Corporate Staff Attorney

Working for Equity Residential (EQR), a leading publicly-traded, S&P 500 multi-family real estate investment trust (REIT), means being part of a community and striving to provide the best in apartment living, speaking boldly about new ideas for innovation, and inspiring creativity in the ways we work together. Our portfolio of high-quality properties in urban growth markets provides homes where people most want to live, work and play. We've got the best people in the business, and our experience shows in our dedication to our residents and in how much we value each other as colleagues. That’s why our employees say they are proud to work at Equity, a company that gives our residents a place where they can Live Remarkably, and offers a culture where our employees have the opportunity to make their mark.

As the Corporate Staff Attorney, you will report to EQR’s EVP, General Counsel and will be primarily responsible for ensuring compliance with SEC & NYSE regulations and other securities laws. You’ll also provide transactional legal support to executive management as well as the Board of Trustees and its committees. This position will manage and supervise a small team, in addition to coordinating outside counsel and related resources, leading internal projects (such as research projects on corporate governance), and preparing board materials. Each day will be unique, requiring an ability to think strategically, take initiative, and employ a diverse set of skills.

• Knowledgeable and Resourceful. Your background includes a mixture of securities law, corporate governance, public issuance transactions, mergers & acquisitions, and general corporate law.  And when you cross paths with a situation that’s new to you, you are comfortable figuring out where to go to find the answer.
• Strong Communicator. Your writing and speaking skills are concise, articulate, and effective, providing an ability to interact with all levels/various teams across the organization, be understood, and develop trust and rapport within the organization.
• Effective Leader and Trusted Team Player. You are known for serving as a resource and trusted business partner, building constructive working relationships that foster the collaboration necessary to deliver great results. You hold yourself accountable and take responsibility for your mistakes—but also expect others to do the same. As such, you also have a tendency to make developing your employees a core part of the job.
• Organized, Adaptable, and Confident. You embrace change and don’t mind jumping from one topic to the next. You are flexible, composed, and able to prioritize multiple tasks and deadlines simultaneously, while confidently interacting with a variety of individuals, across all levels of the organization. You don’t get stressed easily when there is more to do than time allows—you like the challenge!  In other words, you handle pressure well and do so with confidence.
• Maintain confidentiality.  The ability to work with confidential information, while using discretion, is crucial to this position.

• Manage and oversee company compliance with various aspects of SEC & NYSE rules and regulations, including the annual Proxy Statement, Section 16 reporting, Registration Statements, 8-K filings, Share Plans and various other disclosures and filings.
• Lead internal legal effort on company public issuances of equity and/or debt.
• Partner with executive management in the preparation for Board of Trustees meetings and Annual Meeting of Shareholders, including agenda setting, research and preparation of various materials.
• Assist with mergers and acquisitions and other corporate transactions.
• Serve as the main point of contact for shareholders and partnership unitholders as it relates to documentation & informational requests.
• Assist in legal support for various human resources/compensation plans, such as executive compensation documentation.
• Manage and oversee subsidiary management of corporate entities.
• Lead other general corporate transaction matters, such as contracts and secondary real estate activities, including (but not limited to): vendor contracts, easements, licenses, leases, etc.; review and revise applicable documents, while partnering accordingly with appropriate stakeholders across the organization.
• Handle restructures of properties and/or entities for the Legal and Tax Departments.
• Coach, mentor, motivate, and supervise a team of paralegals, legal assistants, and administrative assistants and influence, engage, and motivate them to complete assigned work in a timely manner, while continuing to build team bench strength; perform other duties normally associated with a managerial position, such as conducting salary reviews of direct reports.

• J.D. required and must be licensed to practice in Illinois. 
• 4-7 years experience at a law firm servicing public company clients or as part of an in-house public company legal department is required. 
• Must have a strong understanding of securities law concepts and corporate governance issues faced by public companies, as well as general corporate law experience.
• Experience with public issuance transactions and mergers & acquisitions is strongly desired, and familiarity with REITs is a plus.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with complex legal concepts and articulate solutions to all levels of management.
• Strong analytical skills and good business acumen, as well as excellent writing and communication skills are required.
• Must have strong work ethic, the capability to effectively prioritize and manage a large and varied work flow, and thrives in a fast-paced, ever-changing environment.
• Proficient with Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel, as well as Google Apps for Business.