Department: Legal
Reports To: General Counsel
Location: Berwyn, IL - in person role
Status: Full-Time, Exempt
About Realty of America
Realty of America, LLC (ROA) is a fast-growing national real estate brokerage headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, with operations spanning multiple U.S. states and an office in Colombia, South America. ROA is committed to empowering agents and Designated Brokers with the tools, support, and leadership needed to thrive in every market we serve. We are an equal opportunity employer.
Position Summary
Realty of America, LLC (ROA) is seeking an experienced Corporate Attorney with a strong foundation in contract law, regulatory compliance, and legal risk mitigation to serve as a key member of its in-house legal function. This role is the company’s frontline defense against legal exposure — responsible for drafting and negotiating contracts, building and maintaining the company’s compliance framework, and providing proactive counsel that protects ROA’s business interests across all operations. The ideal candidate is detail-oriented, business-minded, and able to translate complex legal risk into clear, actionable guidance for leadership and operational teams.
Key Responsibilities
Contract Drafting, Review & Negotiation
- Draft, review, and negotiate a wide range of contracts including independent contractor agreements, agent agreements, vendor contracts, commission structures, technology and SaaS agreements, partnership agreements, and service contracts.
- Identify contractual risks and recommend modifications that protect ROA’s interests while supporting business objectives.
- Maintain a standardized contract template library and ensure all agreements are current, consistent, and legally sound.
- Manage the full contract lifecycle from initial draft through execution, renewal, and termination.
- Advise business leaders on contract obligations, rights, and dispute resolution options.
- Review and provide legal guidance on equity-related agreements, offer letters, and compensation arrangements.
Compliance Program & Regulatory Oversight
- Build, implement, and maintain ROA’s internal compliance program across all U.S. state markets and international operations.
- Monitor federal, state, and local regulatory changes affecting real estate brokerage operations and ensure timely policy updates.
- Ensure compliance with multi-state real estate licensing laws, Designated Broker obligations, and applicable industry regulations.
- Develop, maintain, and enforce company-wide compliance policies, procedures, and internal controls.
- Conduct regular compliance audits and assessments and report findings and remediation plans to leadership.
- Serve as the primary escalation point for compliance matters referred by the Director of Brokerage Operations and Designated Brokers.
- Oversee compliance with applicable employment laws, including wage and hour, independent contractor classification, and leave requirements across jurisdictions.
- Ensure compliance with data privacy regulations and advise on technology-related legal obligations.
Legal Risk Identification & Mitigation
- Proactively identify legal and regulatory risks across all areas of the business and develop strategies to mitigate exposure before issues arise.
- Conduct legal risk assessments in connection with new business initiatives, market expansions, product launches, and operational changes.
- Advise leadership on risk tolerance and the legal implications of key business decisions.
- Develop and maintain a legal risk register to track exposure areas, mitigation actions, and resolution status.
- Partner with HR, Finance, and Operations to ensure business practices are legally defensible and aligned with applicable law.
- Provide guidance on agent-related disputes, brokerage liability, and errors and omissions risk management.
Litigation Support & Dispute Resolution
- Manage pre-litigation matters including demand letters, cease and desist correspondence, and agency complaints.
- Coordinate with outside counsel on active litigation and provide internal support as needed.
- Support dispute resolution efforts and evaluate settlement options in the best interest of the company.
- Maintain a matter log and provide regular updates to leadership on pending and potential legal proceedings.
Internal Legal Counsel & Cross-Functional Partnership
- Serve as a trusted legal advisor to the CEO, CFO, President of Operations, HR, and other department leaders.
- Provide clear, practical legal guidance that enables the business to move forward confidently and within appropriate legal boundaries.
- Deliver legal training to internal teams on compliance obligations, contract management, and risk awareness.
- Manage relationships with outside counsel across relevant practice areas and ensure cost-effective use of external legal resources.
- Support international legal matters including ROA’s operations in Colombia, South America, in coordination with local counsel as needed.
Qualifications
- Juris Doctor (J.D.) from an accredited law school.
- Active bar admission in Illinois; multi-state admission a plus.
- 5+ years of legal experience with significant focus on contract law, compliance, and risk management.
- Demonstrated experience drafting and negotiating a high volume of contracts across multiple business areas.
- Proven ability to build or manage a compliance program in a regulated industry.
- Strong analytical and risk assessment skills with the ability to identify issues early and develop practical solutions.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills — able to translate legal complexity into plain language.
- Highly organized with the ability to manage multiple matters and priorities simultaneously.
- Business-oriented mindset that balances legal protection with operational pragmatism.
Preferred Qualifications
- Prior in-house legal experience in real estate, brokerage, proptech, or financial services.
- Familiarity with multi-state real estate brokerage licensing, Designated Broker obligations, and agent-based compensation structures.
- Experience with independent contractor compliance and classification risk management.
- Knowledge of data privacy laws including CCPA, GDPR applicability, and state-level privacy regulations.
- Exposure to international operations and cross-border legal considerations (U.S. and Colombia).
- Experience with errors and omissions insurance, brokerage liability, and real estate transaction risk.
- Spanish language proficiency is a plus given ROA’s operations in Colombia/Puerto Rico