Real Estate Counsel – Land Acquisition & Development - IN-HOUSE

Summary of Position

A leading Texas-based residential homebuilder is seeking an experienced Real Estate Counsel to join its Legal Department. This attorney will work closely with senior real estate counsel and the company's land acquisition and development teams, providing legal support throughout the acquisition and development of land for residential communities.

This is a highly transactional, hands-on role focused on land acquisition, real estate due diligence, and land development matters. The successful candidate will be comfortable managing multiple transactions simultaneously, working directly with business teams, identifying and resolving real estate issues, and providing practical legal advice in a fast-paced environment.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

• Draft, review, and negotiate agreements and transactional documents related to land acquisition and development.
• Support real estate transactions from initial due diligence through acquisition, closing, and development.
• Draft and negotiate purchase and sale agreements and other land acquisition documents.
• Review and analyze title commitments, surveys, easements, restrictions, access matters, and other property-related documents.
• Conduct and coordinate legal due diligence for prospective land acquisitions.
• Prepare, review, and negotiate easements, development-related agreements, closing documents, and other real estate instruments.
• Identify title, contractual, development, and transactional risks and work with business teams to develop practical solutions.
• Provide legal advice to the company's land acquisition and land development teams regarding real estate transactions and related legal issues.
• Work closely with senior real estate counsel on transactions and other matters affecting the company's land portfolio and development activities.
• Coordinate with outside counsel, title companies, surveyors, consultants, and other third parties as necessary to move transactions forward.
• Manage multiple active transactions and projects while meeting demanding and sometimes accelerated deadlines.
• Develop strong working relationships with business leaders and serve as a trusted legal resource to internal clients.
• Monitor relevant legal developments affecting the company's land acquisition and development activities.
• Assist with improving processes, documentation, and controls surrounding real estate transactions.
• Perform other related duties as needed.

Qualifications

• Juris Doctor from an accredited law school.
• Active license and good standing with the State Bar of Texas.
• Minimum of 5 years of transactional real estate experience in a law firm, in-house legal department, or combination of both.
• Strong experience drafting, reviewing, and negotiating real estate acquisition and transactional documents.
• Experience with land acquisition, land development, and/or residential development is strongly preferred.
• Experience with title and survey review, due diligence, easements, acquisition agreements, and real estate closings.
• Homebuilding experience is highly valuable but not required; attorneys representing developers, homebuilders, or other companies engaged in significant land acquisition and development will also be considered.
• Ability to manage a high volume of transactions and competing priorities with limited supervision.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to identify risk and develop practical, business-oriented solutions.
• Excellent drafting, negotiation, communication, and interpersonal skills.
• Strong attention to detail and organizational skills.
• Ability to work effectively with attorneys, business leaders, and cross-functional teams in a fast-paced environment.

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate is a transactional real estate attorney with meaningful experience in land acquisition and development who enjoys being close to the business and actively moving deals forward. This individual should be comfortable handling the details of a transaction while also understanding the broader business objectives behind the acquisition and development of property.

Experience in homebuilding or residential development is a plus, but strong “dirt” real estate experience and substantive land transaction work are the primary considerations.

Email:  kim.pratel@duveraconsulting.com