Legal Associate

The Organization

Cuyahoga Land Bank is a non-profit organization dedicated to revitalizing neighborhoods, reducing property blight, and promoting economic growth in Cuyahoga County. It acquires and repurposes distressed properties to restore vitality, enhance property values, and support community development goals.

Operating under the guidelines established by Ohio’s SB 353, the Land Bank works toward improving the quality of life for residents through neighborhood transformation and workforce development. Its mission aligns with fostering opportunities to create stronger and more vibrant communities.

The Opportunity

The Legal & Environmental Development Associate expands the Land Bank’s internal legal capacity while embedding legal judgment in complex real estate, redevelopment, and environmental remediation projects. Reporting to the in-house Corporate Counsel, this role provides hands-on exposure to real estate transactions, public funding compliance, and brownfield remediation strategy without the billable hour model of private practice. The position offers the opportunity to work closely with senior leadership and develop practical legal and project experience in redevelopment and environmental work.

The ideal candidate is a law school graduate or early-career attorney motivated by public interest work, energized by complex problem-solving, and eager to apply legal analysis within redevelopment and environmental projects that directly impact neighborhoods.

The Position - Essential Responsibilities and Functions

• Provide first-line legal support for real estate, redevelopment, and environmental projects under the direction of Corporate Counsel.
• Draft and review routine contracts and legal documents, including professional services agreements, NDAs, amendments, and grant-related documents.
• Support real estate transactions through title review coordination, diligence tracking, issue spotting, and risk analysis.
• Assist with Board resolutions, internal approvals, and governance documentation tied to property disposition and funding.
• Conduct legal and regulatory research related to land bank operations, procurement, environmental remediation, and public funding compliance.
• Coordinate with outside counsel on discrete matters, including scoping, document preparation, and information flow.
• Manage Environmental and Remediation Workstreams
• Identify and pursue federal, state, and philanthropic funding sources for environmental assessment and remediation projects.
• Support the structuring of remediation initiatives by defining scope, sequencing, budget assumptions, and risk parameters.
• Lead procurement processes for environmental consultants and remediation service providers, including RFP development and compliance review.
• Serve as internal project lead for assigned remediation engagements, managing consultants and monitoring regulatory and funding compliance.
• Integrate environmental considerations into broader redevelopment and disposition strategies to reduce risk and accelerate reuse.

This role is embedded in real transactions and redevelopment decisions. It is focused on risk, structure, and compliance, not construction supervision or administrative coordination.

Impact of the Role

The Environmental Legal Associate plays a key role in advancing redevelopment and environmental remediation projects that directly impact neighborhoods across Cuyahoga County. By helping structure redevelopment transactions, manage environmental risk, and coordinate remediation efforts, this role contributes to returning distressed properties to productive community use.

Qualifications

Required:

• Juris Doctor (JD) from an accredited law school (Admission to the Ohio Bar or intent to sit for the Ohio Bar within 12 months of hire)
• Exposure to environmental law or environmental due diligence work, such as Phase I or Phase II environmental site assessments, compliance matters, or contaminated property issues
• Experience with professional services agreements, consultant contracts, NDA’s, amendments, and grant documentation
• Excellent legal analysis, risk identification, and regulatory research
• Ability to exercise sound judgment, identify legal risk, and appropriately escalate issues

Preferred:

• Environmental Remediation / Brownfield Experience (brownfield redevelopment, contaminated site remediation, environmental cleanup programs)
• Real Estate / Redevelopment Exposure
• Grant / Public Funding Compliance
• Experience in government, nonprofit, or mission-driven organizations
• Experience managing cross-functional projects involving regulatory or funding complexity
• Demonstrated ability to learn and apply technical subject matter beyond traditional legal practice
• Interest in or exposure to land use or infrastructure development
• Employment Law exposure would be ideal

Why Join the Land Bank

• A collaborative, warm, mission-focused organizational culture
• Meaningful work that directly improves neighborhoods and residents’ lives
• Competitive compensation and outstanding benefits package
• The opportunity to influence the future of community development across Cuyahoga County

Compensation

$80,000 - $110,000 annually, depending on experience

The Cuyahoga Land Bank and People Architects are Equal Opportunity Employers. People Architects is conducting the search for this position on behalf of Cuyahoga Land Bank and will review all applications and resumes submitted. We are committed to a diverse and inclusive workplace. People Architects and our clients are equal opportunity employers and do not discriminate on the basis of race, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, protected veteran status, disability, age, or other legally protected status. Applicants for employment with any of People Architect’s clients will never be asked to provide money (even if reimbursable) as part of the job application or hiring process.