Reporting to the Senior Vice President, General Counsel, the Paralegal – Corporate Services
role provides senior level paralegal and advisory support to the Legal Department and business units across the Bank. The role operates with a high degree of independence and professional judgment, delivering strategic, risk informed legal support across litigation, regulatory compliance, corporate governance, and contractual matters.
The incumbent acts as a trusted advisor to internal stakeholders, proactively identifying legal risks, interpreting legislative and regulatory changes, and contributing to the development of policies, processes, and precedents that protect the Bank’s interests and reputation.
Senior Legal Advisory & Business Support
- Provide independent, timely, and practical legal advice to business units across a broad range of matters, including regulatory, corporate, contractual, privacy, and operational issues.
- Interpret legislation, regulations, and case law to assess risk and recommend appropriate courses of action aligned with the Bank’s risk appetite.
- Review, draft, and negotiate a wide range of contracts, agreements, and legal documentation, including complex or high-risk arrangements.
- Act as a subject-matter resource for legal process, policy, records management, privacy, and information governance matters (including PIPEDA and related frameworks).
- Develop and maintain legal precedents, templates, and guidance materials to streamline internal processes and reduce reliance on external counsel.
Litigation & Dispute Management
- Independently manage Small Claims matters, including litigation strategy, pleadings, court filings, settlements, and attendance at hearings, as required.
- Independently manage title insurance or other insurance related claims, as required.
- Analyze litigation risks, probable outcomes, and strategic implications using legal precedents and professional judgment.
- Coordinate and oversee external counsel on assigned matters, including scope, cost control, and quality of deliverables.
- Support the resolution of escalated customer complaints and disputes with potential legal or reputational impact.
Regulatory, Governance & Corporate Matter
- Lead and coordinate regulatory and corporate filings (e.g., SEDI, SEDAR or successors), ensuring accuracy and adherence to statutory deadlines.
- Act as a key resource to the Corporate Secretary and senior leaders by maintaining and providing access to corporate records and governance documentation.
- Manage pre-trade clearance processes, insider trading controls, and blackout period administration.
- Monitor legislative, regulatory, and governance developments and proactively advise on implications for the Bank.
Training, Awareness & Enablement
- Design, maintain, and deliver legal training and awareness programs for employees, including targeted training for new initiatives or regulatory changes.
- Partner with business units to strengthen understanding of legal obligations, risk mitigation practices, and compliance expectations.
Operational & Legal Administration Oversight
- Oversee legal operational activities including insurance program administration, annual renewals, and insurer communications.
- Review and respond to third-party legal requests (e.g., CRA, Revenu Québec, production orders, garnishments, restraints, consumer proposals and bankruptcies).
- Ensure integrity, organization, and lifecycle management of the contract database and related legal trackers.
Let's Talk About You!
- Completion of a recognized Paralegal diploma or equivalent from an accredited institution (required).
- 5–7 years of total progressive legal experience, including significant experience operating in a regulated environment such as financial services or a public company.
- Demonstrated experience independently managing litigation matters (preferably Small Claims).
- Advanced working knowledge of legal practices, terminology, Rules of Civil Procedure, and Small Claims Court procedures.
- Strong understanding of regulatory frameworks applicable to financial institutions, corporate governance, privacy, and commercial matters.
- Practical experience conducting legal research using tools such as CanLII, Westlaw, or LexisNexis.
- Hands-on experience with regulatory and legal systems (e.g., SEDI, SEDAR or successors, Teraview, Cyberbahn or equivalent).
- Advanced analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to assess complex information and exercise sound judgment.
- Ability to work autonomously with minimal supervision while managing multiple priorities and competing deadlines.
- Strong stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence, advise, and challenge constructively.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, capable of translating legal concepts for non-legal audiences.
- Demonstrated commitment to confidentiality, legal privilege, accuracy, and professional ethics.
- French language proficiency is considered an asset.
- Specialist to Advanced knowledge of legal operations, litigation, and regulatory requirements.
- Advanced understanding of the Bank’s operations and risk environment to support informed decision-making.
- Influencing internal stakeholders, advising on legal risk, managing external counsel, and supporting court proceedings.
What We Do
MakeBank on everyday banking: Earn high interest on every dollar Say no to fees No minimum balances Powered by Equitable Bank, a Schedule I Canadian Bank EQB Inc. (formerly Equitable Group Inc.) trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: EQB and EQB.PR.C), directly serves over 607,000 Canadians through its wholly owned subsidiary Equitable Bank, Canada's Challenger Bank™, and serves over 200 Canadian credit unions that serve over 6 million of their members with products and services. Equitable Bank has grown to become Canada's 7th largest independent Schedule I bank with over a $119 billion in assets under management and assets under administration, and a clear mandate to drive real change in Canadian banking to enrich people's lives. At Equitable Bank, we are as invested in our employees as we are in our business. That’s why we are consistently recognized as one of Canada's Top Employers – a rating that comes from our 1,800 employees. Equitable Bank’s inclusive, welcoming, and pride-inducing workplace earned it the honour of being recognized as one of the top 50 organizations on the 2023 list of Canada’s Best Workplaces™. Founded over 50 years ago, Equitable Bank provides diversified personal and commercial banking, and through its EQ Bank platform (eqbank.ca), which has been named #1 Bank in Canada for three consecutive years on the Forbes World's Best Banks list for 2021, 2022, and 2023. Equitable Bank website: www.equitablebank.ca EQ Bank website: www.eqbank.ca Specialties Lending, Mortgages, Residential Lending, Commercial Lending, Reverse mortgages, Insurance lending, Equipment leasing , Credit Union, Trust, and Funds Management
