Lead Counsel
Disney•1d ago
United StatesOnsite$212K–$274.2KFull-timeSenior Level10+ yrs exp
Top focus
Legal Counsel
Job Posting Title: Lead Counsel Req ID: 10154649 Job Description: The Lead Counsel, Real Estate will serve as a senior attorney within The Walt Disney Company’s Corporate Real Estate function, providing sophisticated legal advice and transactional support across the Company’s global portfolio of owned and leased real estate, with a primary area of focus in North America.
In this role, you will partner closely with Corporate Real Estate, Finance, and business stakeholders to enable innovative, world-class workplaces and ensure that real estate assets are acquired, developed, leased, operated, and optimized in alignment with Disney’s long-term strategic objectives and global footprint
What You Will Do
- In this role, you will provide expert legal advice and services on issues concerning the rights, obligations
- privileges of the Company in connection with its global real estate portfolio, with a primary area of focus in North America.
- You will act as a strategic and collaborative legal partner to Corporate Real Estate and other business stakeholders, leading complex transactions, managing risk
- helping translate business needs into practical, commercially effective real estate solutions.
- You will represent the Company in negotiations with counterparties and governmental agencies, resolve complex legal and business issues
- provide clear guidance to support decision-making in a fast-paced, matrixed environment.
- Provide legal support on a broad range of corporate real estate matters, including leasing, acquisitions, dispositions, development, construction, and ongoing operations and maintenance of real estate assets.
- Draft, review, and negotiate complex real estate agreements, including office, industrial, retail, hotel, and specialty leases
- purchase and sale agreements
- development and management agreements
- infrastructure agreements
- and related documentation.
- Lead and manage all aspects of commercial real estate transactions, including due diligence, title and survey review, risk assessment, and closings, often involving complex, high-value, and multi-jurisdictional deals.
- Advise on land use, zoning, entitlements, and regulatory compliance matters, and recommend practical, business-oriented solutions to mitigate legal and operational risks.
- Serve as a trusted legal advisor to Corporate Real Estate and portfolio management teams, aligning legal strategy with leasing, consolidations, exits, and portfolio optimization initiatives.
- Represent the Company in negotiations with landlords, tenants, counterparties, and governmental or regulatory bodies.
- Partner cross-functionally with stakeholders across Legal, Finance, Operations, and other business units to resolve issues and ensure compliance.
- Evaluate legal data and documentation to assess strategies related to disputes or proceedings involving real estate assets.
- Engage and manage outside counsel, including oversight of scope, quality of work, and legal budgets.
- Maintain organized legal records and documentation to support internal reporting, audits, and compliance processes.
- Monitor legal and industry developments and communicate implications to stakeholders.
- Provide clear, practical guidance by translating complex legal concepts into actionable business insights.
- Required Qualifications & Skills: Significant senior-level experience in commercial real estate law, with at least 10+ years experience in the field.
- Expertise drafting and negotiating complex real estate agreements.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with sound legal judgment.
- Excellent communication and negotiation skills.
- Proven ability to manage multiple complex matters in a fast-paced environment.
- Collaborative and strategic mindset with high integrity.
- Experience working independently and within a matrixed organization.
- Experience managing outside counsel and legal budgets
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience with land use, zoning, entitlements, and regulatory matters.
- Experience supporting global real estate portfolios or multinational organizations.
- Familiarity with construction, facilities, and real estate operations.
- Advanced degree or coursework in real estate, finance, or business.
- Education: JD or equivalent Admission to California State Bar in good standing or willingness and qualification to be Registered In-House Counsel #twdcmedia #corp_media The hiring range for this position in Burbank, CA is $212,000 to $274,200 per year.
- The base pay actually offered will take into account internal equity and also may vary depending on the candidate’s geographic region, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience among other factors.
- A bonus and/or long-term incentive units may be provided as part of the compensation package, in addition to the full range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits, dependent on the level and position offered.
- Job Posting Segment: DX Legal Job Posting Primary Business: Legal DX Disneyland and Real Estate Primary Job Posting Category: Attorney Employment Type: Full time Primary City, State, Region, Postal Code: Burbank, CA, USA Alternate City, State, Region, Postal Code: Date Posted: 2026-06-29
Required skills
commercial real estate lawreal estate agreementsland usezoningentitlementsregulatory compliancenegotiationrisk assessmentlegal judgmentanalytical skillsproblem-solvinglegal documentationportfolio managementconstructionfacilities operations