Counsel, Labour

Job Summary

The Counsel, Labour and Employment is responsible for advising on all Labour Relations (LR) and Human Resources (HR) legal issues in Canada. The position provides general and strategic advice on labour and employment law as well as drafts policies and handles litigation and complaints to third-party agencies. Moreover, the incumbent leads the Workers Compensation Group.

Main Responsibilities

General Employment Advice — 40%
- Advise and oversee third-party investigations of complaints
- Advise internal clients on any other employment-related legal matters as requested, including internal investigations, performance management, discipline, leaves, occupational health and safety matters, and requirements under the Canada Labour Code
- Review and draft employment policies

Oversight of Complaints and Litigation - 40%
- Advise on the company’s response to complaints and lawsuits
- Instruct external counsel handling CN’s response
- Assist external counsel in collecting relevant documentation from inside CN
- Make decisions on strategy including settlements
- Collaborate with executives and managers from other functions to ensure alignment

Working Conditions

**Requirements**:
Experience
- Minimum 8 years of labour and employment law experience, either as in-house or external counsel
- Experience providing general labour and employment law advice including advice related to the Canada Labour Code
- Experience advising on internal complaints and complaints to third-party agencies
- Experience advising a federally regulated entity with a large, unionized population*
- Experience working in the transportation, trucking, or railroad industry*
- Any experience for these above would be considered as an asset

Education/Certification/Designation
- Bachelor’s Degree in Law (LLB) or Juris Doctor (JD)
- Member of good standing of a provincial Law Society

Competencies
- Leads by example for the safety and security of all
- Collaborates with others and shares information
- Delegates and empowers others to create accountability
- Sets direction and inspires others
- Communicates with impact
- Knows the business and stays current on industry needs
- Demonstrates agility and drives change
- Demonstrates active listening
- Solves problems to create value

Technical Skills/Knowledge
- General knowledge of Microsoft Office
- Knowledge of employment laws, complaints and litigation procedures
- Awareness of evolving applicable laws
- Familiarity with legal research tools, including Bloomberg, Lexis, or Westlaw
- Fluently bilingual both written and verbal (English, French)*
- Knowledge of CN Operations*
- Any experience for these above would be considered as an asset

Organizational Impact

Decision Making & Impacts

Level of Interaction/Influence

The Counsel, Labour and Employment interacts with individuals internal and external to CN. Within the organization, the incumbent liaises with HR and LR functions as well as individual managers and executives across all functions to recommend solutions to employment-related issues. Outside of CN, the role communicates with regulatory agencies and external counsel.

Employees Supervised/Organizational Structure

The Counsel, Labour and Employment reports to the Vice-President, Law.

**About CN**

CN is a world-class transportation leader and trade-enabler. Essential to the economy, to the customers, and to the communities it serves, CN safely transports more than 300 million tons of natural resources, manufactured products, and finished goods throughout North America every year. As the only railroad connecting Canada’s Eastern and Western coasts with the Southern tip of the U.S. through a 19,500 mile rail network, CN and its affiliates have been contributing to community prosperity and sustainable trade since 1919. CN is committed to programs supporting social responsibility and environmental stewardship. At CN, we work as ONE TEAM, focused on safety, sustainability and our customers, providing operational and supply chain excellence to deliver results.