VP, Assistant General Counsel

Our team members are the key to our company’s success, and their health and well-being, as well as that of their families, is very important to us. We offer a comprehensive benefits package that allows our team members stay healthy, plan for their future and maintain a healthy work-life balance. Benefits may vary with employment status. To see our fill list of Team Member Benefits please visit our career site: https://www.gotoworkhappy.com/benefits

Job Description

Hard Rock International is seeking an experienced corporate attorney for the New York pre-opening phase of the Metropolitan Park project. This role operates within a rapidly accelerating environment and reports jointly and directly to Hard Rock’s Chief Legal Officer and President of Casino Development. The attorney will serve as the primary legal operational lead for our interests in the joint venture, managing an immense volume of commercial agreements. These include vendor contracts, master service agreements, and complex construction documentation.

Responsibilities require advising project executives on deal structuring and mitigating localized contractual risks and working closely and collaboratively with Hard Rock’s joint venture partner and its legal counsel on this project. The successful candidate will ensure the aggressive protection of our commercial interests. Navigating the intense schedule pressures inherent in a massive flagship development is critical, as is maintaining a functional, collaborative relationship with our joint-venture partner. Success demands the ability to establish repeatable systems. We need someone who can build practical guidance models to expedite contract review without compromising risk management.

The position requires exemplary technical and organizational skills, attention to detail, ability to multi-task well in a fast-paced environment, excellent verbal and written communication skills, and the frequent use of discretion and independent judgment.

Essential Job Functions

• Contract Management: Draft, review, and negotiate a wide range of construction- and vendor-related contracts, ensuring clear terms and risk allocation
• Legal and risk management: Provide advice on compliance with local, state, and federal regulations, insurance, liability, and environmental matters. Identify potential legal pitfalls and develop strategies to mitigate risks related to project delays, cost overruns, defective work, insurance coverage, and liability
• Dispute Resolution: Manage and oversee legal disputes. This involves determining when to litigate aggressively or settle, and coordinating with outside counsel when necessary for arbitration, mediation, or full litigation
• Project Lifecycle Support: Offer ongoing legal support throughout a project's life, from initial planning and procurement to project closeout and warranty issues
• Site visits: Periodically visit construction sites to monitor progress and identify potential issues early on
• Regulatory Compliance: Ensure all projects and business operations comply with a myriad of federal, state, and local laws, and licensing requirements
• Legal Counsel \& Strategy: Serve as a trusted advisor to management and various departments (finance, project management, etc.) on legal issues, integrating legal strategy with business objectives and providing practical, business-oriented advice
• Policy Development: Develop internal policies, procedures, and contract templates to ensure consistency and provide best practices to avoid legal issues proactively

Qualifications

• A Juris Doctor (JD) degree from an accredited law school and active admission to a state bar in good standing.
• Active membership in the New York State Bar
• Four to eight years of post-graduate experience practicing at a leading New York law firm
• Significant focus on corporate transactions, real estate development, or construction law
• Demonstrated capacity to independently triage and negotiate large volumes of commercial contracts under strict deadlines
• Direct experience managing legal exposure within large-scale commercial matters
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate complex legal issues into clear, actionable advice for non-legal stakeholders.
• Someone who has strong interpersonal skills, the ability to build relationships and the interest in becoming an integral part in practice management will thrive in this position
• Additional attributes include exceptional organizational abilities, attention to detail, initiative, managing multiple priorities, being self-motivated, having a can-do approach, and the desire to think creatively and get things done effectively and efficiently
• Proven track record of designing standardized legal templates and playbooks to accelerate the contract review process