Real Estate Lending Counsel - Leading Global Bank
Leading Global Financial Institution
Location: New York, NY
Employment Type: Full-Time, Hybrid
About the Role
A leading global bank is seeking a highly motivated Commercial Real Estate (CRE) Counsel to join its in‑house legal team. This is an exceptional opportunity for a Junior Counsel (3-5 years) currently at a top-tier law firm to transition into a dynamic, business-oriented legal environment supporting one of the world's most sophisticated commercial real estate lending platforms.
The CRE Counsel will work closely with senior attorneys, relationship managers, underwriters, and risk partners on a broad spectrum of real estate finance transactions, including balance sheet lending, syndicated loans, CMBS, construction financing, and portfolio transactions.
Key Responsibilities
- Support senior attorneys in drafting, reviewing, and negotiating loan documents, intercreditor agreements, term sheets, and ancillary documentation for a wide variety of commercial real estate financing transactions.
- Advise internal clients on legal, regulatory, and transactional risks, and provide clear, practical recommendations aligned with the bank's risk appetite.
- Assist with due diligence, including review of title, survey, zoning reports, leases, and other property-level materials.
- Coordinate with external counsel to ensure quality, timeliness, and cost-efficiency in deal execution.
- Participate in internal discussions around deal structuring, credit approval, and portfolio management.
- Support ongoing asset management, including amendments, consents, modifications, and workouts.
- Ensure compliance with relevant banking, real estate, corporate, and securities regulations.
- Contribute to the development of form documentation, playbooks, and process improvements that enhance operational efficiency.
Qualifications
- J.D. from an accredited law school with strong academic credentials.
- 1-3 years of commercial real estate experience at a major law firm (Big Law preferred).
- Experience with commercial mortgage lending or real estate finance required; exposure to construction lending or securitization is a plus.
- Admitted to practice law in at least one U.S. jurisdiction; New York admission strongly preferred.
- Strong drafting skills, exceptional attention to detail, and the ability to manage multiple workstreams in a fast-paced environment.
- Business-minded, collaborative, and able to communicate effectively with stakeholders from legal, business, credit, and risk functions.
- Demonstrated interest in the financial services sector and enthusiasm for learning the banking side of real estate transactions.
What the Role Offers
- A rare opportunity to move from law firm practice to a highly regarded in-house platform early in your career.
- Exposure to complex, market-leading CRE transactions across diverse asset classes (office, multifamily, industrial, hospitality, retail, and specialty).
- Meaningful mentorship and growth within a globally recognized institution.
- Competitive compensation, benefits, and work-life balance relative to Big Law.
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