General Counsel

Lumentis; Innisfil; Hybrid; CAD 135,000 - 165,000; Full time

Job summary

Lumentis is a global automotive lighting designer and manufacturer seeking a General Counsel for a full-time hybrid role based in South Simcoe County, Ontario. You will advise the CEO and leadership on commercial, IP, regulatory, governance, and risk matters, coordinating external counsel across Canada, the US, and international jurisdictions.

The ideal candidate has 10–15 years of progressive legal experience, in-house or with a multinational, and excels at negotiation, drafting, and strategic

Qualifications

• 10–15 years of progressive legal experience, including in-house or sophisticated private practice
• Experience supporting manufacturing, automotive, or multinational organizations
• Strong drafting, negotiation, and advocacy skills
• Experience managing external counsel across multiple jurisdictions

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary legal advisor to executive leadership and business units.
• Draft, review, and negotiate a wide range of commercial agreements.
• Oversee litigation, regulatory proceedings, IP portfolio, and licensing matters.
• Coordinate external counsel across Canada, the United States, Mexico, Brazil, China, and other jurisdictions.
• Provide practical, business-focused legal advice while aligning with strategic business initiatives.
• Ensure governance, risk management, and regulatory compliance across the organization.

Skills

Strategic business advice

Negotiation and drafting

Litigation management

IP management

Regulatory compliance

Education

Juris Doctor (JD) or LLB

Canadian bar admission

Experience in-house or multinational

Job description

Company Description

Lumentis is a global designer and manufacturer of advanced automotive lighting solutions that enhance safety and strengthen vehicle brand identity. With decades of experience, the company delivers headlamps, tail lamps, signal, and ambient lighting systems for leading automakers worldwide. Lumentis integrates optical engineering, electronics, and software to bring LED, adaptive, and dynamic lighting concepts to full-scale series production. The organization offers a collaborative, technology-driven environment. Team members contribute to innovative products that shape the future of automotive lighting and mobility.

Role Description

The General Counsel is a full-time hybrid position based in South Simcoe County. Reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer and working closely with the executive leadership team, the General Counsel serves as a trusted advisor on a broad range of domestic and international legal matters. The General Counsel is responsible for managing all legal matters affecting the organization, including commercial transactions, litigation, intellectual property, labour and employment, real estate, regulatory compliance, corporate governance, risk management, and strategic business initiatives. The successful candidate will provide practical, business-focused legal advice while coordinating and overseeing external counsel across multiple jurisdictions.

Vacancy Status

Replacement Position – Existing role

Salary Range

Starting at $150,000 annually plus annual discretionary bonus

Responsibilities

General Corporate and Commercial

Serve as the primary legal advisor to executive leadership and business units. Draft, review, negotiate, and advise on a wide range of commercial agreements, including:

• Customer agreements, including production development and supply contracts
• Supplier agreements, including terms and conditions of purchase, capital equipment and procurement contracts
• Tooling agreements
• Non-disclosure agreements
• Licensing agreements
• Distribution and logistics agreements
• Technology and software agreements
• Real estate and facility-related contracts
• Support strategic initiatives, acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures, and corporate restructuring activities.
• Advise management on legal risks associated with commercial decisions and business operations.

Litigation and Dispute Resolution

• Oversee all litigation, arbitration, mediation, and regulatory proceedings by, against or involving the business.
• Develop litigation strategies in partnership with external counsel.
• Oversee product warranty or recall claims
• Provide regular updates to senior management regarding material legal risks and litigation exposure.
• Manage and protect the company’s global intellectual property portfolio, including patents, trademarks, trade secrets, and proprietary technologies.
• Coordinate patent filings, prosecution, maintenance, and enforcement activities with external patent counsel.
• Advise engineering, manufacturing, and commercial teams regarding intellectual property protection and risk mitigation.
• Conduct freedom-to-operate assessments and support product development initiatives.
• Manage intellectual property disputes and licensing matters.

Labour and Employment

Provide legal advice on labour and employment matters across multiple jurisdictions. Support Human Resources regarding:

• Employment agreements
• Workplace investigations
• Discipline and termination matters
• Human rights and accommodation issues
• Labour relations matters
• Collective bargaining support
• Workplace policies and procedures

Manage employment litigation and labour arbitrations through external counsel where required. Monitor developments in employment legislation and advise management on compliance requirements.

Regulatory Compliance and Risk Management

Develop and maintain legal and ethical compliance programs and policies. Advise on compliance matters involving:

• Automotive industry regulations
• Competition and antitrust laws
• Privacy and data protection
• Environmental regulations
• Trade and customs compliance
• Anti-corruption and anti-bribery legislation
• Export controls and sanctions
• Conduct compliance risk assessments and recommend mitigation strategies.
• Support internal investigations and compliance reviews.

Corporate Governance

• Advise senior leadership on governance matters and fiduciary obligations.
• Assist with board and committee governance activities.
• Maintain corporate records and support legal entity management across multiple jurisdictions.
• Ensure compliance with applicable corporate and securities laws.

External Counsel Management

• Retain, direct, and manage external counsel across Canada, the United States, Mexico, Brazil, China, and other jurisdictions as required.
• Evaluate legal service providers and manage legal spend.
• Ensure consistent legal strategies and efficient use of external resources.

Qualifications/Skills

Education and Professional Credentials

• Juris Doctor (JD) or Bachelor of Laws (LLB).
• Member in good standing of a Canadian provincial law society.
• Qualified to practice law in Canada.

Experience

• Minimum 10–15 years of progressive legal experience, including significant in-house and/or sophisticated private practice experience.
• Experience supporting manufacturing, automotive, industrial, or multinational organizations.
• Demonstrated expertise in commercial law, litigation management, labour and employment law, and intellectual property matters.
• Experience managing legal matters across multiple international jurisdictions.
• Familiarity with automotive OEM and Tier 1 supply environments is strongly preferred.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Strong commercial judgment and business acumen.
• Ability to provide practical, risk-based legal advice in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.
• Excellent negotiation, drafting, and advocacy skills.
• Proven ability to independently manage a broad legal portfolio.
• Strong project management and organizational capabilities.
• Effective communicator capable of influencing senior executives and business leaders.
• Ability to balance legal risk with commercial objectives.
• Strategic thinker with a proactive and solution-oriented approach.
• High degree of integrity, professionalism, and sound judgment.
• Comfortable operating as the sole in-house legal resource.[IP2.1]
• Capable of building strong relationships across all levels of the organization.
• Demonstrates accountability, resilience, and adaptability in a global business environment.

Travel

• Occasional travel may be required to support business operations, litigation, compliance initiatives, and strategic projects.

We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer committed to creating an inclusive workplace where everyone feels valued and respected. Employment decisions are based on qualifications, experience, and business needs, without regard to race, ancestry, place of origin, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, gender identity, or any other protected characteristic. Accommodation is available throughout the recruitment process upon request.

Privacy & Recruitment Technology

To support a fair and efficient hiring process, we may use technology, including AI-assisted tools, to help screen applications. These tools are used to support our recruitment team only; all hiring decisions are made by the hiring manager and the hiring team. Candidate information is managed securely and in accordance with applicable privacy and data protection laws. Where required by law, applicants may request information about how these tools are used in the recruitment process.