Senior Real Estate Law Clerk

Overview

Our client is seeking a highly experienced Senior Real Estate Law Clerk to join the in-house legal team of a leading real estate development organization. This role will play a key operational and transactional support function within the Legal department, working closely with the SVP & General Counsel, development teams, finance, and external counsel.

The successful candidate will manage a broad range of real estate transactions across Ontario and the United States, oversee legal department financial processes, and support budgeting and business planning initiatives. This position is ideal for a senior law clerk who enjoys operating at the intersection of legal, financial, and development functions within a fast-paced development environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Real Estate Transactions & Development Support
• Independently manage and coordinate real estate transactions, including acquisitions, financings, joint ventures and inter-company transfers, including frequent land banking and take-down acquisitions of US lots related to Build-to-Rent projects with our US affiliate, Ashton Woods
• Draft updates, review and administer Low-Rise Agreements of Purchase and Sale, including amendments, assignments and related documentation
• Responsible for enrollment and registrations related to HCRA and Tarion
• For future launch projects, assist in the preparation and review of condominium documentation packages and coordinate with sales teams
• Coordinate closings, manage closing checklists, circulate signature packages and maintain transaction records
• Prepare summaries of key agreements for internal legal and business teams
• Prepare comprehensive summaries of key agreements for legal and business teams if required by lawyers within the Legal Group
• Legal Operations & Financial Management
• Manage legal department invoicing, including tracking, review, coding, and submission of external counsel invoices
• Prepare monthly legal spend summaries and accruals
• Support annual legal budgeting and matter-based cost tracking
• Assist with preparation of reports and financial summaries for senior leadership
• Maintain and improve legal tracking systems, dashboards, and reporting tools
• File Management & Compliance
• Maintain bring-forward systems for critical transaction dates and milestones
• Oversee electronic legal file management and documentation systems
• Track litigation matters and provide periodic status updates
• Monitor compliance documentation including HCRA, Tarion, and Land Registry requirements
• Identify and escalate potential risk exposures or missing documentation
• Strategic & Cross-Functional Collaboration
• Act as a key liaison between Legal, High-Rise and Low-Rise, Finance, and external counsel
• Support internal stakeholders throughout the development lifecycle
• Identify opportunities to improve legal processes and operational efficiency
• Assist with special initiatives led by the SVP & General Counsel

Qualifications & Experience

• 8–12+ years of progressive experience as a Real Estate Law Clerk within a real estate development company or leading real estate law firm
• Significant hands-on experience with:
• Low-Rise APS drafting and administration
• Real estate acquisitions, financings and joint ventures
• Deep working knowledge of Ontario real estate practice, Land Titles system and Teraview
• Strong understanding of development lifecycle
• Experience managing legal invoicing and supporting departmental budgets
• Advanced proficiency in:
• Microsoft Excel (financial tracking and reporting)
• Post-secondary diploma or degree in Law Clerk or Legal Administration

Core Competencies

• Exceptional organizational discipline and efficiency
• Strong financial acumen
• High level of initiative and ownership
• Comfortable working with senior executives
• Ability to manage multiple large projects simultaneously
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Solutions-oriented mindset with strong judgment

Ideal Profile

This role is ideal for a senior clerk who:

• Is currently operating at a high level within a development company or leading major real estate law firm
• Wants to be deeply embedded in the business side of development
• Is comfortable being the operational anchor of a lean legal team, with landholdings in both the US and Ontario
• Enjoys taking ownership and improving systems
• Thrives in a high-accountability, high-performance environment

For more information or to submit your CV to kgauthier@zsa.ca refe