Legal Counsel/Senior Legal Counsel – Leasing and Contract Management

IO’s Transaction Services and Corporate Legal Enterprise Team provides professional support to all parts of the agency. Lawyers within the team specialize in services that support infrastructure and commercial projects, construction, real estate and leasing, lending, privacy protection, government affairs, litigation, and contract management.

We are seeking a Senior Legal Counsel or Legal Counsel to provide strategic and practical support to IO’s Real Estate Division, with a focus on commercial leasing, asset and facility management, procurement, IT, energy and infrastructure, as well as related projects and governance initiatives.

Projects are broad in scope and legal support is required through the full life cycle; from shaping business cases, informing policy decisions, designing transactions, to executing and managing the transaction into operations.

What You Will Do :

• Draft, review, analyze and negotiate complex commercial and outsourcing agreements opinions, memoranda, and procurement documents to manage risk and ensure that the government’s objectives are achieved.
• Support Real Estate and Operations teams to effectively manage the Province’s real estate portfolio, including administration of asset / facility management contracts, landlord-tenant matters, or other property-related matters.
• Draft and negotiate a variety of commercial lease documents, including : offers to leases, licenses, amendments, extensions, notice, consents, estoppels, relocation, restrictive covenant agreements, and other related documents as required;
• The successful candidate will have experience working with outsourcing, SaaS, or other complex corporate and commercial transactions relating to asset or facility management, energy, or technology products and services.

This will often require innovative thinking to develop, unique solutions and customize, negotiate and manage agreements (including multi-year master services agreements) after they are executed.

• Oversee and direct external counsel; interpret and disseminate legal advice and recommendations to senior leadership, lawyers and internal client groups.
• Provide policy support to internal clients through review and interpretation of legislation and policies as well as providing advice and drafting language for amendments and new policies.
• Ensure compliance with Infrastructure Ontario’s governance requirements.
• Build and maintain effective working relationships with Government Ministries and Agencies, industry players and other stakeholders.
• Update legal and internal client teams on legal matters, concepts and best practices through discussions and presentations.
• Assume other legal duties as assigned.

What We Are Looking For :

• We are seeking an individual with a minimum of four (4) years of experience practicing law, preferably in one or more of the following areas : commercial leasing, procurement, asset management, energy and general corporate / commercial law.
• The individual must have a university degree in law (LLB or and membership in good standing with the Law Society of Ontario.
• Knowledge of the litigation process, litigation management and dispute resolution experience would be considered an asset.
• Excellent communication, negotiation and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to communicate complex legal issues in a clear manner to non-legal audiences.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment with changing priorities.
• Ability to understand business issues quickly, exercise good judgment in providing timely and practical legal advice.
• Collaborative style and the ability to work effectively in a team-based environment.

What We Offer :

• Commitment to creating a diverse, equitable and inclusive culture that promotes a sense of belonging and represents and reflects the needs of the communities we serve.
• A flexible, hybrid work approach that allows colleagues to find balance between their professional and personal lives and making the most of the benefits of working remotely and purpose-driven in-person collaboration opportunities.
• A defined contribution pension plan, where IO contributes the equivalent of 5% of a full-time employee’s annual salary, with an option for IO to match an additional 5% contribution made by the employee.

IO also offers a Group Retirement Savings Plan and Group Tax Free Savings Account, designed to help IO colleagues plan and save for their future.

• A comprehensive package that covers health, dental, vision, out-of-country care, paramedical services, and more.
• A pregnancy and parental leave program that offers expecting, eligible employees a top-up to 95% of their annual base salary for 31 weeks, and our parental leave program offers eligible employees a top-up to 95% of their annual base salary for 15 weeks.
• Access to our $1000 Healthcare Spending Account to top up expenses not covered in the benefits program and a Lifestyle Account that expands the eligibility of health and wellness options and can include coverage for gym memberships and fitness equipment, nutrition counselling or financial planning.
• Support for professional development opportunities for all colleagues through a broad range of learning programs that include in-person and online training, leadership development, and support for colleagues’ well-being.

IO will also cover the costs associated with up to two membership and license fees per year for eligible colleagues if directly related to the employee’s role.

• Access to a suite of virtual healthcare options to support non-urgent medical needs
• A convenient, central location at 1 Dundas St West, easily accessible by public transit.

Level of Position : Legal (L1) Pay band : $102,000 to $150,000 Candidates with up to 6 years of experience practicing law will be considered for a Legal Counsel (L1) position.

Level of Position : Legal (L2) Pay band : $117,000 to $175,000 Candidates with 6 or more years of experience practicing law will be considered for a Senior Legal Counsel (L2) position.

The hiring range for this position will fall within IO's internal pay bands and compensation philosophy.This posting will close on October 9th, 2024 at 5 : 00 PM .

Interviews will be done on a rolling basis. After reviewing the qualifications listed above, we want you to know that we understand you may not meet all the qualifications described, but still encourage you to apply, as you may have other relevant expertise and experience that you can bring to the role.

At Infrastructure Ontario, we strive to create a culture that encourages a diverse equitable and inclusive environment that fosters belonging.

We believe that experience comes in many forms and through learning from each others’ differences and perspectives gives us strength.

We are committed to enhancing our culture and encourage applications from all walks of life. Let us know if you require any accommodations for the selection process, by contacting the Talent Acquisition Team.

Candidates who are members of Indigenous, Black, racialized and 2SLGBTQ+ communities, persons with disabilities, and other equity deserving groups are encouraged to apply, and their lived experience will be taken into consideration as applicable to the posted position.

By submitting your application you are granting Infrastructure Ontario permission to process your personal data during the recruitment process and for keeping records of the process.

Infrastructure Ontario may share your personal data internally to appropriate persons involved in the recruitment process and to third parties where there is an administrative or lawful basis for doing so.

Provided that Infrastructure Ontario does not have any lawful reason to continue processing your personal data, you may make a formal request to rectify, erase or restrict (the processing of) your personal data.