Corporate Legal Counsel (Remote)

World Education Services; Toronto; Remote; CAD 150,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a Corporate Legal Counsel to provide legal support across various business lines. In this dynamic role, you will collaborate closely with executive leaders, advising on commercial agreements and legal risks while ensuring compliance with governance policies. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in corporate legal settings, particularly in contract negotiation and governance, and will thrive in a fast-paced environment. This position offers the opportunity to make a significant impact on the organization while working remotely or in an office environment, contributing to a mission-driven organization that values diversity and inclusion.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in corporate legal settings.
• Strong academic credentials and bar membership required.

Responsibilities

• Draft and negotiate various commercial agreements.
• Provide legal counseling on business strategies and risks.
• Manage the entire contracting cycle from draft to execution.

Skills

Contract negotiation

Legal compliance

Corporate governance

Intellectual property (IP)

Risk counseling

Communication skills

Education

J.D.

Job description

Location: Remote (Candidates based in British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Ontario, Nova Scotia or willing to relocate)

Description:

WES is seeking a Corporate Legal Counsel that will work with executive and senior leaders and their team to provide legal support across all lines of our businesses enabling the organization to achieve our mission including social impact and serving our various stakeholders by providing credential evaluations while mitigating legal and certain business risks and assuring adherence to governance policies, ethics, and country specific laws and regulations.

As Corporate Legal Counsel, you work closely with WES leaders to advise on various legal matters in conjunction with external counsel between WES and its strategic partners and clients. You will coordinate the efforts of internal Departments to ensure that WES contracts comply with company policies, and take a role in defining policies, practices, and procedures within the company. This role sits within the Corporate Services reporting to the Executive Leadership.

Duties included but not limited to:

• Draft, negotiate, and advise executive and senior leaders and their cross-functional teams on various commercial agreements, including professional services agreement, licensing agreements, partnership agreements, DPAs, vendor contracts, privacy, trademark, and patent, not for profit and other services agreements.
• Provide thoughtful and practical business, and legal counseling on various legal risks, business strategies, and other issues related to product features, commercial transactions, and general operations.
• Manage and resolve complicated issues related to commercial deals, and drive alignment with various cross-functional teams.
• Be ready to own the entire contracting cycle-from initial draft to execution-and collaborate with business and product teams, and any relevant external partners to drive contract negotiations to timely and successful completion.
• Help build, streamline, and operationalize the company's contracting process to help us scale as an organization.
• Support the organization as needed in contracts, research, deal structuring, and risk counseling.
• Respond to ad hoc queries to include identification, analysis, and evaluation of risks in order to provide appropriate legal solutions.
• Work closely and coordinate legal matters handled by external counsel lawyers.

The Ideal Candidate will:

• Have experience working on legal matters in the US, Canada, India and other key emerging markets and Europe.
• Demonstrated ability to operationalize and scale the legal department.

Requirements:

• 8+ years related experience in a Corporate Setting including general business and contracts review, contract negotiation, corporate governance, intellectual property (IP), legal compliance document review, and legal research.
• J.D., with strong academic credentials and membership in at least one U.S. state bar.
• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to advocate for a position while maintaining a collaborative and open-minded approach.
• Highly organized, reliable, detail-oriented, and diligent with an ethos of project ownership.
• Ability to work on multiple issues simultaneously and set appropriate priorities with clients and deliver results.
• Proven ability to provide entrepreneurial, pragmatic, business-oriented advice, with a dedication to superior customer service and an ability to exercise good judgment about sensible business risks.
• Ability to operate autonomously while being a team player who brings a positive attitude.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, collaborative, and dynamic team environment.

Working Conditions:

• Office environment and/or remote work.
• Fast paced environment with multiple projects and deadlines.
• Based in Ontario, with occasional travel within Canada and US (as travel conditions allow).

AODA Statement:

WES values diversity in all its forms and recruits qualified individuals at all occupational levels that reflect the diversity of our clients and our community. We strive to foster a workplace in which all individuals maximize their potential, regardless of their differences. We are committed to providing accommodations for persons with disabilities. If you require an accommodation to complete this application, we will work with you to meet your needs. Please contact Human Resources. Accommodation may be provided at all stages of the hiring process.

About the company

World Education Services (WES) is a non-profit social enterprise dedicated to helping international students, immigrants, and refugees achieve their educational and career goals in the United States and Canada.