Deputy General Counsel

Position Description :

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The Community Builders, Inc. (TCB) is a nationally recognized nonprofit developer, owner, and manager of affordable and mixed-income housing and commercial properties.

Founded in 1964, TCB has developed over 29,000 housing units as well as office and retail properties and currently owns and manages over 11,000 units of housing.

TCB is currently active in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, and the District of Columbia.

TCB’s mission is to build and sustain strong communities where people of all incomes can fulfill their full potential.

TCB’s Legal Department, which is situated in our Boston office, manages all aspects of TCB’s corporate and transactional legal work, and currently consists of 4 attorneys, a senior paralegal, a paralegal / administrative assistant and, from time to time, student interns or clerks.

We act as transactional counsel with respect to complex development and preservation transactions, engage and oversee outside counsel on projects where we are not lead counsel, form and maintain more than 500 affiliated entities, provide or manage all corporate legal services, and provide counsel on legislative and policy matters.

The Deputy General Counsel will be a senior member of the Legal Department and will assist the General Counsel with all aspects of the department’s work, including project legal work, training, supervision of other legal staff and outside counsel, and corporate legal services.

Specific responsibilities of the Deputy General Counsel are expected to include, without limitation, some or all of the following :

Essential Functions :

Transactional Practice. The Deputy General Counsel will join an in-house transactional practice that includes all aspects of real estate and housing development, including tax and financial structuring, title and real estate conveyancing, zoning analysis and relief, review of environmental matters, organization of ownership entities including nonprofit and for-profit corporations, LLCs and limited partnerships, and negotiating and closing complex financings involving multiple private and public funding sources.

The Deputy General Counsel will be responsible for numerous transactional matters and will represent TCB and its affiliates in the acquisition, development, construction, financing, operation, compliance and disposition of affordable and mixed income residential and commercial properties.

Funding Program Counsel. The Legal Department provides counsel in connection with various grant and funding programs that TCB and its affiliates participate in, currently including the Neighborhood Stabilization Program, the Capital Magnet Fund, Choice Neighborhoods Implementation Grant, the New Markets Tax Credit Program, and various foundation and other grants and program-related investments.

The Deputy General Counsel may be asked to provide and / or oversee legal services related to these programs, including due diligence, documentation and closing of loan transactions on behalf of lender, and development and maintenance of internal controls and counsel with respect to program requirements.

Compliance and Management. The Legal Department provides counsel in all aspects of regulatory and legal compliance and legal aspects of the operation and management of affordable and mixed-income housing communities and the provision of services to residents.

The Deputy General Counsel may be assigned to assist in the provision of advice and counsel regarding such matters and the development and implementation of corporate and compliance policies, forms, systems and tools to ensure the effective management of legal and other operating risks.

Corporate Representation, Claims, Litigation. We provide legal representation to TCB and its affiliates on diverse other matters, including various aspects of employment discrimination law, fair housing and other occupancy related matters, and general contracts.

The office is also responsible for tracking and managing third-party claims, which primarily consists of and engaging and supervising outside counsel in connection with litigation, defaults, compliance matters, employment matters, fair housing and other occupancy related matters.

• Legal Entity Formation and Maintenance. We regularly provide advice regarding TCB’s corporate structure, its capital and lending relationships, its 501(c)(3) status, and the formation and maintenance of approximately 500 subsidiaries and affiliates (including business and nonprofit corporations, partnerships and LLCs) in various states to accomplish the organization’s objectives.
• Legislative and Policy Matters. The Deputy General Counsel may be asked to participate in legislative and policy matters in connection with business development activities.
• Department Administration. The Deputy General Counsel may be asked to provide assistance to the General Counsel in arranging appropriate training, developing form documents, and managing the department’s budget, billing, collections and vendors.

Education & Experience :

• Excellent academic record;
• 10-15 years’ experience as a practicing corporate and / or transactional attorney, with demonstrated ability to manage complex engagements in a team environment;
• Substantial experience with most or all of the following affordable housing and community development finance, LIHTC, NMTC and other tax credits, real estate law, zoning and permitting, construction contracts, nonprofit organizations, fair housing, and general corporate and employment;
• Admission to state bar;
• Experience working in a complex organization, and creating and implementing policies and procedures for organizational development; and
• Demonstrated commitment to affordable housing and community development or related mission-oriented work.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities :

Ability to analyze and solve complex legal problems;

Excellent writing and communication skills

• Effective legal and business judgment in challenging situations;
• Demonstrated ability to be effective in a complex organization;

Collaborative and respectful management style; and

Innovative and creative thinker and problem solver.

The Community Builders, Inc. is committed to ensuring diversity in its workplace, and candidates from diverse backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply.

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