Legal Intern

Working for Equity Residential (EQR), an industry leading multi-family REIT headquartered in downtown Chicago, means being part of a community and striving to provide the best in apartment living, speaking boldly about new ideas for innovation, and inspiring creativity in the ways we work together. Our portfolio of high-quality properties in growth markets – New York City, Boston, Washington DC, Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Denver, to name a few – provides homes where people most want to live. We've got the best people in the business, and our experience shows in our dedication to residents and in how much we value each other as colleagues. That's why our employees say they are proud to work at Equity, a company that knows how to Live Remarkably.

The selected intern will work with the legal group for the length of the program and will have the opportunity to collaborate with various interns in other business areas (Property Operations, Marketing, HR and Communications).

The purpose of Equity's Corporate Internship Program is to attract emerging diverse talent and promote learning about Equity and the multi family housing industry. Participants will have the opportunity to accelerate their professional growth and diversify their work experience by engaging with different business partners throughout the program.

WHO YOU ARE

• Organized, Flexible, and Adaptable. You have a keen eye for detail and pride yourself on delivering quality work. You multitask well, re-prioritize accordingly, and meet deadlines consistently. You keep your cool during stressful situations, remain resilient, and quickly find solutions in order to meet the changing needs and priorities of the business.
• A Collaborator and Trusted Team Player. You enjoy partnering with others —whether internal or external— and build constructive working relationships that foster cooperation in order to get work done and deliver great results. You are united with teammates and follow through on commitments.
• A Strong Communicator. Your writing and speaking skills are clear, articulate, and effective, demonstrating your ability to interact with all levels and helping you connect well with others.
• Creative. You like thinking outside the box to come up with smart solutions to new challenges, and you embrace the opportunity to live in the gray.
• A Solution-Oriented Team Player. You are united with teammates and follow through on commitments.
• Passionate. Motivated. Eager to Learn. You ask smart questions, challenge the status quo, and regularly seek to understand. You invest extra energy to reach your goals.

OVERVIEW OF THE INTERNSHIP PROGRAM

• A first-hand experience of day-to-day life at a REIT and resources to learn the programs/tools and processes used in the industry.
• Perform research and prepare reports on assigned topics and/or projects.
• May create or update systems or databases for specific department needs.
• Present project results to department personnel or management.
• Work collaboratively across EQR departments and functions to establish and update a strategic plan that maximizes value and enhances returns for every asset within the portfolio.
• Represent Equity Residential in a professional manner at all times. Consistently maintains a professional courteous attitude when dealing with residents, coworkers and the general public.

WHAT YOU'LL DO

• Work primarily on Labor, Employment and Fair Housing matters and assist on small claims and subpoenas.
• Shadow the paralegal and attorney on meetings with clients, outside counsel, inside counsel and administrative agencies.
• Conduct interviews of legal department staff to learn about the various areas of legal practice.
• Participate in witness interviews and court preparation.
• Create chronologies for ongoing cases.
• Assist in gathering documents in response to document subpoenas and discovery requests.
• Draft and organize various correspondence and documents.
• Research potential legal issues in various matters.
• Additional involvement in other types of legal issues, including but not limited to operational and risk management issues and class action and general liability litigation.
• Network and engage with key stakeholders across the organization to establish and accomplish key deliverables.

REQUIREMENTS

• Interest in pursuing a career in a legal related field and pursuing a Bachelor's degree.
• Ability to effectively and objectively communicate and work with internal and external customers, as well as strong organizational skills and a keen eye for detail.
• Must be comfortable working autonomously and multi-tasking in a fast paced environment with changing deadlines.
• Excellent writing, research, and problem solving skills are strongly preferred.
• Familiarity and previous experience with Microsoft Excel and Google Applications (Gmail, Calendar, Docs, Sheets) preferred.
• Unrestricted authorization to work in the United States (currently, we are not offering this program under OPT or CPT or sponsoring work visas for these roles).

LOCATION & PAY

This is a hybrid internship with four days per week of required on-site participation (Monday to Thursday) at our downtown Chicago office. Equity Residential's corporate summer intern program is a full-time, 10 week paid internship.

Hourly Pay Rate: $20.50/hour

Relocation is not provided for this internship.

About Us

Working for Equity Residential means being part of a community – employees and residents – striving to provide the best in apartment living, speaking boldly about new ideas for innovation, and inspiring creativity in the ways we live and work. Our portfolio of high-quality properties in urban growth markets – New York City, Boston, Washington DC, Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Denver – provides homes where people most want to live, work and play. We've got the best people in the business, and our experience shows in our dedication to our residents and in how much we value each other as colleagues. That's why our employees say they are proud to work at Equity, a company that gives our residents a place where they can "Live Remarkably," and offers a culture where our employees have the opportunity to make their mark.

ABOUT US

Working for Equity Residential (EQR), a leading multi-family real estate investment trust (REIT), means living our purpose: creating communities where people thrive. It means striving to provide the best in apartment living, speaking boldly about new ideas for innovation, and inspiring creativity in the ways we work together.

Our portfolio of high-quality properties in urban growth markets – New York City, Boston, Washington DC, Seattle, San Francisco, Southern California, and Denver – provides homes where people most want to live, work and play. We've got the best people in the business, as evidenced by our employee engagement scores and customer loyalty ratings. That's why our employees say they are proud to work at Equity, a company that gives our residents a place where they can Live Remarkably, and offers a culture where our employees have the opportunity to thrive.

Equity Rewards

When you join Equity Residential, you won't be treated as simply another employee — you will be considered a partner in our shared success. As such, we are committed to investing in your personal success through a benefits program that supports your Total Wellbeing.

We recognize that everyone has different needs outside of work. That's why, in addition to a competitive benefits package (medical, dental, vision and paid time off), we offer many unique benefits options to employees, like a comprehensive wellness program, pet insurance, new parent benefits, and paid time off for community service projects. In addition to your next job, you can also find your next home with us Rent discounts on Equity Residential apartment homes are available to our benefits-eligible employees. The amount of the discount offered is determined based on the market, ranging upwards from 20%.

Equity Values

At Equity Residential, like our residents, our employees come from everywhere. A richly diverse work environment captures top talent, cultivates the best ideas, and creates the widest possible platform for success. By focusing on inclusion, these differences are harnessed to create value — in ideas, business practices, relationships, and employee engagement. As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we are committed to maintaining a diverse, inclusive and equitable work environment where our employees can thrive.

All aspects of the employment process are merit-based. Every Equity employee is expected to maintain a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment. Equity Residential does not discriminate against any employee or job applicant because of race, religion, color, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender, sexual/gender identity/expression, age, pregnancy (including childbirth, lactation or related medical conditions), physical or mental disability, national origin, citizenship status, military (including uniformed service member or protected veteran) status, marital status, genetic characteristic or information, ancestry or any other characteristic protected by law. Equity Residential also prohibits retaliation against individuals who report harassment or discrimination, or participate in investigations into such conduct.