Legal Counsel - Solicitor

Barrie; Barrie; Hybrid; CAD 124,000 - 166,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Extended health and dental

Life and accident insurance

Paid vacation and sick days

OMERS pension plan

EFAP

Transit passes

Perkopolis discounts

Job summary

City of Barrie is seeking a Legal Counsel – Solicitor to provide expert legal advice across municipal, planning, environmental, real estate and contracts matters. You will support governance, risk mitigation, and regulatory compliance, including preparation of By-laws and coordination with external counsel.

Hybrid work arrangement available; 35 hours per week. The role offers a competitive CAD 123,969.77 to 166,148.35 yearly salary, posted Oct 14, 2026 with a deadline of Nov 4, 2026.

Qualifications

• J.D. or LL.B. from a recognized university with good standing in Ontario.
• Licensed to practise law in Ontario (Law Society of Ontario).
• Five years of municipal law experience or related fields.

Responsibilities

• Provide expert legal advice across municipal law, planning, environmental, real estate and contracts.
• Ensure sound governance, risk mitigation, and regulatory compliance.
• Prepare corporate documents, by-laws, and coordinate with outside counsel when needed.

Skills

Analytical

Attention to Detail

Decision Making

Negotiation

Leadership

Communication

Teamwork

Research

Report Writing

Problem Solving

Education

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

Law Society of Ontario license

Tools

Microsoft 365

Legal research platforms

Ontario Land Registry Office

Job description

## Legal Counsel - Solicitor**Posting Number: PN****-26-29****Job Type: Permanent** **Full-time, Non-Union****Salary Range: $123,969.77 to $166,148.35 per year****Posted: Wednesday, October 14, 2026****Application Deadline: Wednesday, November 4, 2026 at 11:59 pm****The Opportunity**The Legal Services Department provides timely and comprehensive legal advice to City Council, the CAO and City staff, and provides a full range of legal services to the Corporation, its boards and agencies. It also provides guidance on insurance administration and risk management. This department provides professional execution of the City's real estate program including acquisition, disposition, leasing and encroachments. The department strives to ensure that every measure is taken to provide a cost effective, high quality standard of service.Under the general direction and guidance of the Director of Legal Services, the Legal Counsel – Solicitor is responsible for protecting and advancing the legal interests of the City of Barrie by providing expert legal advice, analysis, and representation across a broad range of municipal practice areas, including municipal and tax law, planning and development, environmental law, real estate and property matters, and corporate commercial and contracts law. This position contributes to sound corporate governance, risk mitigation, and regulatory compliance by ensuring that City actions, policies, programs, agreements, and by-laws are legally sound and enforceable within the applicable legislative and regulatory framework. Additionally, this position supports the City's ability to deliver services and pursue corporate objectives with confidence by providing timely and accurate legal counsel to internal clients across departments and divisions. Overall, the position plays a key role in enabling informed decision-making at all levels of the organization, including through the interpretation and preparation of corporate documents and by-laws, and the coordination of outside legal counsel where required. In doing so, the position safeguards the City's legal interests across a complex and evolving political, regulatory, and legislative environment.**Our Culture and Qualifications of the Job****Corporate Culture:** Your workplace values align with our corporate values of ***Strive, Share and Care*** and you want to join us in providing exceptional services and programs to build a prosperous, growing and sustainable community.Equally important to what we do is *how* we do it - your actions reflect our core accountabilities of ***Personal Awareness, Teamwork and Collaboration, Respect and Inclusion, Innovation,*** and ***Service Excellence,*** which define how we work together to succeed.**Education** (degree/diploma/certifications)* Juris Doctor (J.D.) or Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) degree from a recognized university.* A member in good standing with the Law Society of Ontario and licensed to practise law in OntarioDon’t meet the credentials as outlined but have years of directly related experience? Please see the City’s **Education Equivalency Policy** to determine if you may qualify for equivalency. Further information is available at www.barrie.ca/government-news/jobs* Position Equivalency Code: E**Experience*** Five (5) years of experience performing duties related to the above-mentioned major responsibilities, including broad legal experience in the practice of municipal law in one or more areas such as municipal and tax law, planning and development, environmental law, real estate and property matters, or corporate commercial and contracts law.**Knowledge/Skill/Ability*** Thorough knowledge of the following legislation, regulations, or requirements: Municipal Act, 2001, Planning Act, Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA), Municipal Elections Act, Municipal Conflict of Interest Act, Development Charges Act, Ontario Building Code Act, Environmental Protection Act, Environmental Assessment Act, Business Corporations Act (OBCA). Condominium Act, 1998, Land Transfer Tax Act, Code of Professional Conduct of the Law Society of Ontario* Thorough knowledge of the following principles and standards + Municipal operations, City organizational structures, and departmental business requirements, complexities, and inter-relationships + Principles, practices, and procedures relating to negotiation, dispute resolution, mediation, and facilitation + Corporate governance, legal documentation standards, and preparation of legal opinions + Protocols for preparing reports, briefing notes, and correspondence for senior management and Council* Demonstrated ability to: + work independently with minimal supervision + work collaboratively in a group setting to achieve a desired objective, goal, or outcome + exercise discretion and judgment when handling confidential, sensitive, and controversial information + identify complex problems; develop and evaluate options; and implement solutions utilizing reason, judgment, and prescribed resources + think and act strategically in a political and community service environment + interact effectively and courteously with all levels of staff and contacts in a political and community/client service environment + communicate and present information to a wide range of internal and external contacts using the appropriate medium + interpret and analyze data; identify challenges or opportunities; and make recommendations + lead, coach, mentor, and support staff + set priorities; meet deadlines; and manage work demands + lead and coordinate simultaneous projects + deal with difficult customers; diffuse emotionally-charged situations; and resolve customer issues in a diplomatic and professional manner* Advanced skills include: Analytical, Attention to Detail, Decision Making, Interpersonal, Judgment, Leadership, Negotiation, Organizational, Presentation, Problem Solving, Report-writing, Research, Verbal Communication, Written Communication* Intermediate skills include: Coaching, Supervisory* Intermediate computer literacy using the following systems and software: Microsoft 365 (Word, Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint), Legal research platforms and online databases, Ontario Land Registry Office for document registration* Availability to accommodate deadlines or peak period workloads that may extend beyond designated normal workday hours or normal hours per week.**Conditions of Employment*** Satisfactory Criminal Record Check\\*\\*Please note that this is a requirement for any new employees to the City of Barrie in accordance with the **Police Record Check Policy**. Existing employees who have met this criteria will be exempt from this requirement.**Other Important Information****Location:** City Hall, 70 Collier Street, Barrie, Ontario\\*\\*Please note that the City has a **Hybrid Work Program Policy** in place that may allow a hybrid work arrangement of one (1) remote day per week for employees who meet eligibility requirements.**Hours:** The normal hours of work are 35 hours per week; however, some non-standard hours may apply**Wage:** This a permanent full-time non-union position with the following pay level and 2026 pay range:+ Pay Level: Level 15+ Yearly Salary: $123,969.77 to $166,148.35+ Hourly Pay Rate: $68.12 to $91.29**What We Offer:** This position includes a comprehensive non-union benefit plan, including but not limited to extended health and dental coverage, life and accident insurance, paid vacation and sick days, short/long term disability plans, OMERS Primary pension plan, access to the Employee and Family Assistance Program (EFAP), discounted rates for City Fitness Memberships and Transit Passes, and access to the Perkopolis Perks program, which provides exclusive access to discounts on a wide range of products and services available to all City employees.**How to Apply:** Click the ‘**Apply Now**’ button at the top and/or bottom of the job posting to start the application process. Please note that emailed applications will not be considered.**Why Barrie?**The City of Barrie is a vibrant, progressive, and growing community with deep connections to our heritage, to nature and to the opportunities surrounding us.Our community values quality of life; the ability to play year-round with 300 hectares of park space, our beautiful waterfront, our lively downtown core and the nearby hills, wetlands, and forests. We also value connections; to our neighbours and the community, to our road and rail network, and to the opportunity Barrie provides to enjoy life.Everything Barrie has to offer, from the water we drink to the roads we travel on, has one thing in common - municipal workers. Joining a municipality is one of the most rewarding, engaging, and exciting careers you could choose. It is a career you can take pride in knowing that every day you make a positive impact on an entire community. We are one team, with one goal and we all work together to continue making our community great.The City of Barrie is an equal opportunity employer,dedicated to creating a workplace culture ofinclusiveness and welcomes applications from qualifiedindividuals of diverse backgrounds. We are committed toproviding barrier-free and accessible employmentpractices and we will accommodate the needs ofapplicants under the Ontario Human Rights Code and theAccessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA)throughout all stages of the recruitment and selectionprocess. If contacted for an employment opportunity,please advise if you require Code-protectedaccommodation and we will work with you to meet yourneeds.The job posting has been designed to indicate thegeneral nature and essential duties and responsibilitiesof work performed by employees within this position. Itmay not contain a comprehensive inventory of all dutiesand responsibilities required of employees to do thisjob. For full position details, please request a copy ofthe job description by emailing [e-mail].