion, ancestry or national origin, age, disability status, medical condition, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, transgender status, protected military or veteran status, citizenship status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.

Nothing in this job posting or description should be construed as an offer or guarantee of employment.

Qualifications

Additional Information

Job Details

Categories

• Legal Counsel
• Corporate

Categories ID Categories URL Job title Director, Legal Counsel Position Type Date Posted 09/03/2026 Primary Quest ID Second Quest ID Job Classification

Location(s) Chicago, IL, 60607, US

Job ID 5123

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