Legal Counsel

Ontario Health | Santé Ontario; Toronto; Hybrid; CAD 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

A healthcare organization in Ontario is looking for a Legal Counsel to provide proactive legal advice in corporate/commercial law and health law. The ideal candidate will have a law degree, significant legal experience, and strong analytical skills. This role offers a hybrid working model with competitive benefits and a commitment to diversity. Responsibilities include drafting contracts, advising on legal matters, and ensuring compliance with legislation.

Benefits

Fully paid medical, dental and vision coverage

Career development opportunities

Hybrid working model

Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience in corporate/commercial law, health, privacy, and corporate governance.
• 5 years of related work experience required.
• Experience in the healthcare sector is an asset.

Responsibilities

• Provide proactive and solutions-based legal advice.
• Research and interpret legal issues.
• Draft and negotiate complex contracts.

Skills

Exceptional research skills

Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills

Strong understanding of health law

Excellent organizational and time management skills

Education

Law degree (LLB or JD)

CIPP/C designation (asset)

Job description

Overview

At Ontario Health, we are committed to developing a strong organizational culture that connects and inspires all team members across the province. Our vision is that together, we will be a leader in health and wellness for all. Our mission is to connect the health system to drive improved and equitable health outcomes, experiences and value. How we work together is reflected through our five values: integrity, inspiration, tenacity, humility and care.

To obtain a French translation of the following job posting, please email [e-mail]. Requests will be addressed within three business days, and the application window will be extended by three business days.

What Ontario Health offers

Achieving your career goals is a priority to us. Benefits of working at Ontario Health may include the following based on employment type:

• Fully paid medical, dental and vision coverage from your first day
• a health care spending or wellness spending account
• a premium defined benefit pension plan
• three personal days and two float days annually
• three weeks’ vacation to start (for individual contributors), increasing to four weeks after two years
• career development opportunities
• a collaborative values-based team culture
• a wellness program
• a hybrid working model
• participation in Communities of Inclusion

Want to make a difference in your career? Consider this opportunity.

The Legal Counsel will be responsible for providing proactive and solutions based legal advice, principally in the areas of corporate/commercial law and health law, ensuring that Ontario Health complies with its legal obligations and mitigates business and legal risks.

This role will manage legal issues arising across OH on an enterprise, departmental and program-level. As the subject matter expert within the organization on a broad base of legal matters, this role will work with Senior Legal Counsel to provide counsel and support directly to OH portfolios and Senior Leaders on complex legal matters.

Here Is What You Will Be Doing

• Providing proactive and solutions based legal advice and recommendations to OH leadership to mitigate legal and business risks for OH.
• Researching and interpreting legal issues and providing advice on such issues.
• Drafting, amending and negotiating complex contracts and other legal documents, with and without the aid of established precedents, including but not limited to software as a service agreements, license agreements, goods and services agreements, data sharing agreements, privacy agreements, transfer payment agreements, and service accountability agreements.
• Providing conflict of interest opinions and conducting investigations under the Public Service of Ontario Act.
• Advising on privacy authorities analysis and privacy legislation.
• Assisting the Senior Legal Counsel, Assistant General Counsel, and General Counsel with the management of any legal matters, as required.
• Evaluating the impact of legislation and regulations on OH.
• Supporting OH’s compliance with applicable legislative and regulatory requirements, government directives and internal policies and procedures.
• Managing the engagement of external lawyers.
• Assisting business units in performing contract management and regulatory compliance functions
• Providing legal advice and support to other members of the legal team.
• Managing stakeholders with a focus on provision of information, advice and guidance to OH leadership and external stakeholders including the Ministry, hospitals, physicians, foundations.
• Contributing to the realization of the legal department’s strategic and business objectives.
• Participating in Ontario Health committees and groups.

Education And Experience

Here is what you will need to be successful:

• Law degree (Bachelor of Laws (LLB) or Juris Doctor (JD)) and licensed to practice law in Ontario, with demonstrated experience in various complex specialized areas of law, including corporate/commercial law, health, public sector, information technology, privacy, and corporate governance.
• Direct/indirect related work experience representing continuous learning and required for someone to perform this job competently is 5 years.
• Recognized access and privacy designation (CIPP/C) is an asset.
• Experience working in the healthcare sector is an asset.
• The typical minimum level of education to perform this job competently is equivalent to specialized graduate studies. The person requires the equivalent of post-graduate training at the master’s level in university in order to understand, utilize and communicate very complicated, very diversified or highly technical concepts/theories/practices.

Key Competencies

• Exceptional research skills with demonstrated strategic thinking, analytical, creative problem-solving and planning skills.
• Exceptional interpersonal and communications skills (written and verbal) with effective group presentation and stakeholder engagement abilities, including the ability to translate complex regulatory standards or legal concepts in a manner that can be understood by a functionally diverse audience.
• Strong understanding of health law and healthcare policy.
• Strong understanding of legislation, regulations and directives governing Ontario Health as a provincial agency.
• High level of composure with the ability to demonstrate sound judgment, discretion, tact and courtesy.
• Excellent organizational and time management skills and the ability to respond to a multiplicity of demands and prioritize work activities.
• Ability to work under pressure and maintain strict confidentiality.

Location: Ontario Health supports a hybrid work environment and has office locations across the province. We welcome applications from candidates residing anywhere in the province of Ontario.

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Employment Details

• Employment Type Temporary + (Fixed Term) Full time
• Contract Length 12 Month(s)
• Salary Band LC II
• External Application Deadline Date September 30, 2025

All applicants must be a resident of Ontario to be considered for roles at Ontario Health.

Ontario Health encourages applications from candidates who are First Nations, Métis, Inuit, and urban Indigenous; Francophone; members of Black and racialized groups; 2SLGBTQIA+ communities; trans and nonbinary individuals; and people living with disabilities.

Ontario Health is an accessible employer, and we offer accommodation in all aspects of employment, including the recruitment process. If you require a disability related accommodation in order to participate in the recruitment process, please email [e-mail] and a member of the team will connect with you within 48 hours.