Associate, Real Estate

Our Real Estate Practice provides market-leading advice on transactions and disputes with real estate at the core. We assist developers, owners, private and institutional investors, corporates, lenders, and underwriters around the world in understanding industry trends and their impact on business. Our expertise extends to advising borrowers, lenders, and servicers across all types of domestic and international real estate financings. Clients trust us to manage the intricacies of their transactions and disputes, synthesising legal and commercial knowledge to provide counsel that translates into successful outcomes. By leveraging our deep understanding of real estate and legal frameworks, we help clients achieve their goals in a dynamic and evolving market. Position Summary We are currently looking for a mid-level real estate associate to join our Chicago office with a focus on data center transactions. In addition to strong academic credentials, you should possess excellent technical skills and a solid foundation in commercial real estate leasing. Bright and adaptable, you should be willing to work across a broad range of real estate matters and asset classes, including work that may fall outside a traditional real estate practice. Experience with international transactions is preferred, particularly coordinating multi-country workstreams, managing local counsel and recognizing jurisdiction-specific issues that affect transaction structure, diligence and execution. Strong oral and written communication skills will be significant assets, enabling you to explain complex legal concepts to non-lawyers. Working on a relatively high volume of matters at any one time, you will need to be highly organized, adept at managing multiple workstreams and producing outstanding results within the short deadlines often demanded by our clients’ projects. Collaborative and cooperative, you should enjoy working as part of a team but also demonstrate an independence of thought and action, proactively anticipating clients’ needs and exceeding their expectations by developing creative and original solutions to their problems. Duties And Accountabilities Represent domestic and international investors, owners, developers, operators, lenders and institutions in data center, digital infrastructure and other commercial real estate transactionsDraft and negotiate documentation for a wide range of real estate transactions, including purchase and sale agreements, joint venture agreements, leases, development agreements and real estate finance documents, as well as ancillary documents such as certificates, resolutions and consentsAdvise on leasing, acquisition, disposition, development, financing and operational matters involving data centers and other commercial real estate assetsAssist with cross-border and multi-country transactions by coordinating local counsel, diligence workstreams and jurisdiction-specific adviceSupport all stages of leasing transactions, including transaction structuring, document preparation, negotiation, diligence, signing and closingConduct and coordinate due diligence for real estate transactions, including acquisitions, dispositions, financings and joint venturesIdentify and communicate material jurisdictional differences affecting property rights, leasing structures, utilities, permitting, data center operations and transaction executionSupport M&A, private equity, fund formation, debt finance and other practice groups with respect to real estate mattersEnsure that our clients’ interests are properly represented and protected at all timesConduct legal research and prepare practical analyses of real estate, leasing, data center and jurisdiction-specific legal issues Qualifications A Juris Doctor (JD) degree (LLM or foreign equivalent) from an accredited law school requiredAdmitted to the Illinois barMinimum of four years of relevant real estate experience in a large firm settingStrong general commercial leasing experience, including drafting, reviewing and negotiating leases and related transaction documentsExperience should include representing borrowers and lenders in financing transactions with respect to various asset classes, with a preference of experience in data centers or other digital infrastructure transactionsExposure to international transactions, multi-country coordination and local counsel management preferredFamiliarity with jurisdiction-specific differences affecting real estate transactions and an ability to recognize when specialized local advice is requiredExperience conducting due diligence, including lease review, title and survey review and drafting due diligence reportsStrong time management skills, ability to stay calm under pressure when juggling multiple projectsStrong professional presence with a client service focusTeam player with sound judgmentProactive, resourceful, takes initiative and a self-starter driven by professional growthOutstanding communication skillsExcellent drafting skillsFluency in English Locations and Compensation Offices: ChicagoSalary range: $225,000 - $390,000 This role reports to Partner Equal Opportunities White & Case is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer and is committed to creating a fair workplace. It is our Firm’s policy to recruit, employ, train, compensate and promote without regard to race, color, religion, creed, national origin, age, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, military or veteran status, disability, genetic information, or any other category protected by applicable law. Applicants who are interested in applying for a position and require an accommodation during the process should contact talent.acquisition@whitecase.com. Benefits At White & Case White & Case LLP offers a comprehensive suite of benefit programs to all eligible employees, including medical, dental, and vision insurance, life and disability coverage, 401(k) retirement savings, vacation time, and leave programs (including parental leave). Exempt roles are also performance bonus eligible. The Firm may modify and amend any job description at any time in its sole discretion. Nothing herein creates a contract of employment or otherwise modifies the at-will nature of employment. The above is only a general description of the essential duties associated with this position and does not represent an exhaustive or comprehensive list of all duties. Note to Recruitment Agencies Our internal Recruitment team manages all aspects of lateral hiring. All agencies must have signed terms of business—specific to the relevant office—before submitting any candidates. CVs or applications sent directly to White & Case partners or employees will also not be considered formal introductions. If you have questions, please contact the relevant Recruitment team. We work with our preferred suppliers when engaging agencies.