Senior Counsel, Commercial Banking

Equitable Bank; Toronto; On-site; CAD 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading financial institution in Toronto seeks a legal professional to provide expert analysis and support for commercial real estate and secured lending. The ideal candidate will have 4-6 years of experience, a law degree, and a strong understanding of banking regulations. Key responsibilities include drafting legal documents, advising on transactions, and ensuring compliance with legal standards. This position offers a dynamic work environment with opportunities for professional growth.

Qualifications

• 4-6 years of post-call experience, preferably in banking or financial institutions.
• Strong knowledge of financial services/banking law and commercial real estate law.
• Experience with commercial lending and structured finance.

Responsibilities

• Provide legal analysis and advice on complex issues.
• Draft and negotiate critical legal agreements.
• Review, draft, and comment on new commercial lending transactions.

Skills

Legal analysis

Commercial real estate law

Negotiation

Regulatory compliance

Contract drafting

Education

Law degree (L.L.B. or J.D.)

Degree from a recognized Canadian university

Job description

The Core Responsibilities!

• Provide legal analysis, documentation, preparation, negotiation, and advice on complex issues, with an emphasis on commercial real estate and secured lending.
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders to advise on deal structuring, securing effective collateral, and protecting the Bank’s interests.
• Respond promptly and accurately to inquiries from various departments to facilitate transactions within set timeframes.
• Assist in drafting and negotiating critical legal agreements.
• Ensure compliance with statutory and regulatory requirements to support corporate goals.
• Research legal issues, federal and provincial legislation to assess their impact on the Bank.
• Identify and evaluate legal risks, escalating urgent issues to management as needed.
• Review and advise on legal trends, policies, procedures, and their implications, recommending appropriate actions.
• Stay informed on industry and market trends in Canadian finance, commercial real estate, and project development.
• Interact with various departments regarding legal advice and documentation requirements.
• Manage outsourcing legal expenses and promote efficiency.
• Work effectively in a fast-paced, detail-oriented environment, managing multiple deadlines and priorities.
• Operate with minimal supervision, exercising sound judgment on complex, confidential, and sensitive matters.
• Provide legal sign-off for specific projects, agreements, and initiatives on behalf of the Legal Department.

General Legal Advice / Support (30%)

• Offer pragmatic, timely legal advice on daily issues.
• Draft, review, and negotiate contracts, RFPs, and other legal documents.
• Ensure contracts include necessary protections and comply with regulations.
• Create precedents to streamline processes and reduce reliance on external counsel.
• Conduct legal research and undertake special projects as needed.
• Manage legal risk by ensuring contracts reflect best practices and legal standards.
• Engage with various departments for legal advice and documentation.
• Serve as a trusted knowledge resource in key legal areas, providing training and education.
• Authorize certain projects and policies on behalf of the Legal Department.

Commercial Lending Transactions (40%)

• Review, draft, and comment on documentation related to new commercial lending transactions.
• Collaborate with Originations, Credit, and Underwriting teams on establishing real estate loan facilities and agreements.
• Provide ongoing legal support for active real estate loan portfolios.
• Support negotiation and interpretation of inter-lender arrangements with a business-oriented approach.
• Advise on syndicated loans, asset-based lending, and structured financing.
• Draft and amend documentation to support process changes and improvements.
• Oversee external counsel to ensure cost-effectiveness and quality of service.

Corporate Initiatives and Commercial Projects (30%)

• Represent the Legal Department in new corporate initiatives and projects.
• Support launch of new products and initiatives in collaboration with the Commercial Department.
• Review, draft, and comment on project-related documentation and processes.
• Assist procurement and third-party risk teams by reviewing contracts to ensure compliance.

Let's Talk About You!

• Degree from a recognized Canadian university.
• Graduate of a recognized law school (L.L.B. or J.D.).
• Member in good standing with the Law Society of Ontario.
• 4-6 years of post-call experience, preferably in banking or financial institutions.
• Strong knowledge of financial services/banking law and commercial real estate law.
• Experience with commercial lending, real estate financing, structured finance, and asset-based lending.
• Familiarity with insolvency law and proceedings; CMHC insured loans are a plus.
• Ability to manage multiple transactions simultaneously.
• Understanding of consumer law and regulatory landscape, familiarity with bodies like OSFI, FCAC, CDIC, FINTRAC, OSC.
• Master’s degree (e.g., MBA, LLM) and proficiency in French are assets.
• Professional, courteous, collaborative, and communicative with strong organizational skills.
• Discreet, proactive, and reliable with a positive attitude and problem-solving skills.