About the role
Key Responsibilities
1. Retail, Commercial Leasing & Documentation
- Draft, review, and negotiate lease deeds, agreements to lease, leave & license agreements, renewals, amendments, and termination agreements for office and retail assets.
- Structure and vet retail mall documentation, including occupier agreements, fit-out agreements, CAM agreements, and signage rights.
- Ensure documentation is legally robust, commercially aligned, and lessor-favourable, with clear allocation of risks and obligations.
2. Contract Management
- Handle a wide range of commercial contracts, including:
- Service provider agreements
- Facility management agreements
- Power supply / utilities agreements
- Marketing and branding arrangements
- Develop and standardise templates, clauses, and playbooks to improve efficiency and consistency.
3. Negotiation & Deal Support
- Actively participate in commercial negotiations with tenants, retailers, and counterparties.
- Provide pragmatic legal solutions balancing risk and business requirements.
- Support business teams in deal structuring and closure timelines.
4. Risk Mitigation & Compliance
- Identify and mitigate legal risks in leasing and commercial arrangements.
- Ensure compliance with applicable laws, including:
- Transfer of Property Act
- Stamp laws and registration requirements
- RERA (where applicable)
- Local municipal and development regulations
- Review and advise on insurance, indemnity, liability, and exit provisions.
5. Dispute Management Support
- Assist in handling tenant disputes, defaults, and enforcement actions, including termination and repossession.
- Coordinate with external counsel where required.
- Draft notices for breach, termination, and recovery.
6. Cross-functional Collaboration
- Work closely with leasing, asset management, finance, projects, and facility teams.
- Provide timely legal inputs on business proposals and operational issues.
Key Skills & Competencies
- Strong expertise in commercial leasing (office and retail).
- Excellent drafting and negotiation skills with attention to detail.
- Ability to provide solution-oriented, business-friendly legal advice.
- High level of ownership, responsiveness, and stakeholder management.
- Strong understanding of real estate laws and regulatory framework in India.
Qualifications & Experience
- LL.B. / LL.M. from a recognized university.
- 10+ years of experience in real estate / commercial contracts, preferably with a real estate developer, law firm, or corporate legal team.
- Demonstrated experience in handling large-scale office and retail leasing transactions.
Preferred Experience
- Exposure to mall leasing / retail portfolio management.
- Experience in standardisation of legal documents and processes.
- Familiarity with multi-city leasing operations.