Senior Associate Counsel - Litigation

About the role

Fairstead, a real estate firm focused on affordable housing, is looking for a Senior Litigation Attorney to join its in-house legal team. The role covers a broad docket of commercial, corporate and employment litigation and dispute resolution across the firm's businesses. It suits a seasoned commercial litigator who can run complex matters in New York State Supreme Court, Delaware courts, federal court and arbitration, and also handle routine regulatory, investigative and employment matters.

Key responsibilities

• Oversee all phases of litigation, arbitration and regulatory proceedings, from pre-suit strategy and pleadings through discovery, motions, hearings, trial and appeals
• Manage outside counsel on complex matters, supervise strategy, review work product and control legal spend
• Handle or oversee commercial and corporate disputes, employment and HR matters, routine commercial disputes and regulatory investigations
• Respond to government and regulatory inquiries, including document production, witness preparation and internal investigations
• Serve as day-to-day point of contact for business teams, HR, compliance and finance on disputes, and resolve routine matters directly
• Convert regulatory findings and litigation outcomes into policy and process changes, and brief senior leadership and the board
• Manage litigation holds, preservation obligations, discovery and e-discovery, and help build litigation management systems
• Assist with contract drafting and negotiation, and partner with business teams early in transactions to reduce litigation risk

Required profile

• J.D. from an accredited law school
• Active bar membership in NY; admission or ability to waive into other jurisdictions preferred
• 15+ years of complex commercial and corporate litigation experience
• First-chair or lead experience in the New York State Supreme Court (Commercial Division), Delaware Court of Chancery and Superior Court, federal district court and arbitration
• Ability to manage many simultaneous matters and proven track record taking cases through trial, arbitration or dispositive resolution
• Experience supervising outside counsel and managing litigation budgets

Required skills

• Experience with government and regulatory matters, investigations and enforcement proceedings
• Willingness to handle routine employment and commercial disputes personally
• Strong drafting, negotiation and oral advocacy skills
• Preferred: prior in-house experience, law firm partnership, Delaware corporate litigation, employment litigation, regulated industries, ADR, insurance coverage and real estate disputes

Salary range: $225,000-$325,000 USD.