Corporate Counsel

Corporate Counsel

Work Location: 601 First Street NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49504

Position Classification: Full-Time Regular

About This Opportunity

Rockford is seeking a detail-oriented and highly organized Corporate Counsel to support the Rockford legal team and team adjacent. In this role, you will be responsible for handling real estate, construction and corporate matters which includes the construction company, development company, and brokerage and property management firm. As a Corporate Counsel, you will also oversee outside counsel on insurance claims, dispute resolution and other specialized business matters as they arise. This position reports directly to the Chief Counsel. The ideal candidate is proactive, communicative, and comfortable working in a fast-paced, construction-focused environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Foster an environment of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• Review and identify risks in construction contracts and provide alternate solutions.
• Draft, review, modify, and negotiate construction and design-build agreements and ancillary documents (including subordination agreements, indemnification agreements, assignments, and amendments).
• Draft, review, modify, and negotiate subcontracts, including Master Trade Contractor Agreements.
• Draft, review, and update, as needed, templates and lists of standard edits.
• Support project teams in resolving pre-litigation issues faced during project execution (including drafting and reviewing notices of default and settlement agreements).
• Must be able to negotiate and draft commercial leases with owners and developers.
• Draft and negotiate third party agreements for both real estate and construction related transactions.
• Must be able to perform every step of a commercial real estate transaction, whether it is a sale, purchase, lease, or other arrangement, including site acquisition due diligence (e.g. title, Phase 1 and Phase 2 environment report, zoning and flood reports and other entitlement matters).
• Summarize and present key terms to senior leadership and project teams.
• Work with various departments within the organization, assist with all necessary legal documentation.
• Provide legal planning and strategic analysis to maximize the inter-relationships between all departments.
• Serve as liaison with outside counsel in formal dispute resolution.
• Draft, review, and update corporate documents, including resolutions and policies.
• Review software agreements, service agreements, and NDAs.
• Spearhead the company’s efforts to leverage legal technology, including using AI for contract reviews and negotiations.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Requirements

Competency Requirements:

• Juris Doctorate degree from ABA accredited law school.
• Experienced in performing every step of a commercial real estate transaction, including the sale, purchase, lease or and development, which further includes due diligence and financing documentation.
• Experienced in drafting construction contracts with owners and developers and subcontracts with trade contractors.
• Knowledge of the construction lien process.
• Experienced in drafting corporate documents for real estate and construction related entities.
• Strong negotiation skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively with team members at all levels within the Legal department, including paralegals and administrators, and the overall One Rockford organization.
• Ability to supervise outside legal counsel.
• Must possess the ability to organize, prioritize, and manage multiple demanding tasks with overlapping deadlines.
• Must have strong working knowledge of MS office, including skills in Excel, Word and Outlook.
• Must possess superior oral and written communication and interpersonal skills.

Preferred Skills and Experience:

• Licensed Michigan attorney (or in the process of being licensed).
• Preferred Real Estate or Construction Lawyer having five or more years of experience.
• Helpful to have some experience with insurance, bonds, corporate transactions and/or dispute resolution.

Benefits

At Rockford, we believe that investing in our people is essential to our success. We offer a competitive compensation package along with a 401(k) plan featuring a company match to help you plan for the future. Our team members have access to comprehensive healthcare coverage, generous paid time off, and flexible work schedules that support work-life balance. We encourage continued growth through tuition reimbursement and professional development opportunities, and we promote well-being through on-site health and wellness programs. Rockford also provides industry-leading technology to empower our teams and offers meaningful ways to give back through volunteer time off and partnerships with local organizations. Joining Rockford means more than just a job. It’s an opportunity to shape your career while helping to build stronger communities.

Who We Are

For nearly 40 years, Rockford has been a trusted partner to thousands of clients across the U.S. With construction management, real estate development and property management services all under one roof, we view space from every angle. We think like owners, build with precision and operate to achieve long-term value—always committed to craftsmanship, quality and service.

Our talented team brings expertise and innovation to commercial, educational, industrial, health + well-being, hospitality, multi-unit and retail markets. From complex, large-scale construction, to smaller renovations, we tailor our services and approach to meet the unique needs of our clients and the communities they serve.

Recognized by Engineering News-Record as one of the Top 200 Contractors in the nation and consistently honored as one of the 101 Best and Brightest Companies to Work For, Rockford delivers more than buildings. We deliver results that last. We’re deeply invested in our people, our communities and the continued success of every project we touch—driven by a clear purpose: to Build a Better World.

Work Environment

The work environment for this position is a typical office environment with occasional construction site visits. When in the office, the physical demands require the ability to sit for long periods of time. Intermittent movement, such as accessing centrally located office equipment, lifting of 35 lbs, bending, stooping, kneeling, and climbing, may be necessary to perform the requirements of this position. Site visits may subject the individual to hazards commonly associated with construction.

Rockford is an equal opportunity employer that supports and subscribes to a policy of nondiscrimination in all aspects of employment. Rockford will not discriminate based on religion, race, color, national origin, age, sex (including pregnancy and related conditions, gender identity, and sexual orientation), height, weight, marital status, military service, partisan consideration, disability, genetic information, or any other reason prohibited by applicable federal and state laws.