Leasing Attorney

About the Role

The Leasing Attorney will report directly to the Deputy General Counsel, Houston Region and will serve as the primary leasing attorney supporting Howard Hughes' master planned communities in The Woodlands and Bridgeland. This attorney will own the legal leasing program in the region across the company's office, retail, and ground lease portfolio, partnering directly with leasing agents, property managers, and development teams to get deals done. This role is ideal for a 4+ year attorney with hands-on commercial leasing experience who is ready to run a leasing practice, shape deal strategy, and grow as a key member of an in-house legal team at one of the nation's premier real estate companies. This position is located in The Woodlands, Texas.

Responsibilities

• Draft, review, and negotiate office leases, retail leases, ground leases, letters of intent, and related ancillary documents for both single-use and multi-use properties.
• Provide practical, business-minded legal advice on landlord-side leasing matters, including tenant improvement allowances, co-tenancy provisions, percentage rent structures, CAM reconciliation, exclusivity clauses, and other key deal terms.
• Lead lease negotiations from initial markup through execution, balancing legal risk with business objectives and helping internal partners move transactions forward efficiently.
• Manage and improve the leasing document suite, including form leases, amendments, construction work letters, commission agreements, SNDAs, estoppels, and related documents.
• Partner closely with leasing agents, property managers, development teams, and other internal stakeholders to support office, retail, and ground lease activity across the Houston region portfolio.
• Coordinate internal efforts to ensure accurate business terms, consistent deal execution, and adherence to negotiated obligations.
• Analyze lease language and existing agreements to support operational decision-making, enforcement strategies, and portfolio management.
• Supervise, train, and mentor paralegals and less experienced leasing attorneys, as appropriate.
• Help streamline leasing workflows and support broader legal and business initiatives as needed.

Requirements

• J.D. degree from an accredited law school; licensed to practice in Texas.
• 4+ years of direct commercial leasing experience, whether in-house or at a firm with a recognized real estate practice.
• Strong experience drafting, reviewing, and negotiating office, retail, and ground leases, letters of intent, and related leasing documents.
• Working knowledge of landlord-side leasing issues, including tenant improvement allowances, co-tenancy, percentage rent, CAM, and exclusivity provisions.
• Understanding of market leasing terms and the ability to balance legal risk with business objectives.
• Strong negotiation, communication, and organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple active deals and guide business partners clearly.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook) and comfort working in legal management and document systems.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supervising or mentoring paralegals and junior leasing attorneys.
• Exposure to leasing in a master planned community, town center, or large-scale mixed-use environment.
• Experience with ground leases, including build-to-suit and pad site structures.
• Familiarity with reciprocal easement agreements, declarations of covenants, and similar shared-use property frameworks.
• In-house experience at a developer, REIT, or institutional landlord, and familiarity with Texas landlord-tenant and property law considerations.
• Confident, collaborative, and business-minded, with the ability to lead the leasing legal function, build strong internal relationships, and move deals forward efficiently.
• Detail-oriented, adaptable, and genuinely enthusiastic about commercial real estate and community building.

Benefits

• Competitive 401k plan
• Generous PTO policy
• Premium medical, dental, and vision coverage
• Voluntary benefits for unexpected life events
• Student loan assistance and stipends to assist with lifelong learning