General Counsel
Job Description
About Martin
For more than 65 years, Martin has been a third-generation, family-owned organization with expertise in commercial construction and real estate. Our business spans development, construction, investment, property operations, and related ventures across multiple markets.
Position Overview
Martin is seeking an experienced General Counsel to serve as the company’s senior legal advisor and strategic partner to ownership and executive leadership.
This role will oversee and advise on legal matters across Martin’s national real estate and construction activities, including land acquisition, development, leasing, financing, joint ventures, construction, property management, corporate matters, contracts, risk management, and litigation oversight.
The ideal candidate is a sophisticated, business-minded attorney who understands commercial real estate and can provide practical legal guidance while helping the company execute its growth strategy.
Key Responsibilities
- Serve as the primary legal advisor to ownership and executive leadership.
- Lead and advise on commercial real estate acquisitions, dispositions, development, and related transactions.
- Structure and negotiate joint ventures, partnerships, operating agreements, and other investment arrangements.
- Advise on acquisition, construction, permanent, and other real estate financing transactions.
- Draft and negotiate purchase agreements, development agreements, leases, easements, contracts, and other commercial agreements.
- Provide legal guidance throughout the development and construction process, including contractor agreements, claims, liens, insurance, warranties, and disputes.
- Support commercial leasing and property management activities.
- Oversee legal due diligence, including title, survey, zoning, environmental, entitlement, and land-use matters.
- Advise on corporate governance, entity structure, contracts, compliance, risk management, and general business matters.
- Oversee litigation, claims, and disputes in coordination with outside counsel.
- Manage relationships with outside law firms and ensure legal resources are used effectively.
- Develop legal processes, templates, and best practices to support the company’s continued growth.
- Identify legal and business risks and provide practical recommendations that support informed decision-making.
Qualifications
Required:
- Juris Doctor (J.D.) from an ABA-accredited law school.
- Active Florida Bar membership in good standing.
- 10+ years of legal experience, with significant commercial real estate experience.
- Strong transactional experience involving real estate acquisitions, development, leasing, financing, and/or construction.
- Experience negotiating sophisticated commercial and real estate agreements.
- Experience with joint ventures, partnerships, or complex ownership structures.
- Strong understanding of real estate due diligence, title, survey, zoning, land use, and development matters.
- Excellent negotiation, drafting, communication, and analytical skills.
- Ability to work directly with ownership and senior executives.
- Strong business judgment and ability to balance legal risk with business objectives.
Preferred:
- In-house experience with a real estate developer, owner/operator, construction company, investment firm, REIT, or similar organization.
- Prior General Counsel, Deputy General Counsel, Associate General Counsel, Senior Counsel, or equivalent leadership experience.
- Sophisticated law firm experience in commercial real estate.
- Experience managing outside counsel and legal budgets.
- Multi-state real estate transactional experience.
- Experience with vertically integrated real estate or construction organizations.
Ideal Candidate
The ideal candidate is a highly experienced, commercially minded real estate attorney who can serve as both legal counsel and a strategic business partner to Martin’s ownership and executive leadership.