Legal Manager - Title & Documentation - Real Estate

Key Responsibilities:

Title & Due Diligence:

• Lead end-to-end title due diligence for real estate investments - investigating and verifying ownership history, chain of title, statutory approvals, and encumbrances (liens, mortgages, or other claims) to certify clean, marketable title.
• Coordinate with external title search counsel, revenue records, and government registries to validate title reports ahead of investment approval.
• Flag title risks or defects to the investment team and recommend mitigation - indemnities, title insurance, or curative action - before deal closure.

Documentation & Structuring:

• Draft, review, advise on, and negotiate a wide range of legal documents, including investment agreements, shareholder/JV/JDA agreements, term sheets, escrow arrangements, and fund documentation.
• Vet and review documents, contracts, and opinions prepared by external partner law firms to ensure accuracy, commercial alignment, and risk mitigation before execution.
• Manage internal stakeholders and external legal counsel, ensuring assignments are clearly scoped, tracked to completion, and delivered within agreed timelines and budgets.
• Advise on tax-efficient investment structuring, including applicable tax laws (capital gains, stamp duty, GST, withholding tax) relevant to real estate and fund transactions.
• Structure and manage escrow arrangements for transaction proceeds, ensuring compliance with escrow agreements and applicable regulatory requirements.
• Ensure SPV-level investment compliance - corporate governance, RoC filings, and adherence to each SPV's constitutional documents - across portfolio investment vehicles.
• Draft and vet documentation related to fund operations, including investor subscription agreements, side letters, and compliance-related filings, in coordination with the compliance team.
• Track and ensure compliance with SEBI AIF regulations, RERA, and other applicable real estate and financial regulations across the fund's transactions.
• Advise the business on risk, structuring options, and contractual obligations across live transactions and existing portfolio assets, from a legal standpoint.
• Manage documentation and legal processes for exits, refinancing, and restructuring transactions as required.
• Maintain an organised repository of executed agreements, title reports, legal opinions, and transaction documentation for easy retrieval and audit readiness.
• Proactively highlight legal and regulatory risks and recommend business-aligned solutions.

Eligibility Criteria:

• LLB from a reputed institute. LLM or additional qualifications are preferred.
• 8 - 10 years of relevant experience, with preferably 5 years in real estate legal combining title due diligence and transaction documentation, including exposure to real estate, or financial services with focus on Real Estate.
• Demonstrated hands-on experience conducting or closely supervising real estate title investigations - verifying ownership history, chain of title, and encumbrances, and certifying clean title.
• Demonstrated experience drafting and negotiating transaction documents in-house, not solely relying on external counsel for first drafts.
• Strong ability to vet and review work prepared and furnished by external law firms and title search agencies, with a lens of commercial judgement.
• Proven track record of coordinating and managing external law firms to ensure timely, high-quality delivery of legal work.
• Working knowledge of tax laws relevant to investment structuring (capital gains, stamp duty, GST, withholding tax).
• Sound understanding of escrow mechanisms and SPV-level investment compliance requirements.
• Sound working knowledge of applicable real estate laws, RERA, SEBI AIF regulations, and standard fund/transaction documentation.
• Sharp, analytical, and business-focussed approach, with the ability to balance legal risk against commercial priorities.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to communicate effectively with internal and external stakeholders.
• Ability to work independently in a lean and fast-paced environment with an ownership mindset.