VIce President - Associate General Counsel - Real Estate & Construction

Our Story

J.Crew gets you dressed every day, for every occasion. 

Since 1983, we’ve been creating classics that feel familiar and refreshingly new, crafted with unbeatable quality and distinctive point of view—it’s no wonder we’ve been in your closet for four decades and counting.

Today, we continue to do the classics our way, inspiring not only how you shop but how you define your personal style. Our commitment runs deeper than just making great clothes—we’re proud of our role in getting you dressed with confidence, character, and celebrating a distinctly American sensibility that makes us who we are. 

Our dedication to Diversity, Equity, Belonging & Sustainability has been celebrated with industry recognition, reflecting our commitment to fostering an inclusive and sustainable workplace.

We are seeking an exceptional Vice President & Associate General Counsel to lead our Real Estate and Construction Legal function. This senior leadership role will provide strategic legal counsel, executive advisory services, and team leadership across our global real estate portfolio, including retail locations, corporate offices, distribution centers, and construction projects. The ideal candidate will serve as a key advisor to executive leadership and the Board on all real estate matters.

Duties & Responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership & Executive Advisory

• Serve as primary legal advisor to executive leadership and the Real Estate Committee on all domestic and international real estate strategy, transactions, and real estate risk management
• Develop and execute comprehensive legal strategies for the company's real estate portfolio expansion, optimization, and crisis management
• Provide strategic counsel on mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures as they relate to real estate assets
• Lead the legal real estate function through transformational business initiatives and market challenges
• Partner with C-suite executives on corporate governance matters related to real estate and construction activities
• Present to and advise the Board of Directors on significant real estate transactions and risk exposures

Team Management & Development

• Build, lead, and mentor a high-performing real estate legal team, including attorneys, paralegals, and support staff
• Manage team workload, professional development, and performance evaluations
• Establish team goals, KPIs, and operational excellence standards
• Foster a collaborative culture that balances legal rigor with business partnership
• Coordinate with and direct outside counsel across multiple jurisdictions

Real Estate Portfolio Management

• Oversee all legal aspects of the company's real estate portfolio, including retail stores, corporate offices, and distribution facilities
• Lead drafting, negotiation, and execution of complex retail lease agreements, amendments, and ancillary documents (including storage agreements, signage agreements, SNDAs, and commencement agreements)
• Establish and continuously update company-wide real estate leasing standards, playbooks, and best practices for U.S. and international portfolios
• Negotiate sophisticated lease structures for flagship locations, headquarters, fulfillment centers, and strategic properties
• Provide expert counsel on lease management issues including landlord defaults, rent disputes, lease enforcement, terminations, and portfolio restructuring

Construction & Vendor Management

• Provide legal oversight for all construction contracts, including build-outs, tenant improvements, and ground-up development projects
• Draft and negotiate construction agreements, architect and engineering contracts, and vendor agreements
• Advise on construction disputes, delay claims, mechanic's liens, and completion issues
• Ensure compliance with building codes, ADA requirements, and environmental regulations in all construction projects
• Manage legal aspects of construction risk management and insurance requirements

Litigation & Risk Management

• Direct all real estate-related litigation, including landlord-tenant disputes, construction defect claims, ADA accessibility complaints, and lease enforcement matters
• Develop litigation strategy and manage outside counsel on complex disputes
• Implement risk mitigation strategies to minimize exposure and protect company interests
• Respond to governmental inquiries and consumer affairs matters related to retail locations
• Contribute to enterprise-wide compliance initiatives as a member of the JCG compliance Committee

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner with Real Estate, Store Construction, Store Operations, Finance, and Accounting teams to ensure seamless execution of transactions and company-wide understanding of legal provisions
• Collaborate with Finance on accounting implementation of real estate portfolio
• Build and maintain strategic relationships with landlord legal counterparts, particularly for large portfolio landlords
• Support other Legal team members on cross-functional commercial contracts, projects, and departmental initiatives

Process Improvement & Innovation

• Identify opportunities to streamline processes, improve efficiencies, and leverage technology in real estate legal operations
• Implement contract management systems and legal tech solutions to enhance team productivity
• Develop training programs for business partners on real estate legal concepts and risk areas
• Create standardized templates, checklists, and playbooks to expedite transactions

Essential Qualifications:

• Juris Doctor from an accredited law school
• 8+ years of progressive commercial real estate legal experience, with at least 5 years in a leadership role managing teams and significant portfolios
• Substantial experience with both law firm and in-house legal departments, demonstrating expertise in retail leasing, construction law, and corporate real estate transactions
• Proven track record managing large-scale real estate portfolios (500+ locations preferred) across multiple jurisdictions
• Deep knowledge of retail store lease practices, construction contracts, and current market trends
• Demonstrated success advising executive leadership and boards on strategic real estate initiatives
• Experience managing complex litigation matters and directing outside counsel
• Strong business acumen with ability to translate legal concepts into actionable business guidance for non-attorney stakeholders
• Exceptional leadership, communication, negotiation, and project management skills
• Proven ability to manage multiple high-priority matters simultaneously in a fast-paced environment
• Experience with crisis management and navigating challenging business conditions (e.g., retail restructuring, pandemic response)
• Admitted and in good standing to practice law 
• Willingness to travel occasionally for site visits, negotiations, and team meetings

We welcome you to apply, even if you don't check all the boxes. Our passion is scouting life-long learners who are driven by curiosity, and who feel connected to our brands and share our desire to make an impact. We’re always seeking bright new talent who leverage their unique experiences to discover, grow and evolve with our teams.

Benefits + Perks

• Health & Well-being - Eligible associates and family members receive medical, dental, prescription and vision insurance, family planning (fertility, adoption & surrogacy support), fitness discounts, medical travel and more.

• Associate Discount - We love our products just as much as you do! That’s why we offer a great associate discount across all of our brands (J.Crew, J.Crew Factory, and Madewell).

• Summer Fridays - In addition to our hybrid work model, we also close our office at 1:00 PM every Friday during the Summer months.

• Community Impact - We support the communities where we live and work through our philanthropic efforts and the J.Crew Cares Program.

• Winter Break - In addition to our PTO package, J.Crew Group offers a winter break at the end of December to eligible full-time associates at the Home Office to provide time to refresh and recharge.

Note: Availability of these benefits and perks may be subject to work location & employment type and may have certain eligibility requirements.

At J.Crew Group (JCG) we aim to pay competitively for our company’s size and industry. The base salary offered will take into account internal equity and may vary depending on the candidate’s geographic region of work premises, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience among other factors.  The base salary is just one component of J.Crew Group’s competitive total rewards strategy that also includes the opportunity for bonus, competitive benefits and perks.

One of our core focuses here at JCG is creating a community and culture that builds belonging. We are deeply committed to our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion efforts, and we warmly welcome job applicants of all backgrounds.

JCG is proud to affirmatively provide equal opportunity to all associates and qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, national origin or citizenship, age, sex, marital status, ancestry, legally protected physical or mental disability, veteran status, gender identity, sexual orientation or any other basis protected under applicable law.