Legal Counsel, Real Estate Development

Crusoe · Data AI · San Francisco, CA - US · Legal

Legal Counsel for Real Estate Development at an AI infrastructure company, focusing on large-scale real estate developments and project financings. Responsibilities include contract drafting, negotiation, and execution for real estate acquisitions, power matters, and project finance transactions, collaborating with cross-functional teams.

What you'd actually do

  1. Review, negotiate, and execute real estate agreements from inception to closing, including site selection, Letters of Intent (LOIs), Purchase and Sale Agreements (PSAs), options, and easements.
  2. Lead the legal structuring and execution of synthetic/ground leases, customer leases, and specialized data center service agreements.
  3. Conduct comprehensive reviews of title, survey, environmental assessments (Phase I/II), geotechnical reports, and zoning/land use matters to identify and mitigate development risks.
  4. Proactively address title matters, property rights, and boundary disputes to ensure unencumbered project progression.
  5. Collaborate with internal departments—including Power Engineering, Construction, Finance, and Tax—to support broader legal and business objectives.

Skills

Required

  • Juris Doctor (JD) degree from an accredited law school
  • Active bar admission in any state
  • 5–7 years of experience working on complex real estate acquisitions and power procurement
  • Deep understanding of construction financing and loan due diligence processes
  • Excellent drafting and negotiation abilities with the capacity to manage high-stakes business environments
  • Strong judgment and analytical abilities with a "self-starter" mentality

Nice to have

  • Experience with ALTA surveys and complex title insurance endorsements
  • Familiarity with the legal nuances of digital infrastructure and AI cloud scaling
  • Previous in-house experience at a high-growth technology or infrastructure company

What the JD emphasized

  • real estate acquisitions
  • power procurement
  • data centers
  • large-scale industrial development projects