Location: Canada/ US - Remote
Type of Employment - Full-time/ FreelancerAbout the Role
We are seeking an Associate Counsel to support offboarding, pre-litigation, and litigation matters mainly across the Americas, while developing as an in-house resource on regional employment law, statutory due process, and dispute resolution. You will help ensure that terminations and contentious matters are handled with legal rigor, commercial sensibility, and audit-ready documentation.
You will also assist in supporting the company across Americas offboardings, agency proceedings, pre-litigation matters, arbitrations, and labor board proceedings, while partnering with internal stakeholders and external counsel to strengthen offboarding frameworks. From time to time, you may also support termination matters in other regions of the world as part of a globally coordinated team.
The ideal candidate brings foundational employment law experience in at least one Americas jurisdiction (experience in Canada strongly preferred, USA it’s a plus), a willingness to learn across multiple jurisdictions, and a proactive, solution-oriented mindset suited to a fast-paced, client-facing global environment.
Core ResponsibilitiesSupport offboarding, pre-litigation, and litigation matters across the Americas under the guidance of senior counsel, including for-cause terminations, redundancies, reductions in force, mutual separations, and contentious exits. Assist with disciplinary and consultation processes, statutory filings, and the preparation of materials for agency proceedings
Assist with offboarding and litigation matters across Americas jurisdictions, including for-cause terminations, without cause terminations, mutual separations, redundancies, group terminations, and contentious exits, ensuring compliance with local labor and employment standards legislation and statutory due process.
Support case intake, fact-finding, and compliance risk assessments across Americas employee relations matters. Help guide internal teams and clients through statutory due process from notice through final settlement and clearance, escalating complex issues to senior counsel.
Support disciplinary hearings, conciliation, mediation, arbitration, and litigation proceedings across the Americas, contributing to disciplinary sanctions analysis and resolution strategy under supervision.
Draft and review termination notices, separation and release agreements, position statements, and supporting evidence across the Americas to ensure they are defensible and aligned with local employment standards, human rights, and common or civil law principles, with senior counsel review.
Liaise with external counsel across the Americas, supporting scope validation, fee tracking, and quality control on deliverables, under the oversight of senior counsel.
On occasion, support offboarding and termination matters in other regions of the world (EMEA, APAC) as part of cross-regional projects and coverage needs, in coordination with regional counsel.
Partner with HR Advisory, Customer Success, Sales, Payroll, Onboarding, and Legal teams to strengthen offboarding processes and improve client outcomes.
Support ad hoc legal and cross-functional projects, including escalations, Americas-wide compliance initiatives, and process automation efforts.
Law degree (JD, LLB, or equivalent) and active admission to the Bar (or equivalent qualifying body) in an Americas jurisdiction, in good standing.
2–5 years of post-qualification experience in Canadian employment law, with US experience as a plus.
Exposure to agency proceedings, labor board complaints, arbitrations, human rights tribunals, and disciplinary or grievance hearings.
Developing litigation track record, including drafting position statements, demand letter responses, and pleadings; supporting witness preparation; and assisting with exposure analysis on reinstatement, reasonable notice, severance, and damages.
Working knowledge of Americas labor and employment regulations on termination, due process, and wrongful or unjust dismissal. Familiarity with Mexican employment law is strongly preferred.
Familiarity with employment law and offboarding processes across multiple Americas jurisdictions, with the ability to come up to speed quickly on new markets.
Experience supporting employee lifecycle matters, including PIPs, disciplinary actions, workplace investigations, and for-cause and without-cause terminations.
Some experience working with external counsel, including supporting scoping, fee tracking, and quality review under senior supervision.
Good stakeholder management skills, with the ability to collaborate cross-functionally with Product, Operations, HR, and commercial teams, and to engage clients professionally.
Strong written and verbal English communication skills, with sound judgment, attention to detail, and a developing ability to translate legal complexity into clear commercial guidance.
Ability to work collaboratively in a fast-paced, client-facing global environment, with a willingness to receive feedback and grow under the mentorship of senior counsel.
