**Company Overview** Bridgestone Americas, Inc. (BSAM), headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee, and Bridgestone Europe, Middle East and Africa (BSEMEA), headquartered in Brussels, Belgium, operate collectively as a “Bridgestone West” strategic region. This region services the strategic business needs of teams across the Americas, Europe, Middle East and Africa. BSAM and BSEMEA are subsidiaries of Bridgestone Corporation, globally headquartered in Japan. Bridgestone and its subsidiaries develop, manufacture and market a wide range of Bridgestone, Firestone and associate brand products and solutions to address the needs of a broad range of customers and industries. **Job Category** Legal, Compliance & Audit **Position Summary** The Bridgestone Americas (BSAM) Law Department is seeking a lawyer for the open role of Counsel, Real Estate and Retail for its West Retail, Non-Tire, and Real Estate Law Group. The role will primarily support Bridgestone Retail Operations’ (BSRO) real estate and general corporate matters and BSAM’s enterprise real estate needs. This position will have responsibilities for real estate issues related to BSRO’s approximately 2,200 tire and auto repair retail stores as well as real estate matters for other BSAM business units. These responsibilities will include the following: greenfield projects involving retail, manufacturing, warehousing and distribution facilities; lease negotiations and existing portfolio support; new store development; real estate litigation; mergers and acquisitions; condemnation proceedings; and construction contracts. This position will also provide day-to-day legal support across a range of general corporate matters for BSRO and non-tire clients, including contract negotiation, regulatory compliance, and operational risk management. This role requires close collaboration with business clients to deliver practical legal guidance that supports its strategic and operational goals. This position will report to the Division General Counsel, BSRO and Real Estate and work closely with the Senior Paralegal, Real Estate. **Responsibilities** + Negotiating and drafting complex real estate documents for new store development without oversight. + Drafting and negotiating purchase and sale contracts, acquisition agreements, ground leases, retail leases, industrial leases, build-to-suit leases, office leases, and construction contracts. + Handling legal matters related to the existing real estate portfolio (e.g. amendments, easements, licenses, etc.). + Reviewing title and survey, drafting closing documents, and coordinating real estate closings. + Provide counsel on general corporate, commercial, and operational matters affecting client operations. + Draft and negotiate a wide range of commercial agreements, including vendor, service, and supply contracts. + Identify legal risks and develop strategies to mitigate them, ensuring compliance with federal, state, and local laws and regulations affecting BSRO’s operations. + Support the development of policies, procedures, and training to promote compliance and operational excellence. + Work closely with outside counsel where necessary, managing scope, strategy, and costs. **Minimum Qualifications** + Juris Doctor degree from an accredited law school. + Minimum of 3-5 years of law firm or in-house counsel experience, with a primary focus on commercial real estate matters. + Demonstrated experience negotiating and drafting real estate and commercial agreements. + Demonstrated ability to analyze complex legal issues, measure legal risk, and communicate guidance to management. + The ability to supervise and manage outside counsel. + Demonstrated experience, comfort and confidence to interact and relate well within an in-house law department and build trusting relationships with BSRO’s senior leadership. + Demonstrated ethics and integrity, with clear understanding and adherence to ethical principles, company values, code of conduct, and policies. + A growth mindset that will allow the incumbent to grow and learn in this role, taking on new and challenging work. We encourage growth mindset candidates with relevant experience to apply even if you do not have experience with all the described job responsibilities. **Nice to Have:** + Experience with drafting amendments/statements of work/purchase and sale agreements. **At Bridgestone, you are Free to Be** We believe people can only provide superior service and quality to others when they bring their whole self to work. We believe in championing all perspectives, individuals and teams because we understand the importance of seeing the world and our business through many different lenses. We are building a team as diverse as the world we serve. So, show us what you are made of, because who you are is what we need. **What we offer** At Bridgestone, what really matters is to foster co-creation opportunities and empowering you to be creative and curious to make mobility safer, more efficient, and more sustainable for future generations. Whatever role you fill, when you represent Bridgestone, you are a valued teammate, and part of our larger mission to “Serve Society with Superior Quality”, for that, we offer you more than just a competitive compensation; we will provide you: + A supportive and engaging onboarding experience to ensure a smooth transition into our team. + The opportunity to develop and grow, through training and regular mentorship. + Corporate Social Responsibility activities. + A truly global, dynamic and challenging work environment. + Agility and work/life effectiveness and your long-term well-being. + A diverse and inclusive team. _Bridgestone is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. It is our policy to consider for employment all individuals regardless of age, color, national origin, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, race, religion, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law._ **Employment Eligibility** If hired, a Form I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification must be completed at the start of employment. Temporary work authorization or the need for sponsorship may disqualify you from employment.