Real Estate Associate

Commercial Real Estate Associate – Leasing | Manhattan, New York City

Join a highly regarded real estate practice offering the close-knit culture and collaboration of a boutique firm, combined with the infrastructure, resources, and standards of an AM LAW platform.

Intentionally smaller than many of its competitors, this firm delivers work of the highest calibre, advising some of the country's most sophisticated real estate clients and competing with the largest firms in the market.

The firm is looking to expand its commercial real estate leasing practice with an experienced Associate who has a strong background in complex commercial leasing transactions. This is an opportunity to work on high-profile office, retail, industrial, and mixed-use leasing matters, representing prominent landlords, tenants, owners, and institutional real estate investors.

Associates benefit from direct exposure to partners and clients, meaningful responsibility, and genuine opportunities to build long-term relationships within a high-performing team.

What You'll Do

• Represent institutional landlords, tenants, developers, investors, and major property owners in sophisticated commercial leasing transactions.
• Draft, review, and negotiate complex commercial leases, including office, retail, industrial, and mixed-use leases.
• Handle the full leasing lifecycle, including letters of intent, term sheets, lease negotiations, amendments, extensions, renewals, assignments, and subleases.
• Advise on landlord and tenant rights and obligations, lease structures, rent provisions, operating expenses, tenant improvements, expansion rights, and termination provisions.
• Negotiate complex lease-related agreements and ancillary documentation.
• Work on significant leasing transactions involving high-profile commercial properties and sophisticated counterparties.
• Advise clients on leasing strategy, portfolio management, and ongoing asset management matters.
• Collaborate with partners and colleagues across the wider real estate practice on acquisitions, dispositions, development, and financing transactions.
• Take ownership of transactions, negotiate directly with counterparties, and maintain regular client contact.

What You'll Need

• 4+ years' commercial real estate experience gained at a respected law firm.
• Admission to the New York Bar.
• Strong experience in commercial leasing, ideally representing both landlords and tenants.
• Experience drafting and negotiating sophisticated office, retail, industrial, or mixed-use leases.
• A strong understanding of the New York commercial leasing market and its transactional practices.
• Experience handling lease amendments, renewals, extensions, assignments, subleases, and other lease-related matters.
• Excellent drafting, negotiation, and communication skills.
• The ability to manage transactions independently while working collaboratively within a high-performing team.

What Else?

• Exposure to some of New York's most significant and sophisticated commercial leasing transactions.
• Early client contact and genuine responsibility from day one.
• The opportunity to work directly with highly regarded partners and established real estate clients.
• Formal mentoring and structured career development.
• The opportunity to work alongside award-winning real estate lawyers recognised as leaders in the New York market.
• The resources and stability of a national full-service law firm, with the culture, agility, and partner access of a specialist boutique.

If you're interested, or would like to learn more, please reach out below.

Lorna Hardcastle