Support Vice President, Real Estate Counsel, Sr. Director, Real Estate Counsel,  and other members of the Legal Department, Asset Management, Lease Management Department, Real Estate and Construction Personnel, Franchise Services and Lease Accounting on matters relating to real estate portfolio management, including survey reviews, title review and summaries, managing condemnation/eminent domain matters, leases, purchase and sale agreements, easements, access licenses and permits, lease amendments, lease renewals, remodel consents, dispositions of surplus/excess properties and other similar matters.  This position will further support the Legal Real Estate team by managing large transactions, portfolio reviews, and other special projects related to business initiatives. Day-to-day tasks may include, but are not limited to, the following: review of contracts and leases; prepare critical dates and lease abstracts; review title examinations, surveys, legal descriptions and plats; prepare title and survey objection letters; draft closing documents, including closing statements; draft easements and various development documents as may be required of the real estate lifecycle across all transactions.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Draft and/or review transactional documents, with little or no oversight, such as leases, lease amendments, lease termination agreements, purchase and sale agreements, subleases, sublease amendments, sublease termination agreements, options to assume lease, default notices, easement agreements, closing documents, closing statements and related documentation across multiple states.
• Manage all special projects with assistance from other paralegals on these projects
• Create, organize, and maintain an electronic legal file for each location to be acquired, sold or leased.
• Review and prepare, with little or no oversight, critical date summaries; send out critical date email reminders to all internal clients.
• Assist in drafting and responding to legal notices with little or no oversight.
• Order and review title commitments, legal descriptions, surveys, and Phase I environmental reports, and prepare title and survey objection letters, in connection with new corporate developed leases and/or purchases.
• Prepare and/or review estoppel certificates, SNDA’s and other documents needed in the ordinary course of lease administration. 
• Review franchisee developed leases (at the request of the field) in connection with possible exercise of right of first refusal or assumption under OTA’s.
• With input from Operations and Real Estate, determine the feasibility of easements and site reconfigurations as proposed by third parties. Provide and implement alternate solutions as needed to protect unit operations and negotiate compensation and costs. Review site access agreements for utility and environmental work. Provide assessments and recommendations to in-house counsel regarding such cases and projects. Draft and finalize documents as needed.
• Negotiate terms and conditions of licenses and easements allowing access, signage, parking, and other uses between Inspire Brands’ subsidiaries and their adjacent property owners, landlords, and other third parties. Provide assessments and recommendations to in-house counsel regarding such cases and projects. Draft and finalize documents as needed.
• Lead and manage Inspire Brands’ proceedings for eminent domain projects with assistance from other paralegals on these proceedings from initial notice to conclusion, including but not limited to the negotiation of contract terms and the drafting and finalization of documents. Negotiate compensation offers for real property and improvements and negotiate division of funds with landlord as needed. Coordinate with affected departments, including Construction, Real Estate, and Fixed Assets, on all aspects of such projects. Provide assessments and recommendations to in-house counsel regarding such cases and projects.
• Participate on bi-weekly (weekly) conference calls with business and development teams as needed and participate on bi-weekly conference calls with legal team.
• Serve as a resource for Lease Management, Real Estate and Construction, Franchise Services and Lease Accounting on all matters relating to real estate portfolio management.
• Serve as the lead point of communication with the title company to obtain title documents, clear title insurance requirements and coordinate upcoming closings.
• Work closely with real estate attorneys and other department personnel to assist with issues and conflicts throughout each transaction’s lifecycle (including post-closing).
• Develop and maintain an overall knowledge of the real estate processes, procedures and documentation requirements within each applicable state.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE QUALIFICATIONS

• Required Minimum (include licenses or certification): B.A. degree.
• Required Minimum:  Ten years working in commercial real estate as an in-house or private law firm paralegal (large firm experience preferred).

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS OR ABILITIES:

• Well-versed in commercial real estate transactions (with emphasis on retail leasing especially ground leases and “hot pad” transactions), real estate acquisitions and divestitures, and/or condemnation actions; strong commitment to excellence in client service (including good inter-personal skills); solid organizational skills and ability to multi-task without missing deadlines; solid writing and good drafting skills, resourcefulness; effective and efficient communication skills (keeping other team members apprised of the current status of real estate projects) and computer literacy (especially with Word, Excel, and document management programs such as CoStar, Dealpath and Lucernex).
• Experience working effectively within a team of legal and non-legal professionals.

PREFERRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS OR ABILITIES:

• Experience working with quick-service or casual dining restaurant or sports bar franchisors or franchisees.
• Restaurant or hospitality industry experience.
• Commercial leasing experience with regard to retail tenants, particularly restaurants.
• Paralegal certificate

 

Inspire is a multi-brand restaurant company whose portfolio includes more than 33,000 Arby’s, Baskin-Robbins, Buffalo Wild Wings, Dunkin’, Jimmy John’s, and SONIC restaurants worldwide.

We’re made up of some of the world’s most iconic restaurant brands, but we’re much more than just a restaurant company. We’re a team of hundreds of thousands who individually and collectively are changing the way people eat, drink, and gather around the table. We know that food is much more than a staple—it’s an experience. At Inspire, that’s our purpose: to ignite and nourish flavorful experiences.