This position will help protect the company’s interests during the entire life cycle of its relationship with its franchisees. This position is responsible for providing legal advice in the areas of franchised hotel retention; real estate and other forms of secured collateral; senior and mezzanine lending, workouts, and restructuring; contracts compliance; and general business counseling operations.  This person will counsel the contracts compliance team with respect to events giving rise to default or termination; advise the franchise retention team during the negotiation of franchise agreements and draft deal-specific provisions; counsel the company on the legal risks associated with various forms of deal financing and collateral; negotiate settlement or restructuring agreements relating to distressed properties; and advise management on recent changes in laws and regulations that affect the company. The position will support the franchised relicensing and operations teams through regular interactions with other legal and cross-functional teams (finance, tax, risk management, HR) and outside counsel.

• Advises contracts compliance team regarding events giving rise to default, termination and other compliance action under franchise agreements
• Counsels the franchise relicensing teams and drafts and negotiates deal-specific provisions in franchise agreements 
• Advises relicensing team with respect to temporary operating and assumption agreements with receivers, lenders and other short-term operators
• Advises settlements team and reviews and drafts termination, reinstatement or restructuring agreements  
• Negotiates and drafts comfort letters with senior/mezzanine/bridge lenders in connection with franchisee financing
   

•    Excellent writing and oral communication skills and attention to detail 
•    Ability to think independently and make sound decisions without long contemplation or research  
•    Strong analytical and drafting skills, with experience drafting transaction documents required
•    Ability to promptly and effectively respond to questions and concerns from senior management, clients, and customers and explain complex transactional issues in plain English
•    Ability to define problems, collect relevant information, establish facts, draw valid conclusions and exercise sound discretion and judgment in making decisions and performing duties
•    Self-starter; ability to multi-task and manage competing priorities 
•    Demonstrated ability to influence individuals outside direct reporting relationships