VP & Assistant General Counsel, Landlord-Tenant Relations

Job Description

Are you looking for an exciting and fulfilling career with one of the Best Employers in Ohio? If you’d like to join a team of dedicated associates in a collaborative work environment where there’s always something exciting happening – think ice cream trucks, summer cookouts, onsite yoga, holiday parties, paid time off to go to Kings Island and so much more – you found the right place with CASTO.

CASTO has been recognized as a best place to work ten times, a healthy employer eight times, and even named a healthiest employer in America. We have an exceptional team, outstanding benefits including paid volunteer time and a robust incentive-based wellness program, an innovative environment, and a supportive company culture, so you can understand why the average tenure of our associates is more than 10 years!

BASIC FUNCTION: 

Provide legal review, analysis, and support to CASTO’s property management, accounting, and lease administration teams. Primary responsibilities will include overseeing and/or providing support in connection with commercial tenant common area maintenance disputes and other audits; commercial tenant bankruptcies; commercial and residential FE&D actions (i.e. evictions), and collections.  

MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Oversee common area maintenance and other commercial tenant audits and disputes:
• Review leases and other contracts to determine legal rights and responsibilities of parties
• Review and research internal billing and accounting methodology, lease interpretation, communications, and prior disputes
• Work with multiple internal divisions to determine and coordinate appropriate resolution of audits and disputes
• Communicate CASTO’s position to commercial tenants and third party auditors and, when necessary, negotiate settlements
• Assist property managers and lease administrators with interpretation and application of commercial lease and other contractual provisions    
• Provide legal compliance support and advice to internal collections group (e.g., Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, state consumer sales practices acts)   
• Advise property management group on legal requirements related to Forcible Entry and Detainer actions (“FE&D”) including posting of 3 day notices, unauthorized tenant move-outs, abandoned property, and related tenancy and FE&D issues
• File and serve as litigation counsel to CASTO in commercial and residential FE&Ds on behalf of CASTO; advise and prepare internal personnel and attend related depositions, hearings, and conferences   
• Monitor commercial tenant bankruptcies, advise and update asset management and property management groups, prepare proofs of claim, pleadings, and other bankruptcy filings as required to protect CASTO’s interests
• Regularly communicate with key internal divisions including Collections, Accounting, Asset Management, and Property Management regarding ongoing suits, bankruptcies, audits, and other legal matters
• Review and revise vendor contracts for various internal divisions  
• Perform other job-related duties as required

SKILLS:

• Must be a graduate of an accredited law school and admitted to practice in the State of Ohio
• 5-7 years of commercial real estate experience preferred
• Must be proficient in reviewing, editing, and interpreting commercial leases (NNN leases, ground leases, residential leases), recorded encumbrances, and other contracts
• Must have experience representing commercial and/or residential landlords in FE&Ds
• Must have some familiarity with and knowledge of commercial bankruptcies, and collections law
• Strong communication skills; ability to work with, coordinate, and convey legal concepts and information to CASTO associates working in a variety of internal divisions
• Strong leadership and team building skills
• Well organized
• Strong computer skills