Associate Counsel — Environmental (Commercial Real Estate)
Company: Client of Brave New World Search Group
Location: Saratoga Springs, NY (HQ) • Full-time • On-site/Hybrid
Company Snapshot
Our client is a vertically integrated private-equity real estate platform focused on self-storage and alternative real estate. The portfolio spans 310+ assets across the U.S., Canada, and the U.S. Virgin Islands supported by a 700+ person team across acquisitions, asset/portfolio management, operations, and corporate functions.
Role Summary
Reporting to the Chief Commercial & Compliance Officer, the Associate Counsel — Environmental will support acquisitions, financings, and operations with a heavy emphasis on environmental due diligence, permitting, regulatory compliance, and real-estate documentation. The ideal candidate blends environmental regulatory depth with commercial real estate experience (title/survey/zoning, third-party report review).
Key Responsibilities
- Environmental Counsel: Advise on federal/state environmental laws; support permitting and compliance matters; monitor regulatory developments.
- Due Diligence: Lead environmental DD for property and portfolio transactions; review and synthesize Phase I/II ESAs, PCAs, and zoning reports with clear risk assessments and recommendations.
- Title/Survey/Zoning: Review and comment on title commitments, policies, endorsements, surveys, and zoning analyses; coordinate curatives.
- Transactions: Partner with outside counsel to structure, negotiate, and close acquisitions, dispositions, and financings; prepare/review environmental and commercial provisions in purchase and loan documents.
- Policies & Governance: Draft and refine policies, procedures, and playbooks to manage environmental risk across the portfolio.
- Contracts & Research: Draft/review commercial agreements, permits, and regulatory filings; perform targeted legal research; provide litigation support as needed.
- Cross-Functional Partnering: Work closely with Asset/Portfolio Management, Operations, Risk, and Investment teams to align legal guidance with business objectives.
Qualifications
- J.D. from an accredited U.S. law school; bar admission in at least one U.S. state and ability to practice in New York (admission or eligibility to obtain).
- 3–5+ years of environmental law experience (law firm or in-house), ideally supporting commercial real estate transactions.
- Demonstrated expertise with environmental compliance and permitting; comfort analyzing CERCLA/RCRA/CAA/CWA and state analogs.
- Hands-on review of Phase I/II ESAs, PCAs, title, survey, and zoning; practical risk-ranking and mitigation recommendations.
- Excellent drafting, organization, and communication skills; ability to manage multiple matters simultaneously in a fast-paced, PE-backed environment.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office and comfort collaborating with outside counsel and cross-functional stakeholders.
Compensation & Benefits
- Competitive salary commensurate with experience
- Comprehensive benefits: medical, dental, vision, life, STD/LTD
- Paid vacation, sick time, and holidays
- Growth opportunities within a scaling platform
Apply: Send your resume to cghamilton@bnwservices.com with subject “Associate Counsel — Environmental.”