Senior Counsel, Legal (12-month Secondment)

We’re building a relationship-oriented bank for the modern world. We need talented, passionate professionals who are dedicated to doing what’s right for our clients.

At CIBC, we embrace your strengths and your ambitions, so you are empowered at work. Our team members have what they need to make a meaningful impact and are truly valued for who they are and what they contribute.

To learn more about CIBC, please visit CIBC.com

What you’ll be doing 

 
The Senior Counsel, Legal Researcher and Education Specialist will be a seasoned professional and will fulfill a pivotal role in providing legal research, legislative/regulatory and case law currency, and law library and legal resource management to CIBC Legal Canada’s legal professionals. You will provide responsive and proactive legal research to inform advice provided to designated lines of businesses, including executives, to mitigate potential legal risks from business activities. This role exercises a high degree of independent judgement in bringing legal implications to the attention of practice leads and team members within Legal Canada. You will proactively lead/contribute to Legal Canada’s Continuing Legal Education Committee to develop a tailored curriculum to enable Legal Canada to maintain awareness of relevant legal developments while meeting law society education requirements. A proficiency in managing digital legal information is essential. Knowledge of legal operations and legal technology is desired. Familiarity with Canadian securities regulations would be an asset. The role drives innovation across all areas of responsibility, applying expert interpersonal, communication, and problem solving skills to draft, negotiate, and summarize legal documents and review drafts with management as appropriate.

At CIBC we enable the work environment most optimal for you to thrive in your role. You’ll have the flexibility to manage your work activities within a hybrid work arrangement where you’ll spend 1-3 days per week on-site, while other days will be remote.

How you’ll succeed 

• Legal Researcher – With your broad-base of legal knowledge and proven experience in legal research you will provide proactive, responsive and sound research on legal issues, as required, to the legal professionals who service all designated lines of business within CIBC.  
• Currency Awareness – Identify, monitor and report the developments in legislation and case law, including securities law developments, to the manager and to the designated legal professionals in the Legal Department. Where time permits, you will help identify and assess the effect of the legislative and judicial change on designated lines of business. Review policies and procedures, as and when required, for applicable legal requirements and to mitigate reputational risk and reduce exposure to legal liability. 
• Engage Externally – Actively participate in industry forums, networks of external law firms and contacts in financial institutions and, where appropriate, regulators. Be aware of relevant legal developments both within CIBC and within the industry. Take opportunities to regularly communicate findings to legal professionals.  
• Excellent Communicator and Team Oriented – Keep the manager apprised of developments of key projects and escalate issues that may pose a potential legal risk to the business and/or organization. Develop and sustain good working relationships with all legal practice groups by facilitating open communication and becoming familiar with each practice groups designated responsibilities. Lead and participate, as a team member, in various projects relating to legal operations and technology, Continuing Legal Education, and promoting diversity and inclusion within CIBC and the legal profession.  

Who you are 

• You can demonstrate experience in and have a minimum of 7 years of progressive and proven track record as a legal researcher. You have experience in providing advice on a variety of complex issues & mitigating legal and reputational risk. 
• You’re a certified professional. The successful candidate must have been called to the Bar in Ontario and are a member in good standing.
• You give meaning to data. You enjoy investigating complex problems and making sense of information. You're confident in your ability to communicate detailed information in an impactful way. 
• You act like an owner. You thrive when you're empowered to take the lead, go above and beyond, and deliver results. 
• You look beyond the moment. You make decisions and take actions that will make a difference today and tomorrow. You proactively seek new opportunities to define what is possible. 
• You understand that success is in the details. You notice things that others don't. Your critical thinking skills help to inform your decision making.
• Values matter to you. You bring your real self to work and you live our values – trust, teamwork and accountability.

#LI-TA

What CIBC Offers

At CIBC, your goals are a priority. We start with your strengths and ambitions as an employee and strive to create opportunities to tap into your potential.

• We work to recognize you in meaningful, personalized ways including a competitive compensation, a banking benefit*, wellbeing support and additional offers such as employee and family assistance programs and MomentMakers, our social, points-based recognition program.

• Our spaces and technological toolkit will make it simple to bring together great minds to create innovative solutions that make a difference for our clients.

*Subject to program terms and conditions

What you need to know

• CIBC is committed to creating an inclusive environment where all team members and clients feel like they belong. We seek applicants with a wide range of abilities and we provide an accessible candidate experience. If you need accommodation, please contact [email protected]

• You need to be legally eligible to work at the location(s) specified above and, where applicable, must have a valid work or study permit

• We may ask you to complete an attribute-based assessment and other skills tests (such as simulation, coding, French proficiency, MS Office). Our goal for the application process is to get to know more about you, all that you have to offer, and give you the opportunity to learn more about us.

Expected End Date

2027-01-31

Job Location

Toronto-81 Bay, 20th Floor

Employment Type

Temporary (Fixed Term)

Weekly Hours

37.5

Skills

Business Contracts, Contract Negotiations, Critical Thinking, Decision Making, Legal Consulting, Legal Practices, Litigation, Regulatory Compliance, Strategic Advice