Manager - TDD & Documentation

: Manager, Title Due Diligence

Company: Arvind SmartSpaces Ltd (Real Estate, Lalbhai Group)
Function: Legal
Location: Ahmedabad
Reports to: AGM, Title Due Diligence / Head Legal
Experience: 8-12 years

Role Purpose

To manage title due diligence for land and project acquisitions, ensuring that each parcel has a clean, marketable and developable title. The role provides practical risk assessments and mitigation plans to Business Development, Projects, Liaison and Finance, and supports the closure of acquisition transactions.

Key Responsibilities

1. Title Due Diligence

• Conduct and manage legal due diligence on land parcels and project acquisitions, covering the chain of title, revenue and property records (7/12, 8A, property cards, mutation entries), encumbrances, ownership, and possession.
• Review land use, zoning, NA/conversion status, land ceiling, tenancy, agricultural land and farmer-status issues, and other statutory restrictions, as applicable to each state.
• Review litigation search outcomes and assess their impact on title and deal viability, in coordination with the litigation team.
• Prepare due diligence reports with risk ratings, mitigation steps, and conditions precedent, and present findings to senior management.
• Escalate critical title risks and give recommendations on proceeding, price adjustment or deal conditions.

2. Transaction Support & Documentation

• Draft, review and negotiate title-related provisions in MoUs, agreements to sell, sale deeds, JDAs and conveyance deeds, including covenants, indemnities, warranties and conditions precedent.
• Support deal structuring for land acquisitions, joint development, joint ventures and redevelopment from a title perspective.
• Manage closing checklists, stamp duty, registration and post-closing title perfection, including mutation and record updates.

3. External Counsel & Vendor Management

• Coordinate with external law firms, title search agencies and local counsel, and review their reports and opinions.
• Ensure quality, consistency and timely delivery of external work, and track fees against budgets.

4. Compliance, Process & Reporting

• Ensure compliance with RERA, the Transfer of Property Act, the Registration Act, stamp laws, and state land and revenue laws.
• Support lender, investor and audit requirements relating to title.
• Maintain the title status tracker, MIS and document repository for the land bank.
• Contribute to due diligence checklists, templates, SOPs and the title risk matrix.

5. Stakeholder Management

• Partner with Business Development, Liaison, Projects and Finance to provide timely and practical legal inputs.
• Build working relationships with revenue and registration authorities and local counsel.
• Mentor junior team members, where applicable.

Candidate Profile

Qualifications

• LL.B. (mandatory); LL.M. preferred.
• Enrolled advocate or an in-house/law firm real estate background is an advantage.

Experience

• 8-12 years of relevant experience in real estate legal work, with a developer, a law firm, or a bank/NBFC legal team.
• Hands-on experience in title due diligence and land acquisition, with Gujarat exposure strongly preferred and exposure to other markets such as Maharashtra or Karnataka an advantage.
• Exposure to JDA/JV, redevelopment and land aggregation transactions is desirable.

Skills & Competencies

• Strong knowledge of property law, land revenue laws, RERA, and stamp and registration laws.
• Good drafting, reviewing and negotiation skills.
• Ability to identify risks and give practical, business-oriented advice.
• Attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple deals under tight timelines.
• Good communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Proficiency in MS Office and document management tools.

Success Measures (Indicative)

• Quality and turnaround time of due diligence reports.
• Clean closure of acquisitions with minimal post-closing title issues.
• Effective coordination and cost control of external counsel.
• Accuracy and timeliness of trackers and MIS.