Senior Litigation Counsel

Ontario Securities Commission; Toronto; On-site; CAD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

The Ontario Securities Commission (OSC) seeks a Senior Litigation Counsel to join the General Counsel’s Department. You will litigate complex matters before the Capital Markets Tribunal and courts, manage external counsel, and provide strategic risk-mitigating advice to executives and divisions.

Ideal candidates hold an LLB/JD, be in good standing with the Law Society of Ontario, and bring at least 10 years of litigation experience, including securities matters, with strong advocacy and

Qualifications

• LLB or JD and member in good standing with the Law Society of Ontario.
• Minimum of 10 years of relevant litigation experience; securities litigation is an asset.
• Experience litigating civil matters; prior private practice is an asset.
• Strong knowledge of securities litigation, civil procedure, evidence, and administrative law.
• Superior written and oral advocacy, legal analysis, judgment, negotiation, and strategic thinking.

Responsibilities

• Litigation before the Capital Markets Tribunal and the courts with minimal supervision.
• Provide strategic litigation advice and liaise with Regulatory Operations on contested matters.
• Manage external counsel and develop litigation strategy and materials.
• Provide opinions to mitigate risk and advise on complex or unusual matters.
• Lead enforcement actions and coordinate with CSA jurisdictions when appropriate.

Skills

Advocacy

Legal analysis

Negotiation

Strategic thinking

Project management

Mentoring

Education

LLB/JD (Law Society of Ontario)

Job description

Business Unit

Regular, Full time

Closing Date: October 8, 2026

The Ontario Securities Commission (OSC) is the statutory body responsible for regulating Ontario’s capital markets in accordance with the mandate established in the provincial Securities Act and the Commodity Futures Act. The mandate of the OSC is to provide protection to investors from unfair, improper or fraudulent practices, to foster fair, efficient and competitive capital markets and confidence in the capital markets, to foster capital formation, and to contribute to the stability of the financial system and the reduction of systemic risk. This mandate is performed through policy, operational, and enforcement activities. The OSC also contributes to national and global securities regulation development.

We offer a diverse, fair, and flexible work environment and take pride in our challenging and rewarding work.

The Senior Litigation Counsel, General Counsel’s Department, litigates non-Enforcement Division matters on behalf of the Commission before the Capital Markets Tribunal and the courts, including appeals, interventions, civil proceedings, insolvency-related matters, public interest litigation, transactional proceedings, contested regulatory matters, and reviews of Director or SRO decisions.

The role also acts as instructing counsel, manages external counsel, and provides strategic litigation and risk-mitigation advice to the Executive, the Commission, and internal divisions.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

Litigation Proceedings

• Conduct proceedings, appeals, and interventions before the Capital Markets Tribunal and the courts with minimal supervision.
• Provide strategic litigation advice and act as primary liaison to the OSC’s Regulatory Operations departments, such as the Department of Mergers & Acquisitions, on contested matters.
• Act as counsel, or manage external counsel, in litigation involving the Commission, including developing strategy, preparing materials and witnesses, responding to claims, and resolving matters where appropriate.
• Provide legal opinions and recommendations to mitigate risk, address public interest issues, and obtain instructions on complex or unusual matters.
• Act for the Commission or supervise external counsel in claims against the Commission and in the enforcement of monetary sanctions, including collections matters.
• Provide strategic litigation advice to Commission divisions on contested matters, including advocacy and litigation support for freedom of information requests.

Legal Advice

• Provide practical legal and strategic advice that balances legal risk, public interest considerations, and organizational needs.
• Serve as a subject matter expert on litigation, administrative law, investigations, proceedings, hearings, reviews, appeals, and related risk-management issues.
• Advise on novel or complex legal issues, complaints, internal investigations, and litigation risk.
• Independently review matters, identify issues, and pursue efficient resolutions.
• Assess potential Commission interventions and coordinate with other CSA jurisdictions where appropriate.

Mentoring

• Mentor and develop less experienced legal staff and articling students.

Qualifications

• LLB or JD and member in good standing with the Law Society of Ontario.
• Minimum of 10 years of relevant litigation experience; securities litigation or prosecution experience is an asset.
• Experience litigating civil matters; prior private practice experience is an asset.
• Strong knowledge of securities litigation, civil procedure, evidence, administrative law, and the Canadian securities regulatory environment.
• Superior written and oral advocacy, legal analysis, judgment, negotiation, and strategic thinking skills.
• Strong project-management skills and ability to lead complex, multidisciplinary work with significant impact.
• Strong coaching and mentoring skills.

Grow your career and make a difference working at the OSC.

We thank all applicants for their interest in the Ontario Securities Commission. We will contact those selected for an interview.

The OSC is committed to diversity and providing an inclusive workplace and providing accommodation in accordance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act and the Human Rights Code. It is our priority to ensure employment opportunities are visible and barrier-free to all under-represented groups including but not limited to, Indigenous, Black and racialized groups, people with disabilities, women and people from the 2SLGBTQI+ community, to achieve an employee demographic profile reflective of the demographic profile of Ontarians.

The OSC is a proud partner with the following organizations: Ascend Canada, BlackNorth Initiative, Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion, and Pride at Work Canada.

If you require an accommodationduringthe recruitment process, please let us know by contacting our confidential inbox [e-mail].

Visit Accessibility at the OSC to review the OSC’s policies on accessibility and accommodation in the workplace.