Director, Real Estate (Legal)

Recently named one of Entrepreneur magazine’s Top 100 Cannabis Leaders, Cresco Labs is one of the largest vertically-integrated multi-state cannabis operators in the United States. Cresco is built to become the most important company in the cannabis industry by combining the most strategic geographic footprint with one of the leading distribution platforms in North America. Employing a consumer-packaged goods (“CPG”) approach to cannabis, Cresco’s house of brands is designed to meet the needs of all consumer segments and includes some of the most recognized and trusted national brands including Cresco, Remedi and Mindy’s, a line of edibles created by James Beard Award-winning chef Mindy Segal. Sunnyside*, Cresco’s national dispensary brand is a wellness-focused retailer designed to build trust, education and convenience for both existing and new cannabis consumers. Recognizing that the cannabis industry is poised to become one of the leading job creators in the country, Cresco has launched the industry’s first national comprehensive Social Equity and Educational Development (SEED) initiative designed to ensure that all members of society have the skills, knowledge and opportunity to work in and own businesses in the cannabis industry. 

At Cresco, we aim to lead the nation’s cannabis industry with a focus on regulatory compliance, product consistency, and customer satisfaction. Our operations bring legitimacy to the cannabis industry by acting with the highest level of integrity, strictly adhering to regulations, and promoting the clinical efficacy of cannabis. As Cresco grows, we will operate with the same level of professionalism and precision in each new market we move in to.

JOB SUMMARY

Cresco Labs is seeking an experienced real estate attorney to join our growing team of talented attorneys at our Chicago headquarters or remotely as Director, Real Estate (Legal).  This position will be embedded within the Real Estate function and will primarily report to the Senior Vice President, Real Estate with a dotted-line reporting relationship to the Legal Head of Commercial Operations.  The ideal candidate will have experience in both real estate and land use / zoning, motivated to leverage technology to create scalable processes, be highly motivated, possess strong interpersonal and organization skills, have excellent written and verbal communication skills and be able to adapt to an extremely fast-paced and shifting corporate environment.

CORE JOB DUTIES 

• Legal advice, negotiation, drafting, and conflict resolution relating to all aspects of Cresco Labs’ national real estate portfolio including leases, sale-leaseback transactions, and any disputes which may arise
• Closely coordinate and partner with the Real Estate team to manage and oversee brokers and other real estate professionals to find appropriate properties for new market expansion
• In conjunction with outside counsel as needed, provide legal risk management for all zoning and land use issues across markets including qualifying properties, confirming zoning requirements, and working with local zoning departments to obtain required documentation
• Leverage contract automation tools (Ironclad) and document analysis tools (CoParse) to build and maintain a self-service set of tools for the Real Estate team while maintaining embedded legal knowledge and risk management
• Draft and project manage LOI / lease / purchase agreements for new market expansion
• Drafting, reviewing and filing certain legal and regulatory documents
• Supporting the Cannabis Licensure team in the application process for entering new markets, including drafting and editing certain application deliverables
• Overseeing compliance with all applicable state, county and municipal laws, ordinances and regulations

REQUIRED EXPERIENCE, EDUCATION AND SKILLS  

• JD from an ABA accredited school required (must be a member in good standing of a State bar)
• Minimum 3 – 5 years of real estate experience in a law firm or in-house legal department (minimum 2 years in-house experience preferred)
• Familiarity or experience with Lease Pilot and Ironclad preferred
• Must be highly experienced using MS Office, MS Word and Adobe Suite
• Unassailable integrity and ethics
• Detail-oriented and ability to adapt to changing demands and priorities

BENEFITS

Cresco Labs is proud to offer eligible employees a robust offering of benefits including, major medical, dental and vision insurance, a 401(K)-match program, FSA/HSA programs, LTD/STD options, life insurance and AD&D.  We also offer eligible employees paid holidays and paid time off.  Other rewards may include annual discretionary bonuses, stock options as well as participation in our employee discount program. Benefits eligibility for permanent positions may vary by full-time or part-time roles, location, or position.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

• Must be 21 years of age or older to apply
• Must comply with all legal or company regulations for working in the industry 

Cresco Labs is an Equal Opportunity Employer and all applicants will be considered without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran, or disability status.