Legal Counsel, Real Estate (13-Month Contract)

Ready to Make an impact?

We're looking for a skilled legal professional to join our team under the leadership of the Director, Legal, Real Estate. In this role, you'll provide a wide range of legal services to help achieve business objectives and minimize legal risks for the company.

Please note: This is a temporary opportunity to cover a maternity leave for a term of 13 months.

Here's where you'll be focusing:

• Deliver a broad range of legal services on matters involving Sobeys, supporting business goals and minimizing legal risk in coordination with Real Estate, Operational leaders, and key members of the Executive and Leadership teams.
• Provide functional legal support to business leaders and employees across all retail banners, distribution centres, and other real estate assets in all regions outside of Quebec, including coordination of projects involving Crombie REIT.
• Oversee the resolution of complex, sensitive, and occasionally ambiguous legal issues with potential business risk.
• Advise on legal matters impacting the business, including drafting and negotiating a variety of agreements with internal and external stakeholders (e.g., leases, purchase and sale documents, non-disturbance agreements).
• Assist the Director and SVP Legal with, or lead, process improvement initiatives-including the review and update of real estate precedent documents.
• Advise business leaders on potential risks in dispute resolution and direct litigation matters involving Sobeys, including oversight and management of external legal partners.
• Lead, manage, or delegate work to paralegals and support staff, providing day-to-day direction on specific files.
• Support the legal department in areas such as the Code of Conduct, litigation matters, and internal ethics/conflict policies.

What you have to offer:

• Undergraduate degree and a minimum of 8 years of experience gained through a combination of private practice and/or in-house roles.
• Proven ability to manage a broad range of legal issues and work closely with business leaders.
• Experience in purchase and sale transactions and negotiating leasing agreements is preferred.
• Strong academic background and law firm training, followed by in-house experience, ideally within a retail environment.
• Law degree (LL.B) and membership in good standing with the Ontario Bar Association.
• Exceptional communication and relationship-building skills.
• Comfort working in a retail environment and confidence engaging with all levels of the organization.

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