Legal Counsel

Staff - Non Union
Job Category
M&P - Excluded M&P
Job Profile
XMP - Legal, Level A
Job Title
Legal Counsel
Department
Legal Counsel | University Counsel Office
Compensation Range
$11,705.58 - $18,265.42 CAD Monthly
The Compensation Range is the span between the minimum and maximum base salary for a position. The midpoint of the range is approximately halfway between the minimum and the maximum and represents an employee that possesses full job knowledge, qualifications and experience for the position. In the normal course, employees will be hired, transferred or promoted between the minimum and midpoint of the salary range for a job.
Posting End Date
January 26, 2025
**Note**: Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on the Posting End Date.
Job End Date
At UBC, we believe that attracting and sustaining a diverse workforce is key to the successful pursuit of excellence in research, innovation, and learning for all faculty, staff and students. Our commitment to employment equity helps achieve inclusion and fairness, brings rich diversity to UBC as a workplace, and creates the necessary conditions for a rewarding career.
Job Summary
The mission of the Office of the University Counsel (the “OUC”) is to:
provide legal advice and services that are timely, pragmatic, and proactive; and
work with academic and administrative units to streamline legal processes, wherever appropriate.
The OUC is responsible for all the legal affairs of UBC, with the exception of labour and employment matters. The OUC:
advises on UBC governance;
advises on the legal ramifications of proposed actions and, when necessary, suggests alternative solutions or corrective courses of action;
provides strong and responsible advocacy before courts, administrative agencies, or other public bodies;
provides strategic legal advice and a full range of legal services directly to UBC, its senior administration, the Board of Governors, the Senates, and the Council of Senates;
provides legal advice and services directly to academic and administrative units when requested by the deans or administrative heads of unit;
recommends practices and procedures to protect UBC from undue liability;
determines the legal structure of UBC’s subsidiaries;
oversees the development and review of Board of Governors’ policies and delegated signing authorities;
is responsible for UBC’s compliance with British Columbia’s Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act;
regulates and manages UBC’s conduct systems and internal administrative tribunals;
administers UBC’s conflict of interest systems;
provides training and other education-oriented initiatives on legal issues affecting UBC;
participates in special initiatives and sensitive projects on an as-needed basis;
brings the appropriate resources to bear in the delivery of legal services and the resolution of legal disputes and, where necessary, retains, instructs and oversees external legal counsel on behalf of UBC; and
manages the costs of legal services in an effective and cost-efficient manner in order to maximize the value of UBC’s expenditures.
The Legal Counsel is a core member of the OUC and provides legal advice and services to UBC.
Organizational Status
The Legal Counsel interacts and coordinates activities directly with other members of the UBC administration. The Legal Counsel reviews contracts and recommends them for execution to UBC’s authorized signing officers. The Legal Counsel is approved by the Ministry of Finance to approve the issuance of indemnities by UBC.
Works primarily in the office space maintained by the OUC in the Old Administration Building. The position requires local travel as well as some national travel for meetings and conferences. However, with the approval of the University Counsel, may work remotely on certain days of the week.
Work Performed
**The Legal Counsel**:
Provides legal advice and services on a range of legal issues directly to faculties and administrative units, except with respect to matters within the jurisdiction of the Department of Human Resources;
Negotiates and prepares legal agreements to which UBC is a party with a view to ensuring consistency in external dealings and compatibility with UBC’s policies and objectives;
Approves indemnities as authorized by the Ministry of Finance;
Upon consultation with the University Counsel, retains, instructs and supervises external legal counsel on behalf of UBC, except with respect to matters within the jurisdiction of the Department of Human Resources;
Identifies and recommends procedures and practices to protect UBC from undue liability;
Coordinates the development and review of University policies for consideration by the Board of Governors;
Participates in seminars and other education-oriented initiatives on legal issues affecting UBC;
Performs other related duties as required by the University Counsel.
Consequence of Error/Judgement
Adverse decisions may have significant impact upon the reputation of UBC and affili