Head of Legal - In House Counsel

Client: Large hospitality/real estate development company
Role: Head of Legal – In House Counsel
Salary: $300K - $350K base + bonus + equity
Location: New York, NY

You will own the legal function end‑to‑end. Your goal is to move at the speed of the business while building scalable processes (playbooks, templates, and tracking) necessary for a high‑volume hospitality and attractions leader.

• Commercial Strategy:
  Draft and negotiate the deals that drive our business, from major sponsor ships and F&B partnerships to SaaS, IP licensing, and ticketing.
• Generalist Leadership:
  Provide day‑to‑day counsel on employment law, HR initiatives, marketing/consumer protection, and ADA compliance for a workforce of 100–150 hourly team members.
• Outside Counsel Management:
  Select and lead specialist firms (Real Estate, Litigation, Regulatory), ensuring high‑quality outcomes while controlling budgets.
• Strategic Transactions:
  Lead diligence and documentation for joint ventures, financings, and corporate development.
• Real Estate & Construction:
  Partner with operations on renovations, design procurement, and permitting for our physical venues and infrastructure.
• Risk & Governance:
  Build practical safety and privacy programs, manage insurance claims, and maintain corporate board materials.

• An Operator at Heart:
  You have a bias for action and clarity. You prefer simple, effective processes over over‑engineered legal hurdles.
• A Versatile Generalist:
  You are comfortable triaging a wide range of issues—from employment disputes to complex IP licenses—and know when to call in the specialists.
• A Seamless Communicator:
  You can translate "legalese" into business‑oriented guidance for Operations, HR, and Finance teams.

• Education:
  
  JD from a top‑tier law school with a strong academic record; active NY State Bar membership.
• Experience:
  
  4–7 years of total legal experience. Ideally, this includes 3–5 years at a top law firm focused on commercial transactions.
• Direct‑from‑Big‑Law a MUST; with a combination of Big law and industry experience, preferably in the retail, hospitality or entertainment industries.
• Project Leadership:
  Proven ability to run multi‑party negotiations and drive complex transactions to close.

• Background in hospitality, attractions, retail, or venue operations.
• Familiarity with construction/fit‑out projects and permitting.
• Experience in consumer marketing (loyalty programs, SMS/Email privacy) and e‑commerce.