Legal Counsel

Yorkville University; Toronto; Hybrid; CAD 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading Canadian post-secondary institution is seeking a Legal Counsel to provide strategic legal guidance across various departments. This hybrid role involves drafting and negotiating agreements, advising on compliance and governance matters, and managing legal disputes. Ideal candidates will have a law degree, at least three years of experience, and strong communication skills. Join us to impact the future of education in Canada.

Benefits

Professional development opportunities

Comprehensive benefits

Hybrid work environment

Competitive salary

Qualifications

• A minimum of three years of experience as a Legal Counsel.
• Experience in higher education is highly valued.
• Member in good standing with the Law Society of Ontario.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic legal guidance to senior leaders and faculty.
• Draft, negotiate, and manage various agreements.
• Advise on privacy, employment, and intellectual property matters.
• Support policy development and ensure compliance.
• Manage legal disputes and oversee relationships with external counsel.
• Develop legal processes and deliver training programs.

Skills

Communication skills

Analytical skills

Attention to detail

Negotiation skills

Legal knowledge

Education

Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) or Juris Doctor (J.D.)

Job description

We are looking for the visionaries, the change-makers, and the self-starters who are seeking more from their career. Change begins with the small decisions we make, each day, to support each other, and strive to create inspiring, incredible educational experiences for all students, no matter where they are, or how they learn. In choosing a career with Yorkville University, you will have the opportunity to push boundaries, flex your creativity, and inspire positive change for so many people. Our core values put the student experience at the center of what we do, reflecting who we are, and aspire to be. If you want to shine a light on academic excellence, be empowered to make an impact on the transformation of the Canadian post-secondary education landscape, and work collaboratively beyond levels, join us.

Who we need

Reporting to the Vice-President, Legal and General Counsel, we are seeking a Legal Counsel to join our team. In this role, you will serve as a trusted advisor to senior leaders, faculty, and staff, providing strategic legal guidance across the organization. This is an opportunity to bring your expertise to a national private higher-education institution with campuses across Canada, influencing decisions that impact thousands of students, employees, and external partners. You will help safeguard the institution while enabling growth and innovation, advising on matters of impact across various departments within Yorkville University and Toronto Film School including Academics, Finance, Student Services, Marketing/Recruitment Policy/Governance and Operations, handling a broad scope of subject matters such as reviewing, drafting and negotiating commercial agreements, supporting governance and policy development, providing legal advice in a broad scope of areas, employment, human rights, privacy and others.

This is a full-time role, currently following a hybrid model working both on-site at our downtown Toronto location and remotely.

What's in it for you

Strategic impact. You will serve as a trusted legal partner to senior leadership, shaping key decisions across academic, operational, and corporate functions. Your guidance will directly influence the success, compliance, and growth of Yorkville University and Toronto Film School.

Professional growth. You will join a newly established legal function, with the opportunity to help define its vision, build processes, and expand your advisory scope. You will refine your expertise across a broad spectrum of matters, including commercial agreements, employment law, privacy, intellectual property, and litigation.

Influence across the organization. You will work across all departments and interact with leadership at every level, from faculty to Board members. You will be empowered to provide practical legal solutions, foster collaboration, and help move the organization forward with confidence and authority.

Ownership and autonomy. As a key member of the organization’s legal team, you will operate with a high degree of independence, taking accountability for complex matters, shaping institutional practices, and contributing meaningfully to high-profile projects that impact the national mandate of the institution.

What you will do

• Act as a trusted advisor. You will support the Vice-President, Legal and General Counsel and act as a strategic legal partner to the Leadership Team, faculty, and corporate departments, enabling sound decision-making across the institution.
• Draft, negotiate, and manage agreements. You will oversee the full lifecycle of agreements, including vendor, service, technology, license, affiliation, and non-disclosure contracts. You will ensure institutional interests are protected and agreements are completed efficiently.
• Advise on legal and regulatory matters. You will provide guidance on privacy, employment, human rights, intellectual property, corporate or commercial law, and regulatory compliance, helping leaders balance risk with opportunity.
• Support compliance, policy development and governance. You will monitor legislative requirements, assess institutional impact, support institutional policy creation and create a proactive culture of compliance.
• Manage disputes effectively. You will oversee legal disputes, including litigation and tribunal matters, and manage relationships with external counsel, ensuring timely and cost-effective resolution.
• Build institutional capacity. You will develop precedents, playbooks, and workflow procedures to standardize legal processes and deliver training programs that strengthen legal knowledge across the organization.
• Advance institutional projects. You will contribute legal expertise to special projects and strategic initiatives, delivering outcomes that align with Yorkville University’s national mandate.

What you bring

• The education. You have successfully completed a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B), Juris Doctor (J.D.), or equivalent law degree, and you are a member in good standing with the Law Society of Ontario.
• The experience. You have a minimum of three years of experience as a Legal Counsel with a leading law firm or as in-house counsel at a major corporation. Prior experience in higher education is highly valued.
• The expertise. You have exceptional communication, analytical, and documentation skills with a keen attention to detail. You bring significant experience negotiating, drafting, and reviewing a wide range of contracts. You have broad legal knowledge in a wide-variety of areas including contract law, privacy law, employment law, human rights, intellectual property law and litigation.
• The drive. You are practical and results oriented in your approach to providing legal advice, highly organized, with proven time management abilities and a focus on accuracy. You take initiative, ownership, and professional accountability. You are motivated to solve complex legal matters, deliver results autonomously, and adapt to a dynamic and evolving environment.
• The collaboration skills. You can work effectively with stakeholders at all levels, including the Leadership Team, Board members, faculty, staff, and external counsel, with professionalism and discretion.

Why work at Yorkville University?

• An atmosphere that successfully blends an entrepreneurial culture with education. We value innovation and continuously look towards expanding our programming, working with the latest research, tools, and solutions. As a private school with government approval of our offerings, we have the opportunity to do more, stay current, and be future-forward.
• The chance to accelerate your career and make meaningful contributions to the future of higher-education, purposefully challenging the status quo with a vision of supporting the organization’s growth, reputation and industry positioning.
• A place where all individuals feel welcomed in the academic and workplace environments and part of highly motivated team. We celebrate the full range of human diversity, and we acknowledge that equal access to opportunities and services may require the removal of barriers that equity-seeking communities experience in trying to obtain this access.
• The opportunity to grow with access to free courses, certifications and programs - right up to our Masters' offerings.
• An appreciation for the insights and skills you bring to work with a competitive salary and comprehensive benefits, including a wide breadth of wellness services, and a work-life balance.

Join us

We welcome and appreciate candidates with a range of backgrounds and experiences. Even if you don’t have all of the qualifications we are looking for, we encourage you to apply.

What you can expect from our hiring process:

• A virtual interview with a Talent Advisor.
• A virtual interview with the VP, Legal and General Counsel, and the VP, People.
• An in-person interview with a member of the Senior Leadership Team.

Diversity, equity and inclusion are a critical component of life at Yorkville University and Toronto Film School and we are committed to making these values an integral part of our culture. We encourage applications from all qualified applicants, including women, persons with disabilities, Black, Indigenous and People of Colour (BIPOC), people from the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Transsexual, Queer, Questioning, Two-Spirit, Intersex, Asexual + (LGBTQ2SIA+) community and other equity-seeking groups.

Yorkville University is committed to providing accessible employment practices that are in compliance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). If you require accommodation for disability, please notify Human Resources at 1-877-429-4029.

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