Director Legal - Real Estate & Construction

About the role

As a Legal Director, you will serve as a licensed attorney responsible for leading a specialized practice group within the Law Department and providing legal counsel to a Cleveland Clinic business unit. In this role, you will provide legal support for high-profile and innovative projects, including the Neurological Institute building, quantum computing initiatives, and major real estate and construction developments that have a significant impact on both Cleveland Clinic and the surrounding community. You will also manage the high volume and complexity of transactions across Cleveland Clinic’s real estate portfolio, helping to mitigate legal and regulatory risk while supporting operational efficiency and strategic growth initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Assist the Vice President Legal in administrative matters, including planning, organizing and managing work activities assigned to attorneys in the Law Department
• Responsible for the day-to-day operations of the practice group, which includes project management, OKR accountability, setting priorities and managing workflow and work allocation.
• Responsible for alignment with business objectives and relationships with enterprise leaders that are impacted by the Practice Group’s area of law.
• Ensure the Practice Group has appropriate training, coverage, resources and support to handle the responsibilities of their area of expertise.
• Provide direct supervision, advice, mentoring and guidance to paralegals, attorneys and other department personnel working on matters related to their Practice Group and other matters as directed.
• Ensure that timely responses are provided to requests for legal advice in the attorney's assigned area whether by Senior Counsel or by other members of the pertinent Practice Group.
• Advise, mentor and guide attorneys and other staff members working within the attorney's areas of responsibility.
• Manage outside counsel on matters falling within the attorney's areas of responsibility in a cost-effective manner.
• Maintain expertise in assigned subject matter areas.
• Advise and train members of the department on legal developments impacting the attorney's areas of expertise.
• Actively seek out opportunities to bring the organization into compliance with those areas of the law.
• Participate in budget processes.
• Responsible for day-to-day administrative supervision, overseeing the substantive work of paralegals and attorneys that are within their Practice Group, but who are primarily reporting up through another Practice Group, and for coordinating with the primary supervisor.
• Delegate appropriately, monitors progress and provide support, resources as needed.

Requirements

• Juris Doctor Degree (J.D.) from ABA accredited law school
• Member in good standing of the state bar or ability to become a member of the state bar within a reasonable period of time
• 10 years of comparable experience in the substantive legal area of law that is designated as the attorney's area(s) of expertise, preferably in both a law firm as well as an in-house setting

Preferred qualifications

• Five years of successful experience managing internal staff as well as outside counsel
• Two years of experience in a healthcare setting
• Prior experience directing the work of law professionals within a specialty practice group
• Five years of experience with complex real estate and/or construction matters

Physical Requirements

• Ability to perform work in a stationary position for extended periods.
• Ability to travel throughout the hospital system.
• Ability to operate a computer, audio visual and other office equipment.
• Ability to communicate and exchange accurate information, including the ability to deliver training in person and virtually.

Benefits

• Health Plan Options – You have the choice between two comprehensive Cleveland Clinic Employee Health Plan options: EHP and EHP Plus. Both plans are administered by Aetna and feature minimal copays for in-network care. Although the benefit designs of EHP and EHP Plus are identical, they differ in their provider network size, with EHP offering a narrow network and EHP Plus providing access to the wide Aetna Open Access Select network. Both plans include access to Cleveland Clinic providers. The health plan also offers Healthy Choice, a voluntary program where participants earn premium discounts for achieving wellness goals.
• Dental Care – Four plan options administered by Cigna are available.
• Vision Care – Two plan options administered by EyeMed are available.
• Flexible Spending Accounts – Healthcare and Dependent Care FSAs are available to help you pay for eligible expenses with pre-tax dollars.
• Life Insurance – Employer-paid life insurance equals 1x your annual salary with an option to purchase supplemental life insurance up to 10x your salary. You may also purchase dependent life insurance for a spouse and dependent children
• Short- and Long-term Disability Coverage – Short-term disability is available after one continuous year of regular full-time service; long-term disability begins after 90 days.
• Cleveland Clinic Investment Pension Plan offers eligible employees an excellent opportunity to build a retirement account for the future. It is fully funded by Cleveland Clinic and equal to 2.5% of your salary (increasing with more years of service).
• The 401(k) / 403(b) Plan also provides an important source of retirement savings. It allows participants to take responsibility for their financial future by making retirement savings a part of their normal routine while working. In addition to your contributions to the plan, Cleveland Clinic matches a portion of your contributions (50% on up to your first 6% in contributions).
• Paid Time Off (PTO) – Eligible caregivers receive Paid Time Off (PTO) that can be allotted toward vacation, holidays, sick time, etc.
• Caregiver discounts – We offer discounted rates for auto, home and pet insurance, identify theft protection and more.
• Adoption assistance – We provide financial assistance of up to $5,000/per child ($10,000 maximum lifetime benefit) for caregivers who choose to legally adopt a child.
• Employee Assistance Program – The Program provides free, confidential short-term counseling for caregivers and their families, whether for relationships or legal challenges.
• Employee Hardship Fund – This fund provides aid for caregivers experiencing unexpected financial difficulties.
• Paid maternity and parental leave – You will enjoy up to eight consecutive weeks for maternal care after the birth of your child to bond with your baby and up to four weeks for parental care.

Pay

Minimum Annual Salary: $151,220.00
Maximum Annual Salary: $298,640.00