Senior Real Estate Attorney

First Student is seeking an experienced Senior Real Estate Attorney to join its ten-person legal team and serve as a trusted legal advisor to the business. This role supports the General Counsel by providing comprehensive legal counsel across a broad range of matters, with approximately 70% of responsibilities focused on sophisticated commercial real estate transactions, including acquisitions, dispositions, leasing, development matters, and M&A-related activity, and approximately 30% focused on broader in-house legal matters such as commercial contracting, corporate governance, regulatory compliance, and litigation management.

The successful candidate will support a real estate portfolio of more than 750 owned and leased properties across 42 U.S. states and 8 Canadian provinces while providing practical, business-minded legal counsel that protects the company's interests, facilitates strategic growth, and supports key business objectives.

• Draft, review, and negotiate complex real estate agreements, including commercial leases, purchase and sale agreements, amendments, easements, development agreements, and related transaction documents.
• Manage real estate transactions from due diligence through closing, including title and survey reviews, zoning verifications, land use matters, environmental assessments, financing-related issues, and other real estate diligence activities.
• Partner with business leaders and internal stakeholders on acquisitions, divestitures, mergers, and other strategic transactions involving real estate assets.
• Serve as the primary legal partner to First Student's Real Estate team, providing practical, business-oriented counsel on strategic initiatives, transactions, and operational matters.
• Advise internal stakeholders regarding property management issues, landlord-tenant matters, environmental concerns, regulatory compliance, and land use matters.
• Review, draft, and negotiate a wide variety of commercial contracts, including vendor agreements, NDAs, SaaS agreements, consulting agreements, licensing agreements, and other commercial transactions.
• Provide general legal guidance to operations support teams, including Risk, HR, Business Development, Communications, IT, and Labor, ensuring compliance with applicable laws and regulations.
• Assist in corporate governance matters, including commercial, regulatory, and transactional matters.
• Identify potential legal risks across business operations and develop practical mitigation strategies.
• Manage litigation and dispute-related matters and oversee outside counsel on specialized real estate, commercial, regulatory, and litigation matters as needed.
• Collaborate with executive leadership and cross-functional stakeholders to support strategic growth initiatives and operational objectives.

• Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from an accredited law school.
• Active license to practice law and in good standing with the State of Ohio (or eligible to register as in-house counsel).
• 5+ years of legal experience, with significant experience handling sophisticated commercial real estate transactions in a law firm and/or corporate legal department.
• Experience advising on litigation or managing outside counsel is preferred.
• Proven track record of handling general real estate/commercial contracts and corporate matters.
• Strong negotiation, analytical, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Ability to balance multiple priorities in a fast-paced, business-oriented environment.

• Competitive salary and performance-based bonuses.
• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance.
• 401(k) matching program.
• Generous paid time off (PTO) and company holidays.
• Professional development support (CLE expenses and bar dues).