General Counsel

FWS; Calgary; On-site; CAD 150,000 - 230,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Profit sharing

RRSPs

Benefits

Professional training

Job summary

FWS Group of Companies in Canada seeks an experienced General Counsel to lead our legal function from Winnipeg or Calgary. You will serve as a trusted advisor to the President & CEO, senior management, and the Board, delivering strategic, commercially oriented legal counsel across our Canadian and U.S.

operations. You will draft and negotiate contracts, oversee governance, risk, and complex disputes, mentor junior counsel, manage external counsel, and support employee equity plans.

Qualifications

• A law degree (JD or LL.B.) and current good standing with the Law Society.
• 10+ years of post-call corporate and commercial legal experience.
• Construction law or construction-industry experience strongly preferred.
• Experience advising leaders on governance, risk, and business matters; cross-border experience is an asset.
• Willingness to travel occasionally within Canada and to the United States.
• On-site position based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, or Calgary, Alberta.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a trusted legal and business advisor to the President & CEO, senior management, operating units, and the Board of Directors.
• Provide practical, commercially focused advice across corporate and commercial matters, construction law, labour and employment, regulatory compliance, and related matters.
• Draft, review, and negotiate contracts, policies, and other legal documents throughout the project lifecycle.
• Advise on governance, strategic transactions, corporate structures, restructures, and cross-border activity.
• Oversee litigation, claims, internal investigations, and insurance/bonding matters.
• Lead the legal function, mentor junior Legal Counsel, manage external counsel, and administer employee equity and deferred compensation plans.

Skills

Negotiation

Leadership

Strategic thinking

Communication

Regulatory compliance

Education

JD or LL.B.

Bar admission in Manitoba or Alberta

Job description

FWS Group of Companies is a fully integrated design, engineering, construction, and maintenance services firm. We are advocates of the design-build approach to project development. Whether our clients are looking at greenfield construction or retrofitting an existing facility, we have the in-house expertise to take their project from vision to reality.

To support our continued success, we are recruiting a General Counsel to join our collaborative and team-focused organization in either our Winnipeg or Calgary office.

We have a lot to offer you – profit sharing, RRSPs, benefits, professional training, just to name a few.

Reporting directly to the President & CEO, the General Counsel is a trusted business partner who leads FWS’ legal function and provides strategic, practical, and commercially focused advice across our Canadian and U.S. operations. Working closely with senior leaders, operating business units, corporate departments, and the Board of Directors, you will help advance business objectives while identifying and effectively managing legal and commercial risk.

This is an opportunity for an experienced legal professional who enjoys being close to the business, developing trusted relationships, and finding practical solutions to complex issues. You will advise on a broad and interesting range of matters, lead our legal function, and mentor our junior Legal Counsel.

Position Overview

• Serve as a trusted legal and business advisor to the President & CEO, senior management, operating business units, corporate departments, and the Board of Directors.
• Provide practical, commercially focused advice across corporate and commercial matters, construction law, labour and employment, workplace health and safety, regulatory compliance, and other matters affecting the organization.
• Draft, review, and negotiate construction contracts, commercial agreements, policies, and other legal documentation, providing advice throughout the construction project lifecycle.
• Advise on corporate governance, strategic transactions, corporate structures and reorganizations, shareholder matters, and cross-border business activities.
• Oversee litigation, claims, dispute resolution, internal investigations, and legal matters related to the organization’s insurance and bonding programs.
• Lead the legal function, mentor and develop our junior Legal Counsel, manage external legal counsel, and oversee the administration of the Employee Share Ownership Plan and Deferred Compensation Unit Plan.

Qualifications Needed

• A law degree, such as a JD or LL.B., and current membership in good standing with the Law Society of Manitoba or the Law Society of Alberta.
• 10 or more years of post-call corporate and commercial legal experience gained in-house, in private practice, or through a combination of both.
• Strong commercial contracting experience, including contractual risk allocation, claims, and dispute management. Construction law or construction-industry experience is strongly preferred.
• Experience advising leaders and executives on complex legal, governance, risk, and business matters. Experience supporting Canadian and U.S. operations is considered an asset.
• A practical and collaborative approach, with strong negotiation, communication, relationship-building, leadership, and decision-making skills, supported by sound judgment, integrity, and discretion.
• Ability to travel occasionally within Canada and to the United States.

This is an on-site position based in either Winnipeg, Manitoba, or Calgary, Alberta. FWS values the connection, mentorship, collaboration, and professional development supported by an on-site work environment. However, we remain open to flexible work arrangements, guided by our comprehensive Flexible Work Arrangement Policy should appropriate circumstances arise.

About FWS

We’ve been receiving Best Managed company accolades for years and there’s a reason. Our leadership team, our employees – we ensure collaboration, teamwork, and excellence in everything we do. We’re honest, safe, entrepreneurial, creative and empower our employees. We have a wide range of expertise and skillsets that service multiple markets.

For more information on FWS visit our website: https://fwsgroup.com/

FWS may use technology-assisted tools, including artificial intelligence, to assist in screening and reviewing candidates. These tools are applied responsibly and only used to assist in the recruitment process. All hiring decisions are made by qualified individuals following human review.