Lead Counsel

Job ID 10154649 Location Burbank, California, United States Business The Walt Disney Company (Corporate) Date posted Jun. 29, 2026

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Job Summary:

The Lead Counsel, Real Estate will serve as a senior attorney within The Walt Disney Company’s Corporate Real Estate function, providing sophisticated legal advice and transactional support across the Company’s global portfolio of owned and leased real estate, with a primary area of focus in North America. In this role, you will partner closely with Corporate Real Estate, Finance, and business stakeholders to enable innovative, world-class workplaces and ensure that real estate assets are acquired, developed, leased, operated, and optimized in alignment with Disney’s long-term strategic objectives and global footprint.

What You Will Do:

In this role, you will provide expert legal advice and services on issues concerning the rights, obligations, and privileges of the Company in connection with its global real estate portfolio, with a primary area of focus in North America. You will act as a strategic and collaborative legal partner to Corporate Real Estate and other business stakeholders, leading complex transactions, managing risk, and helping translate business needs into practical, commercially effective real estate solutions. You will represent the Company in negotiations with counterparties and governmental agencies, resolve complex legal and business issues, and provide clear guidance to support decision-making in a fast-paced, matrixed environment.

Provide legal support on a broad range of corporate real estate matters, including leasing, acquisitions, dispositions, development, construction, and ongoing operations and maintenance of real estate assets.
Draft, review, and negotiate complex real estate agreements, including office, industrial, retail, hotel, and specialty leases; purchase and sale agreements; development and management agreements; easements; licenses; infrastructure agreements; and related documentation.
Lead and manage all aspects of commercial real estate transactions, including due diligence, title and survey review, risk assessment, and closings, often involving complex, high-value, and multi-jurisdictional deals.
Advise on land use, zoning, entitlements, and regulatory compliance matters, and recommend practical, business-oriented solutions to mitigate legal and operational risks.
Serve as a trusted legal advisor to Corporate Real Estate and portfolio management teams, aligning legal strategy with leasing, consolidations, exits, and portfolio optimization initiatives.
Represent the Company in negotiations with landlords, tenants, counterparties, and governmental or regulatory bodies.
Partner cross-functionally with stakeholders across Legal, Finance, Operations, and other business units to resolve issues and ensure compliance.
Evaluate legal data and documentation to assess strategies related to disputes or proceedings involving real estate assets.
Engage and manage outside counsel, including oversight of scope, quality of work, and legal budgets.
Maintain organized legal records and documentation to support internal reporting, audits, and compliance processes.
Monitor legal and industry developments and communicate implications to stakeholders.
Provide clear, practical guidance by translating complex legal concepts into actionable business insights.

Required Qualifications & Skills:

Significant senior-level experience in commercial real estate law, with at least 10+ years experience in the field.
Expertise drafting and negotiating complex real estate agreements.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with sound legal judgment.
Excellent communication and negotiation skills.
Proven ability to manage multiple complex matters in a fast-paced environment.
Collaborative and strategic mindset with high integrity.
Experience working independently and within a matrixed organization.
Experience managing outside counsel and legal budgets.

Preferred Qualifications:

Experience with land use, zoning, entitlements, and regulatory matters.
Experience supporting global real estate portfolios or multinational organizations.
Familiarity with construction, facilities, and real estate operations.
Advanced degree or coursework in real estate, finance, or business.

Education:

JD or equivalent
Admission to California State Bar in good standing or willingness and qualification to be Registered In-House Counsel

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The hiring range for this position in Burbank, CA is $212,000 to $274,200 per year. The base pay actually offered will take into account internal equity and also may vary depending on the candidate’s geographic region, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience among other factors. A bonus and/or long-term incentive units may be provided as part of the compensation package, in addition to the full range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits, dependent on the level and position offered.

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About The Walt Disney Company (Corporate):

At Disney Corporate you can see how the businesses behind the Company’s powerful brands come together to create the most innovative, far-reaching and admired entertainment company in the world. As a member of a corporate team, you’ll work with world-class leaders driving the strategies that keep The Walt Disney Company at the leading edge of entertainment. See and be seen by other innovative thinkers as you enable the greatest storytellers in the world to create memories for millions of families around the globe.

About The Walt Disney Company:

The Walt Disney Company, together with its subsidiaries and affiliates, is a leading diversified international family entertainment and media enterprise that includes three core business segments: Disney Entertainment, ESPN, and Disney Experiences. From humble beginnings as a cartoon studio in the 1920s to its preeminent name in the entertainment industry today, Disney proudly continues its legacy of creating world-class stories and experiences for every member of the family. Disney’s stories, characters and experiences reach consumers and guests from every corner of the globe. With operations in more than 40 countries, our employees and cast members work together to create entertainment experiences that are both universally and locally cherished.

This position is with Disney Worldwide Services, Inc., which is part of a business we call The Walt Disney Company (Corporate).

Disney Worldwide Services, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, military or veteran status, medical condition, genetic information or disability, or any other basis prohibited by federal, state or local law. Disney champions a business environment where ideas and decisions from all people help us grow, innovate, create the best stories and be relevant in a constantly evolving world.

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Explore this Location Burbank, CA

Billed as the "Media Capital of the World," Burbank boasts more than 1,000 media and entertainment companies, including the main headquarters for The Walt Disney Company.