Assistant General Counsel Real Estate and Acquisitions

The Legal Department of Applied Industrial Technologies (NYSE: AIT), an industrial distributor with a market cap exceeding $5 billion, seeks an experienced transactional attorney who thrives in a high-volume, fast-paced, high-performing, and collaborative environment to join its team.  The position is located at Applied’s corporate headquarters at 3301 Euclid Avenue in the Midtown area (just east of downtown) of Cleveland, Ohio.  The Assistant General Counsel will report to Applied’s Vice President-General Counsel & Secretary.

Responsibilities will include (i) leading the company’s Legal Department efforts in mergers & acquisitions, (ii) drafting and negotiating all real estate leases, (iii) working closely with the company’s Treasury and finance teams in supporting various financing arrangements, and (iv) working with the other members of the Legal Department and management team to support and contribute to other projects as needed.

Essential Duties and Job Functions

The person in this position will, among other things:

• • Providing full life-cycle legal support for the company’s acquisitions and other strategic transactions in all stages, including drafting and negotiating NDAs, term sheets, letters of intent, and definitive transaction documentation, and supporting closing transactions and post-closing integration.
  • Leading cross-department due diligence teams and incorporating due diligence results into presentation materials and transaction documents.
  • Supporting the M&A team on presentations to the executive team and board of directors.
  • Work closely together with our internal M&A team, as well as with external advisors and experts.
  • Working closely with our Administrative Services team in drafting and negotiating real estate leases and related documentation.
  • Draft and negotiate various financing agreements, including parent guarantees, letters of credit, and KYC documents.
  • Support other lawyers in the Legal Department on commercial negotiations and other matters as needed.

Requirements

• • Willingness and ability to work with and coordinate activities among individuals and teams across the company.
  • Appropriately triage a heavy workflow, setting appropriate priorities with clients and delivering results efficiently.
  • Ability to think creatively, devise solutions to challenging problems, and effectively drive issues to closure.
  • Exercise mature and reliable judgment while enjoying Applied’s enthusiastic, informal, and fast-paced environment.
  • Ability to work independently and as a team member.
  • Experience with public company securities and governance matters a benefit.
     

Education and Experience

• • Juris Doctorate from a nationally recognized law school.
  • Admitted to practice (preferably in Ohio).
  • At least 6 years in a law firm and/or in-house advising on, drafting, and negotiating M&A, real estate and other corporate projects, including handling multiple simultaneous transactions or projects.
  • Experience managing junior lawyers preferred.
  • Experience preferred with
    • International transactions
    • Various financing arrangements
    • Public company governance matters
• Enjoys working in a fast-paced, fluid, and collegial corporate culture.
  • Ability to manage and serve a wide range of business clients by recognizing and responding quickly and pragmatically to urgent situations and demanding clients.
  • Exceptional and demonstrated written and oral communication skills.
  • Strength in training business clients on legal topics.

Applied Industrial Technologies (NYSE: AIT)  is a leading value-added distributor and technical solutions provider of industrial motion, fluid power, flow control, automation technologies, and related maintenance supplies. Our leading brands, specialized services, and comprehensive knowledge serve MRO and OEM end users in virtually all industrial markets through our multi-channel capabilities that provide choice, convenience, and expertise.

We are an equal employment opportunity employer.  All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, protected veteran status, marital status, medical condition or any other characteristic protected by law.

If you need accommodation for any part of the employment process because of a disability, please send an email to hiring@applied.com or call 216-426-4389 to let us know the nature of your request.