Our reputable client in the real estate sector is seeking a new Director, Legal & Lease Documentation to join their team!

This role is ideal for someone committed to continuous improvement and capable of developing or enhancing business processes. The successful candidate will have established relationships within the legal community and will be able to build and nurture those connections with external law firms.

This position will report to the Vice President of a centralized national services group, which also encompasses sustainability, innovation, and national programs. Occasional travel to regional offices within Canada will be required.

This is a fulltime permanent role based out of their downtown office (hybrid - 3 days a week).

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead and mentor a team of documentation and administration specialists to ensure the timely delivery of legal and lease documents across key business areas, such as leasing, real estate management, and corporate functions.
• Collaborate with team members and business stakeholders to review and improve processes related to legal and lease documentation, identifying opportunities to enhance team effectiveness and mitigate risks through technology.
• Facilitate strong communication between department members and internal teams regarding leasing deals, critical dates, and deviations from standard forms.
• Stay updated on legal developments and precedents concerning commercial leases, landlord risk, and liability.
• Oversee the timely and accurate billing of lease documentation fees.

Lease Documentation and Administration:

• Draft and, when necessary, negotiate lease-related documents and agreements, including leases, extensions, amendments, consent agreements, termination and surrender letters, default letters, storage agreements, licenses, releases, etc.
• Supervise the preparation of estoppels, lease summaries, and other similar documents.
• Consult with external legal counsel as needed.
• Proactively follow up with asset managers, brokers, and tenants to ensure the timely gathering of due diligence materials and adherence to deadlines, driving accountability, and maintaining an efficient workflow.
• Provide legal guidance to leasing and real estate management teams, addressing lease-related issues during tenancies.
• Manage standard lease form templates and related document templates, ensuring their content and format are up-to-date through regular reviews, updates, and necessary approvals.
• Handle most legal requests internally to reduce reliance on external legal counsel.
• Assist with the onboarding and offboarding of properties, reviewing existing leases and preparing summaries, updated templates, estoppels, and other documents as needed.
• Track and manage important tenant lease options, including ROFO, ROFR, operating cost caps, audit rights, and other non-standard lease rights, as well as any associated critical dates.
• Oversee key lease administration tasks, including document circulation, credit checks, VTS updates, document filing, and maintaining consistent filing structures and naming conventions.

Corporate and Other Legal Functions:

• Provide advice on various company agreements and documents, including those related to proposals, asset management, real estate management, IT, joint ventures, and corporate entities.
• Review legal documents or processes in other departments as needed.
• Assist with corporate legal matters, including regulatory filings, corporate recordkeeping, and dissolutions.
• Conduct legal due diligence and prepare documentation for acquisitions and divestitures.

Required Qualifications:

• 10+ of experience in contract management, lease drafting, commercial lease negotiation, or lease administration, with a deep understanding of leases and related documents in commercial real estate.
• Bachelor’s degree in Law, Paralegal, Commerce, or Business Administration.
• Strong attention to detail and ability to interpret and draft complex legal documents.
• Proficiency in legal terminology and analyzing lease terms and conditions.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines.
• Highly organized, proactive, and skilled at managing multiple tasks and files simultaneously.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and legal software, with familiarity in VTS.
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to collaborate effectively across departments and at all levels of the organization.
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision, demonstrating strong attention to detail, initiative, and judgment.