General Counsel

Location: Tallahassee

Position Summary:

The General Counsel is a business partner to the President and executive team. Reporting to the President, this role leads legal strategy for real estate acquisitions, development, and financing, with a strong emphasis on structuring, negotiating, and documenting complex transactions.

The General Counsel also oversees employment and labor matters across a multi-entity hospitality, gaming, and development portfolio, manages outside counsel, and protects the company from legal, regulatory, and contractual risk.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Real Estate Transactions & Financing
· Lead the legal side of acquisitions, dispositions, joint ventures, and development pro-jects from term sheet through closing.
· Structure, negotiate, and document construction loans, acquisition financing, mezzanine and preferred equity, refinancings, and loan modifications.
· Draft and negotiate purchase and sale agreements, loan agreements, guaranties, inter-creditor agreements, JV and operating agreements, and ground and commercial leases.
· Oversee due diligence, title and survey review, zoning and entitlements, and closing documentation.
· Manage lender, investor, and partner relationships on legal matters, including compli-ance with loan covenants and reporting requirements.

Development & Construction
· Draft and negotiate construction contracts, architect and design agreements, develop-ment agreements, and consultant contracts.
· Advise on construction risk, change orders, payment disputes, liens, bonding, insurance, and warranty claims.
· Support the in-house construction company on contract administration, subcontractor agreements, and dispute resolution.
· Coordinate with municipalities and regulators on permitting, licensing, and land-use matters.

Employment & Labor
· Advise Human Resources and leadership on employment law compliance, including wage and hour, leave, discrimination, harassment, and accommodation.
· Guide investigations, terminations, severance and separation agreements, and restric-tive covenants.
· Manage employment-related claims, agency charges, and litigation with outside coun-sel.
· Review and update employee handbooks, policies, and employment agreements across all entities.
· Advise on WARN Act notices, reductions in force, and other workforce actions.

Corporate, Governance & Risk
· Maintain corporate records and entity structures across the portfolio; support for-mation of new project entities.
· Draft and review commercial contracts, vendor agreements, NDAs, and hospitality man-agement agreements.
· Identify legal and regulatory risks, including gaming and hospitality licensing, and recom-mend practical solutions.

Legal Department Leadership
· Oversee litigation strategy and manage outside counsel, budgets, and results.
· Build and lead the legal function, including any future legal staff.
· Serve as a trusted advisor to ownership and senior leadership on legal matters affecting the business.

Qualifications:

· Juris Doctor from an accredited law school.
· Active membership in the Florida Bar, or eligibility and willingness to obtain it (including Authorized House Counsel certification).
· 12+ years of legal experience, with significant time at a top-tier law firm and/or in-house with a real estate developer, owner, or investor.
· Deep experience structuring, negotiating, and documenting real estate financing trans-actions, including construction and acquisition loans, mezzanine debt, and joint venture equity.
· Strong drafting skills and command of complex transaction documentation from term sheet through closing.
· Working knowledge of employment and labor law and experience advising management on workforce matters.
· Proven ability to manage outside counsel and legal budgets.

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