Senior Counsel, Canadian Personal & Business Banking

BMO Financial Group; Toronto; On-site; CAD 111,000 - 208,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading financial services provider in Toronto seeks a Senior Counsel to provide regulatory legal advice and expert guidance on lending, real estate, and retail banking. The candidate will collaborate with senior leaders, tackle complex legal matters, and must have at least 7 years of relevant legal practice. A law degree and in-depth regulatory knowledge are required, along with strong negotiation and communication skills. This role offers competitive compensation and the opportunity to grow within a prestigious firm.

Benefits

Health insurance

Tuition reimbursement

Accident and life insurance

Retirement savings plans

Performance-based incentives

Discretionary bonuses

Qualifications

• At least 7 years of legal practice or equivalent education and experience.
• Private practice, in-house or regulatory body experience in financial services.
• Knowledge of business and regulatory environment for BMO.

Responsibilities

• Provide legal advice on bank products and regulatory laws.
• Make recommendations to senior leaders on strategy and initiatives.
• Act as subject-matter expert for stakeholders.

Skills

Negotiation skills

Verbal & written communication skills

Analytical and problem-solving skills

Influence skills

Collaboration & team skills

Data driven decision making

Education

Degree in law (LLB or JD)

Job description

Application Deadline: 12/11/2025

Address: 100 King Street West

Job Family Group: Legal

The Canadian Personal & Business Banking legal team provides advisory and regulatory legal advice to fast‑paced lines of business in retail and small business banking. As Senior Counsel on this legal team, you will be working in a complex and changing environment where legal, regulatory and reputational risks must be constantly considered. You will provide expert guidance on various bank products and financial services regulatory laws, particularly in the areas of lending, real estate, and retail banking. You will be advising Senior Leaders, shaping strategic initiatives, and mitigating risk. This role reports to the Associate General Counsel for Canadian Personal & Business Banking.

Key Accountabilities

• Making recommendations to senior leaders on strategy and new initiatives, based on an in‑depth understanding of the business/group.
• Participating in the design of legal advice strategies & approaches for the unit activity and making recommendations to minimize legal issues.
• Acting as the prime subject‑matter expert for internal/external stakeholders.
• Exercising judgement on complex, confidential and sensitive matters.
• Identifying and resolving moderately complex issues.
• Determining root causes and negotiating resolutions.
• Delivering legal advice, instructing external counsel and ensuring compliance with internal policies & procedures for a single or small number of functions.
• Acting as a subject‑matter expert on relevant laws, regulations and policies.
• Resolving daily issues and/or escalating with appropriate analysis and/or recommendations.
• Identifying risks and implementing appropriate actions to mitigate them.
• Implementing areas of improvement to ensure consistency with marketplace.
• Building effective relationships with internal/ external stakeholders.
• Geographic scope: up to global.
• Operating at a group/enterprise‑wide level and serving as a specialist resource to senior leaders and stakeholders.
• Applying expertise and thinking creatively to address unique or ambiguous situations and to find solutions to problems that can be complex and non‑routine.
• Implementing changes in response to shifting trends.
• Broader work or accountabilities may be assigned as needed.

Qualifications

• At least 7 years of legal practice or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Degree in law (LLB or JD) and license to practice law in relevant jurisdiction.
• Private practice, in‑house experience or experience at regulatory body relating to financial services, federal consumer protection, real estate, and commercial lending.
• Knowledge in legal field, typically with a functional or business line specialization.
• Knowledge of business and regulatory environment in which BMO Financial Group operates.
• Advanced knowledge of subject matter legal requirements and the operations of a single client group.
• Negotiation skills - in depth.
• Seasoned professional with a combination of education, experience and industry knowledge.
• Verbal & written communication skills - In‑depth / Expert.
• Analytical and problem‑solving skills - In‑depth / Expert.
• Influence skills - In‑depth / Expert.
• Collaboration & team skills; with a focus on cross‑group collaboration - In‑depth / Expert.
• Able to manage ambiguity.
• Data driven decision making - In‑depth / Expert.

Salary

$111,800.00 – $208,000.00

Pay Type

Salaried

The above represents BMO Financial Group’s pay range and type.

Salaries will vary based on factors such as location, skills, experience, education, and qualifications for the role, and may include a commission structure. Salaries for part‑time roles will be pro‑rated based on number of hours regularly worked. For commission roles, the salary listed above represents BMO Financial Group’s expected target for the first year in this position.

BMO Financial Group’s total compensation package will vary based on the pay type of the position and may include performance‑based incentives, discretionary bonuses, as well as other perks and rewards. BMO also offers health insurance, tuition reimbursement, accident and life insurance, and retirement savings plans. To view more details of our benefits, please visit: https://jobs.bmo.com/global/en/Total-Rewards

About Us

At BMO we are driven by a shared Purpose: Boldly Grow the Good in business and life. It calls on us to create lasting, positive change for our customers, our communities and our people. By working together, innovating and pushing boundaries, we transform lives and businesses, and power economic growth around the world.

As a member of the BMO team you are valued, respected and heard, and you have more ways to grow and make an impact. We strive to help you make an impact from day one – for yourself and our customers. We’ll support you with the tools and resources you need to reach new milestones, as you help our customers reach theirs. From in‑depth training and coaching, to manager support and network‑building opportunities, we’ll help you gain valuable experience, and broaden your skillset.

To find out more visit us at https://jobs.bmo.com/ca/en

BMO is committed to an inclusive, equitable and accessible workplace. By learning from each other’s differences, we gain strength through our people and our perspectives. Accommodations are available on request for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process. To request accommodation, please contact your recruiter.

Note to Recruiters: BMO does not accept unsolicited resumes from any source other than directly from a candidate. Any unsolicited resumes sent to BMO, directly or indirectly, will be considered BMO property. BMO will not pay a fee for any placement resulting from the receipt of an unsolicited resume. A recruiting agency must first have a valid, written and fully executed agency agreement contract for service to submit resumes.