Legal Counsel

Career Opportunity

Role Title

Legal Counsel

Purpose of role

Reporting directly to the General Counsel & Vice President, Vendor Management & Data Governance, the Counsel position contributes to optimal organizational effectiveness by providing quality support to Foresters legal team and legal services to The Independent Order of Foresters (“Foresters”) and its subsidiaries. This will be achieved by being responsive, pro-active, and customer-oriented, supporting the achievement of the organization’s strategy.

Job Description

Key Responsibilities

• Provide a full range of timely, accurate and cost-effective legal support, advice and services primarily to other in-house lawyers, senior management, officers, and employees throughout Foresters in Canada and the US, that may include services in the following areas:

             -  Procurement and commercial contracts

             -  General corporate commercial advice and services

             -  Litigation management

             -  Insurance and employment law

             -  Laws relating to Fraternal Benefit Societies

Legal services are also provided to every area of the organization as needed to assist Foresters in fulfilling its strategic objectives.

• Conducts legal research, identifies legal issues and risks, formulates and recommends legal strategies and solutions; drafts legal opinions and advises on a comprehensive range of legal matters.
• Contribute to an effective program of corporate governance compliance for Foresters and its subsidiaries by functioning in a corporate secretarial capacity as needed for Foresters Board Committees.
• Manage external and internal legal resources. This includes needs analysis, resource allocation, and project monitoring.
• Direct the work of the paralegals assisting with various legal files and matters.
• Litigation management and directing the work of external counsel on an as needed basis.
• Contribute to the maintenance of Foresters fraternal status through active involvement in industry associations, and direct interaction with legislators and regulators.
• Develop, promote and deliver a program for internal client development and education to assist clients in performing their functions and to maximize law department resources. This program includes training on legal and business research resources, seminars, presentations, and written materials.
• Assist in knowledge sharing and the professional development of other lawyers, paralegals and other employees.
• Interest in learning new areas of law relating to multiple jurisdictions and in staying abreast of statutory developments and evolving jurisprudence.
• Participate in Foresters employee development and community service programs.

Key Qualifications

• Five to twelve years legal experience.
• A subject matter expert in two or more areas of law.
• A strategic thinker who can assist various Foresters departments in meeting its strategic objectives.
• Multitasks, handles high volumes, reprioritizing as required as well as handling or assisting with complex cases.
• Directs others as needed in relation to specific files.
• Assists other departments in understanding and meeting their legal obligations.
• Effective communication and collaboration skills to manage working partnerships with all levels of the organization and within the legal department, including team approach to determine prioritization.
• Positively receives direction and guidance from others.
• Proficient with technology, legal research and concise memo drafting.
• Ability to communicate highly complex issues to people outside the legal profession.
• Exceptional analytical and investigative skills, with appropriate attention to detail.
• Ability to identify potential sources of significant exposure, consequences and risk mitigants.
• Ability to identify the need and then hire expert lawyers when the issues involved require either more extensive knowledge/experience or when insufficient internal legal resources.
• Ability to absorb information quickly and adjust strategy to handle issues as they evolve.
• Must remain objective throughout highly subjective situations.
• Creative and adaptable. Can comfortably adjust to changing priorities and direction.
• Professional, calm, composed, objective, courteous and respectful.

#LI-Hybrid

Equal Opportunity Employment and Inclusion – at Foresters Financial, we are committed to sustaining an equal opportunity environment for all job applicants. We embrace Inclusion, Diversity and Equity (IDE) as a core strategic objective for building strong, innovative teams in which all our employees can show up wholly and authentically as themselves.

Foresters Financial strives to provide an accessible candidate experience for prospective employees with different abilities. If you anticipate needing any type of accommodations during the recruitment process, please email [email protected] in advance of your appointment.

Thank you for choosing Foresters. Only those candidates who will be selected for further consideration will be contacted by our Talent Acquisition Team.