General Counsel - Canada

ASSA ABLOY; Mississauga; Hybrid; CAD 225,000 - 250,000; Full time

Job summary

ASSA ABLOY Canada seeks a Canadian General Counsel to partner with business and legal teams, proactively identify risk, and enable strategic initiatives across a fast-paced, growing organization.

The General Counsel will advise leadership on commercial, regulatory, and labor matters, including Quebec Civil Law familiarity, and lead with strong business acumen and practical problem-solving.

Qualifications

• Active license to practice law in a Canadian province with good standing.
• Fluency in English and French (written and spoken).
• 10+ years of post-admission legal practice with senior leadership experience.
• Experience drafting, reviewing, and negotiating complex commercial agreements.
• Exposure to corporate governance, risk mitigation, and M&A integration.

Responsibilities

• Partner with business leaders and legal colleagues to manage risk and enable strategic initiatives.
• Advise executive leadership on commercial, regulatory, and operational matters.
• Interface with executive teams and cross-functional partners in Canada.
• Support day-to-day operations and governance; manage significant transactions and labor matters.

Skills

Bilingual (English & French)

Negotiation

Strategic partnership

Corporate governance

Risk management

Leadership

Education

LL.B./JD/B.C.L. degree

Bar admission in a Canadian province

Quebec Civil Law familiarity (desirable)

Job description

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Location: Oakville, Ontario
Department: Legal
Employment Type: Full-Time, Exempt
Reports To: Sean D. Mason, Head of Legal ESD NA

We are seeking a Canadian, General Counsel to join ASSA ABLOY, Canada. You will be a partner with business leaders and legal colleagues working to proactively identify and manage risk, enable strategic initiatives, and support day‑to‑day operations in a fast‑paced, growing organization.

The General Counsel will serve as the key legal advisor to leadership within ASSA ABLOY Entrance Systems Division Canada. The role will require that you interface with executive teams and provide counsel to Canadian sales, service, procurement, operations, and compliance functions. This role handles a broad range of commercial, regulatory, and operational matters typical of the industrial equipment sector. The ideal candidate is a practical problem‑solver with strong business acumen, broad legal experience and who balances legal risk with business needs and has experience supporting organizations that sell, lease, install and service industrial, mechanical, or heavy equipment.

Professional Qualifications:

• Legal Licensure, Education & Experience:
• Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.), Juris Doctor (J.D.), or Bachelor of Civil Law (B.C.L.) degree from a recognized law school.
• Active member in good standing with a Canadian provincial bar association, with a strong preference for candidates with dual admission.
• A minimum of 10 or more years of post-admission (post-call) practice experience, demonstrating a progression of senior leadership responsibility.
• Fluency in English and French (written and spoken) is required. The candidate must possess the ability to independently draft, review, and negotiate complex legal agreements, and effectively communicate with counterparties in both languages.
• Quebec Jurisdictional Experience:
• Understanding of Quebec Civil Law and the Civil Code of Quebec (CCQ), distinguishing it from Canadian common law frameworks is highly desired and will create a competitive advantage to the candidate.
• You do not need to be licensed in Quebec but familiarity with routine transactional and labor matters is a necessary skill for this position.
• Commercial & Transactional Experience:
• Extensive experience drafting, reviewing, and negotiating complex commercial agreements (e.g., vendor contracts, service agreements, procurement, and strategic partnerships).
• Proven track record of managing high-stakes transactions, corporate governance matters, risk mitigation strategies, as well as experience with the integration of newly acquired companies .
• Labor & Employment Law:
• Experience with Canadian labor matters, including Quebec employment standards, occupational health and safety regulations (CNESST), and workplace dispute resolution.
• Experience advising executive leadership on employment contracts, termination strategies, workplace policies, and labor relations management.
• Leadership & Business Acumen:
• Demonstrated ability to act as a strategic business partner to executive leadership, translating complex legal risks into understandable, useful, real-world advice.
• Prior experience as a senior in-house attorney, serving an executive team(s) is highly desirable.

Work Location:

• The successful candidate will be expected to work in our Toronto offices. The possibility to work 2 days per week remotely may be available.

Compensation:

Competitive base salary ranging from $225,000 - $250,000 CAD, complemented by a target annual STI bonus of 20%, subject to plan terms and company performance.

We are the ASSA ABLOY Group

Our people have made us the global leader in access solutions. In return, we open doors for them wherever they go. With nearly 63,000 colleagues in more than 70 different countries, we help billions of people experience a more open world. Our innovations make all sorts of spaces – physical and virtual – safer, more secure, and easier to access.

As an employer, we value results – not titles, or backgrounds. We empower our people to build their career around their aspirations and our ambitions – supporting them with regular feedback, training, and development opportunities. Our colleagues think broadly about where they can make the most impact, and we encourage them to grow their role locally, regionally, or even internationally.

As we welcome new people on board, it’s important to us to have diverse, inclusive teams, and we value different perspectives and experiences.