Senior Counsel – Litigation & Employment (Hybrid)

Peoples Group; Toronto; Hybrid; CAD 180,000 - 220,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work environment

Profit sharing

RRSP matching

Benefits from day one

Flexible hours

Job summary

Peoples Group, a boutique financial institution with offices in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto and Montreal, seeks a Senior Counsel, Litigation/Employment. You will provide risk-based legal advice, manage complex disputes, advise on employee relations, and support governance and compliance across the employee lifecycle.

The role involves handling litigation, class actions, settlements and external counsel, with flexible hybrid work and a competitive compensation package.

Qualifications

• LL.B. or J.D. from an accredited law school.
• Active membership in good standing with a Canadian provincial bar association; strong knowledge of Canadian litigation, employment law, human rights, employment standards and dispute-resolution processes.
• 8+ years of experience practicing law in litigation, employment law, workplace investigations or dispute resolution, preferably with a mix of private practice and in-house experience.
• Significant direct experience managing commercial disputes, employment matters, demand letters, settlement negotiations, mediations, human rights matters and employment risk.

Responsibilities

• Litigation and dispute management: Manage commercial litigation, class actions, regulatory disputes, demand letters and pre-litigation matters, including strategy, pleadings, discovery, settlement, mediation and reporting.
• Employment advisory: Act as a trusted legal advisor to People & Culture and business leaders on employee relations, terminations, severance, accommodations, investigations, workplace issues and executive transitions.
• Employment governance and compliance: Support workforce-governance initiatives, including employment standards, human rights, work permits, overtime, incentive compensation, policies, releases and post-employment protections.
• Risk management and reporting: Identify, evaluate and communicate litigation and employment risks, recommend practical mitigation strategies, support provisioning and budget inputs, and prepare concise updates for senior stakeholders.
• Independent file management: Own complex legal files from inception to completion, managing priorities, timelines, privilege, confidentiality and stakeholder expectations with minimal supervision.
• External counsel management: Engage and manage external legal counsel, ensuring clear instructions, disciplined budgets, efficient service delivery and strong litigation and employment outcomes.

Skills

Litigation

Employment law

External counsel management

Risk assessment

Education

LL.B./J.D.

Bar admission Canada

Job description

Peoples Group, a boutique financial institution with offices in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto and Montreal, seeks a Senior Counsel, Litigation/Employment. You will provide risk-based legal advice, manage complex disputes, advise on employee relations, and support governance and compliance across the employee lifecycle.

The role involves handling litigation, class actions, settlements and external counsel, with flexible hybrid work and a competitive compensation package.