Real Estate Attorney for Nonprofit/Tax-Exempt Organizations (part-time)

Cheshire Law Group is in its 15th year and we're growing! We're expanding our legal services team to add another experienced general counsel lawyer to our team who wants to focus on supporting our nonprofit clients with real estate matters. The position is part-time (up to 30 hours/week) and can expand to full-time. No existing book of business is required.

Cheshire Law Group is an award-winning and industry-leading woman-owned law firm that exclusively represents nonprofit organizations.

We are seeking an experienced general counsel attorney to serve as trusted legal counsel to nonprofit organizations on a wide range of legal matters, while focusing on real estate law matters. The ideal candidate will have a strong understanding of the unique operational, governance, and mission-driven challenges faced by nonprofit entities and will provide practical, risk-based legal advice that supports organizational effectiveness while ensuring compliance with federal, state, and local real estate laws.

This role will exclusively represent nonprofit organizations, working with their leadership teams and boards of directors on real estate matters.

Attorneys on the Cheshire Law Group's legal team work closely with leadership teams of nonprofit organizations as trusted advisors to provide expert counsel on a wide variety of legal matters. This part-time attorney role is ideal for an exceptional real estate lawyer who is passionate about representing nonprofit organizations and who enjoys working 1:1 with clients and independently responding to client concerns, but who also appreciates and is adept at collaborating with colleagues, including the other lawyers on the team with real estate experience. The ideal candidate is driven by the desire to always meet clients’ needs in a manner that is positive and pragmatic, while also thoughtful and thorough, and who enjoys handling a variety of matters and responding quickly to support the day-to-day and strategic legal needs of nonprofits. Please note that this position offers flexibility and may be remote. This is a part-time position that also offers the possibility of expanding to full-time status in the future depending upon client needs, demonstrated abilities, and work performance.

Key Responsibilities

Provide legal assistance and support nonprofit organization clients:

• • Review, draft, revise, and finalize a wide variety of documents including leases, sale agreements, loan and other financing agreements, easement agreements, guaranty agreements, title reports, deeds, land surveys, environmental reports, condo documents, contracts, grant agreements, policies, etc.
  • Handle the review, preparation, and submission and defense of real estate tax exempt applications and appeals re the same.
  • Research tax and other federal, state, and local laws that impact real estate matters.
  • Review and carefully analyze real estate-related documents in preparation for mergers, dissolutions, and other repositioning matters.
  • Draft memoranda to document findings
  • Translate complex legal issues into understandable concepts using clear explanations, charts, and visual aids

Client Management:

• • Support and/or manage simultaneously multiple projects and execute required work with little or no supervision
  • Communicate directly with clients and manage client project timeline and budget expectations
  • Monitor legal and compliance issues and client news/events, keeping up with industry trends
  • Collaborate with the Firm’s team and with outside counsel as needed

Training & Client Development

• • Develop and deliver real estate law training programs for nonprofit executives, managers, and boards of directors.
  • Publish client alerts, articles, and presentations on emerging real estate law developments affecting nonprofit organizations.
  • Support the firm’s business development initiatives within the nonprofit sector, specifically in connection with real estate matters.

Qualifications:

Required

• • Juris Doctor (J.D.) from an accredited law school; Licensed to practice law in the US and must be in good standing.
  • Active admission and good standing with at least one state bar. Licensed to practice law in PA mandatory (or eligible to waive into the Pennsylvania bar), with additional license preferred and other state licenses (e.g., DC, DE, NJ, NY, MD, OK) a plus.
  • 5+ years of legal experience representing clients with real estate matters.
  • Experience handling lease negotiations, real estate closings, and tax appeals.
  • Strong knowledge of federal and state and local real estate laws and regulations.
  • Excellent legal research, writing, and analytical skills.
  • Demonstrated ability to provide practical, business-focused legal advice.
  • Strong interpersonal and client relationship management skills.
  • Strong demonstrated interest in and experience serving nonprofits a must (pro bono service, board service, volunteerism, and/or working with underserved clients or communities)
  • Comfortable with diversity and inclusive with regard to race, religion, national origin, disability status, sexual orientation, and/or gender identity, reflecting the values of Cheshire Law Group, and also considering the demographic composition of the Firm’s clients and of the communities we serve.

Preferred

• • Experience representing nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, foundations, associations, healthcare nonprofits, or social service agencies.
  • Familiarity with nonprofit governance and tax-exempt organizational structures.
  • Existing relationships within the nonprofit sector.
  • Condo law, public finance, or capital-project tax credit experience a plus.

Key Competencies

• • Strategic legal judgment.
  • Relationship building and client service.
  • Strong communication and presentation skills.
  • Attention to detail and risk assessment.
  • Project and matter management.
  • Ability to balance legal compliance with organizational mission and culture.

Flexible remote/WFH option on a permanent basis.

Supportive and collaborative work culture that fosters connection & supports wellness.

Competitive salary commensurate with experience.

Professional development support.

Performance-based bonus opportunities.

Origination fees (per Firm’s policy).

Retirement plan with employer contributions.

Up to 10 paid holidays (per Firm policy); three are floating and are employee's choice.

Paid sick time.

English, to meet our clients' needs.