NAELA's CareerCenter

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Marriott International, Inc.  is the world's largest hotel company based in Bethesda, Maryland, with more than 7,200 properties and 30 brands in 134 countries and territories.  Marriott operates and franchises hotels and licenses branded residential properties. Marriott’s Law Department services the Company's lodging and hospitality business and provides legal advice and counsel to Marriott’s internal clients. The Caribbean & Latin America (CALA) Group of Marriott International provides legal services to support operations, global asset, and the development of all Marriott-branded lodging products for owned, managed, and franchised hotels in CALA.   

This position will focus on providing legal services in all phases of Marriott’s owned, managed, or franchised projects throughout CALA, with an emphasis on the real estate development aspects of such transactions.  This position will require an ability to lead a broad array of topics, including real estate development, debt and equity financing and guarantees, joint ventures, residential licensing, mergers and acquisitions, risk-management, and risk management.  This position will require an independent, experienced, and creative attorney with the ability to manage, structure, negotiate, and execute multiple complex transactions; draft hotel management, lease, and related agreements; draft franchise agreements; supervise outside counsel; understand and resolve local law issues; work effectively with owners, developers and lenders; coordinate tax, insurance, intellectual property, and construction issues within Marriott.

This position is located at CALA Offices, Plantation, FL and will report directly to the Group Leader-- Senior Vice President and Regional General Counsel, CALA.

Specific Job Summary and Expected Contributions

The attorney selected for this position will provide transactional legal services including: 

• Providing advice on proposed transactions with respect to confidentiality agreements, structuring the transaction, letters of intent, and trade area restrictions;
• Leading negotiations and drafting of purchase and sale agreements, ground leases, license agreements and development agreements, handling legal due diligence, coordinating with other members of the development and asset management teams, monitoring compliance with local zoning requirements, drafting and negotiating closing documents, overseeing closings, and following up on post-closing matters;
• Drafting and negotiating complex franchise, management and related agreements and coordinating various conversion matters on the takeover of existing properties;
• Drafting and negotiating complex ownership structuring agreements, including joint venture, condominium, and finance documentation;
• Drafting and negotiating documents involved with multi-unit refinancings, sale/leaseback, and sale/manage back transactions;
• Providing advice on miscellaneous real estate matters affecting lodging development (e.g., condemnations, easements, restrictions, and land use);
• Implementing regional and law department strategic objectives and processes;
• Analyzing governing documents for mixed use developments to ensure that prospective branded hotel and residential components are adequately protected;
• Negotiating non-disturbance agreements with senior lenders and recognition agreements with mezzanine lenders; and
• Advising clients on the preparation of the necessary submittals required to obtain internal committee approval of hotel and residential transactions.

Successful candidates should possess the experience, knowledge, and skills as follows:

• Excellent academic record with a law degree from a top law school; Active Bar membership to any state;
• Minimum of 10 years legal experience, preferably transactional experience;
• Fluent Spanish language capability, including both verbal and written Spanish language;
• Understanding of the lodging business;
• Proven contract drafting and negotiating skills;
• Ability to expeditiously identify and analyze issues and provide legally sound recommendations consistent with good business practices and reason;
• Ability to work under stressful conditions with owners, lenders, and partners of properties in financial distress; and
• Strong interpersonal skills, and ability to interact effectively and work diplomatically with individuals at all levels.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills;
• Excellent conflict management skills, and ability to influence without coercion;
• Ability to identify opportunities for improvement and to facilitate the implementation of creative solutions;
• Ability to work independently, take ownership of and effectively resolve problems; and
• Ability to expeditiously identify and assess issues and provide legally sound recommendations consistent with good business practices and reason.