Corporate Counsel (Franchise Law) - Madison, NJ

Job Summary:

We are currently looking for a Corporate Counsel to work within the Franchise Brands Legal Department of Compass International Holdings, including the following franchised brands: Better Homes and Garden® Real Estate, CENTURY 21®, Coldwell Banker® and Coldwell Banker Commercial®, Corcoran ®, Christie’s International Real Estate, ERA ®, Sotheby’s International Realty® and @properties®. This position is based in one of our Corporate Headquarters locations in either Madison, NJ or in Manhattan, or in a regional HUB.

The Corporate Counsel is responsible for reviewing, drafting, negotiating, and providing advice to our brands on franchise sales and renewals, addenda to existing agreements, ongoing rights and obligations under agreements, new product development, marketing programs, franchisee disputes and compliance matters, and advising senior management on strategic matters.

This role will work closely with the shared service departments that support the franchised brands, such as Franchise Sales, Franchise Enablement, Finance, Human Resources, Compliance and Cross-Brand Marketing.

The role will interface and coordinate with corporate legal functions such as Litigation, IT, Intellectual Property, and Employment Law.

This role can be based in one of these Hubs: Madison, NJ, NYC, Beverly Hills or San Francisco.

Key Responsibilities:

• Drafting and negotiating franchise agreements and related documents to help the business attain growth and retention goals
• Reviewing marketing materials for legal compliance
• Applying in-depth knowledge of federal and state franchise laws and regulations in providing guidance to business clients on ways to achieve goals while managing risk
• Partnering with business clients on key strategic initiatives
• Proactively identifying and communicating potential issues early on
• Thought leadership on team-wide continuous process improvement opportunities
• Overseeing substantive work of more junior lawyers and para professionals
• Steadfast focus on reinforcing the best interests of Compass International Holdings and its franchisor subsidiaries

Minimum Qualifications:

• JD Degree from an accredited law school
• Minimum of 7 years legal practice experience
• Franchise law experience required
• Some in-house legal experience preferred
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to work independently and interact well with all staff and all levels of management
• Attention to detail and strong organizational skills
• Understanding of franchise laws and regulations
• Consultative approach to supporting business objectives while mitigating risk
• High degree of integrity, respect and dedication to the company’s values
• Positive, “can do” demeanor

We are proud to offer a comprehensive benefits package to our employees including:

• Medical, Dental, Vision, Short-term and Long-term disability benefits, AD&D
• 401(k) savings plan with company match
• Paid Time Off to Include Holidays, Vacation Time, and Sick Time
• Paid Family & Paternity Leave
• Life Insurance
• Business Travel Accident Insurance
• All employees receive access to LinkedIn Learning
• Employee Referral Program
• Adoption Assistance Program
• Employee Assistance Program
• Health and Wellness Program and Incentives
• Employee Discounts
• Employee Resource Groups