Position Type: Full time
State: VA
City: Arlington
Zip Code: 22203

Overview

AvalonBay Communities, Inc., an equity REIT, has a long-term track record of developing, redeveloping, acquiring and managing distinctive apartment homes in some of the best U.S. markets, and delivering outsized, risk-adjusted returns to shareholders. With equal parts experience and vision, we’ve established a leadership position rooted in our purpose of creating a better way to live and that is always focused on building value for the long term.

Creating a better way to live is the purpose that binds AvalonBay associates. We take that purpose seriously and expect you will as well. By focusing on collaboration, innovation, and taking ownership of our choices and actions, we act in ways that focus on creating value for our customers, investors and associates. Your positive, professional, and consistent personal interactions make AvalonBay a great place to work.

The Role

The Legal Operations Specialist will play a critical role in supporting the Legal team’s efforts to ensure compliance, responsiveness, and operational excellence across the organization. This position will serve as a key liaison between the Legal department and Operations, with a focus on managing resident-related legal matters, facilitating internal legal inquiries, and coordinating resident accommodation and modification requests. This role requires regular in-office presence to support the Legal team and cross-functional collaboration.

Essential Job Functions:

1. Operations Legal Request Triage and Management

• Review incoming legal requests of a residential services nature via the ServiceNow platform and determine the appropriate response pathway, including assigning a category, setting a legal priority level, and designating a relevant attorney for review, as well as identifying improper requests and redirecting as needed

• Respond directly to routine policy questions and standard legal inquiries within established guidelines

• Investigate resident complaints and escalate complex matters requiring legal analysis to appropriate attorneys with clear summaries, factual timelines, and recommendations; if necessary, identify and request missing information prior to escalation

• Maintain accurate tracking of all requests, deadlines, response times, and resolution status

2. Direct Response and Support

• Draft standard correspondence, notices, and letters using approved templates and precedents

• Provide guidance to operations staff on routine compliance matters, fair housing requirements, and company policies

• Conduct the initial review of lease break requests based upon legal exceptions (e.g., military, domestic violence, moving into assisted living) and provide recommendations

• Conduct the initial review of resident accommodation and modification requests and provide recommendations and/or decisions with guidance from attorneys

• Under guidance from attorneys, research and interpret applicable housing laws, regulations, and company procedures to support Operations teams

• Coordinate with Operations teams to gather necessary information for legal responses

• Review and analyze online reviews that reference legal issues, identifying potential risks, escalating as appropriate, and documenting findings

3. Process Improvement and Documentation

• Identify patterns in requests to recommend process improvements and additional training needs

• Support development of training materials for Operations teams on legal compliance topics

• Develop and maintain response templates, FAQs, and guidance documents

4. Paralegal Support

• Assist with document organization, filing, and record-keeping for legal matters

• Support special projects as assigned by the Legal team

• Maintain an in-office presence to support document handling, resident interactions, and direct collaboration with Legal and Operations teams

Minimum Qualifications:

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree preferred

• Deep familiarity with multi-family real estate operations preferred

• Paralegal certification or legal studies coursework a plus

Experience:

• 3+ years of experience in residential property management, housing compliance, legal, or related field

• Strong working knowledge of fair housing laws, landlord-tenant regulations, and ADA requirements

• Demonstrated experience exercising independent judgment when handling customer service issues and/or responding to policy violations, ensuring appropriate action is taken in accordance with organizational guidelines.

How AvalonBay Supports You

Additional Info

AvalonBay is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and is committed to an inclusive and diverse work environment free of discrimination and harassment.  We believe that in order to achieve our purpose of creating a better way to live, we must recruit, develop and retain associates with a wide range of backgrounds, experiences and perspectives and create an environment that encourages all voices to be heard, understood and appreciated. With this we know we can do great things.

AvalonBay makes employment decisions without regard to a person’s race, ethnicity, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy (including childbirth, lactation or related medical conditions), age, physical or mental disability, genetic information (including characteristics or testing), citizenship status, military or veteran status, or any other status protected by the law.

For California residents, if you elect to apply to AvalonBay you accept the AvalonBay California Personnel Privacy Notice (https://www.avaloncommunities.com/california-personnel-privacy-notice/)

Job ID JR105942