Cara Martin
Legal Counsel @Matthews
Signup · Get unlimited contacts
WORK HISTORY
Legal Counsel @Matthews
US
Matthews Southwest is a full-service private real-estate development company headquartered in Lewisville, Texas.Learn more about our services at: As Legal Counsel, I serve as primary legal advisor and subject matter expert to the executive management team to help them manage all legal matters related to real estate activities, mitigate risks for the company and its subsidiaries, and ensure the firm adheres to all legal obligations, regulatory requirements, and best practice guidelines.I represent the company in a variety of real estate activities, including: purchase and sales transactions, commercial lease agreements, joint venture agreements, and hotel franchise agreements.To carry out my mandate, I develop legal policies and SOPs that are compliant, scalable, and informed by industry best practices. I also manage corporate governance matters for 100+ affiliated entities, maintain relationships with outside counsel, and conduct annual policy reviews to ensure continuous compliance with evolving regulatory guidelines.Among my accomplishments, I have: Established and operationalized a Legal Department from the ground up, strategically in-housing multiple legal functions as a cost saving measure. Routinely anticipated and pre-empted operating or legal risk using a proven preventative approach.
EDUCATION
SMU Dedman School of Law
Juris Doctor
Carleton University
Bachelor’s Degree
SKILLS
ABOUT CARA MARTIN
In order to excel in today’s competitive business environment, a successful legal counsel needs a balance of negotiations, litigation, and compliance expertise - backed by robust analytical skills. I combine over 8 years’ experience providing generalist, integrated legal counsel for multiple high-profile organizations; delivering 360-degree guidance, insights, and subject matter expertise to eliminate barriers to business growth; cultivating trusted-advisor relationships to help clients and key stakeholders effectively achieve their business goals; and carefully shaping the legal processes and policies that are operationally compliant, scalable, and informed by industry best practices.I excel at identifying and remediating gaps in legal strategies, fostering a corporate culture of accountability and compliance, anticipating and mitigating operational or business risk, protecting intellectual property, building productive relationships with external counsel, and maintaining a current knowledge of emerging laws and regulatory environments. I am a proficient multitasker with the ability to learn, unlearn, and relearn; because success is less about what you already know and more about expanding your knowledge base. I have the agility to pick up new skills, adapt them to my needs, and respond to challenges with competence and conviction.I have the communication skills to clearly articulate my vision, persuade people to take action, and get the ball rolling in the right direction. Whether I’m sending out emails, communicating with a client, presenting to a crowd, or anything in between; I communicate quickly, accurately, and effectively.~ Key Skills ~ Strategic Planning & Execution Risk Management & Mitigation Project Management & Oversight Data Privacy and Security Corporate Litigation Contact Management/Enforcement Business Process Optimization Vendor Management Relationship Management Joint Venture Agreements Regulatory Compliance SME Real Estate Law Intellectual Property Law Top-Tier Communicator & Negotiator Cross-Functional Collaboration Employment Law
This profile is compiled from publicly available professional sources. Unifers is not affiliated with or endorsed by LinkedIn. Request removal of this profile.