In-House Counsel, Real Estate (Data Centers)

In-House Real Estate Counsel | New York, NY Our client is a rapidly growing technology and infrastructure company building the physical foundation for the next generation of artificial intelligence. As AI systems become increasingly powerful, the demand for massive amounts of computing infrastructure is accelerating. This company is developing and deploying the data center capacity needed to support that growth, working at the intersection of AI, energy, real estate, and infrastructure. Our client is expanding its legal team and is seeking an In-House Real Estate Counsel to play a central role in its U.S. data center development strategy. Responsibilities: This attorney will own the real estate legal work supporting the company's rapidly expanding data center footprint, with a particular emphasis on build-to-suit transactions, zoning and land use, site acquisition, and development. You will work directly with development, site selection, finance, and business teams to structure and execute complex transactions from initial site evaluation through development and delivery.Lead the negotiation and execution of build-to-suit agreements, ground leases, purchase and sale agreements, and other complex real estate transactions.Advise on zoning, land use, entitlements, permitting, and development matters associated with new data center sites.Support real estate financing, title and survey review, title insurance, easements, restrictive covenants, environmental issues, and tax incentives.Partner with development and site-selection teams to identify and resolve legal issues early in the acquisition and development process.Manage sophisticated counterparties, developers, landlords, lenders, governmental authorities, and outside counsel.Build and standardize the company's real estate legal infrastructure, including form agreements, processes, and a network of local counsel.Manage outside counsel with a focus on quality, efficiency, scope, and cost.Serve as a strategic business partner, providing practical legal advice that allows projects to move quickly without compromising appropriate risk management. Must have experience with:Build-to-suit transactions and/or data center developmentGround leases and complex commercial leasingLand acquisition and dispositionsZoning, land use, and entitlement mattersReal estate development and constructionReal estate financeTitle, survey, environmental, and related development issuesManaging sophisticated real estate transactions from inception through closing A combination of top-tier law firm and in-house experience is attractive, as is experience with a data center developer, cloud infrastructure company, or other large-scale infrastructure platform. This opportunity is particularly well suited for an attorney who wants to move beyond simply servicing transactions and instead build a real estate legal function, influence development strategy, and become a core legal partner to an AI infrastructure company operating at extraordinary scale.