Legal Counsel

Regular, full-time

**Who we are**

The British Columbia College of Nurses & Midwives (“BCCNM”) is the college empowered under the Health Professions Act to regulate the practice of all licensed practical nurses, nurse practitioners, registered midwives, registered nurses, and registered psychiatric nurses in British Columbia. Regulation helps to protect the public by ensuring that professional care or service received by the public is competent, ethical, and meets the standards that society views as acceptable.

**What we offer you**

Our office is located at 200 Granville Street in Downtown Vancouver and rests on the unceded territories of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh nations. To support a healthy work-life balance, we operate using a hybrid model. Employees enjoy a collaborative environment that offers flexibility to work both on-site and remotely each week.

As a member of the team, you can expect to be working in a collaborative, team-based environment and to be treated in a respectful and professional manner. The college is committed to employee professional development and career growth, and this will be tailored for this role. We promise to provide you with rewarding work that challenges you. While your workload will be busy, the college supports staff in achieving a healthy work-life balance.

Aside from the opportunity to be part of a passionate team contributing to our important mandate of protecting the public, BCCNM offers an attractive compensation and benefits package for regular employees that includes generous annual vacation, 100% company-paid group health and dental benefits, participation in the Municipal Pension Plan, along with many other programs designed to promote employee health and well-being.

**What you’ll be doing**

Reporting to the Chief Officer, Strategy, Governance and Reconciliation (SGR), and under the direction of the Corporate Legal Counsel (CLC), SGR, the Legal Counsel (LC) provides legal support to ensure the effective, efficient, and fair management of legal matters within the purview of the College, and in accordance with the Health Professions Act (HPA), Health Professions and Occupations Act (HPOA), the Freedom of Information and Privacy Protection Act (FOIPPA), the Privacy Act, the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA), College bylaws, and administrative law. The LC also provides corporate and governance legal support to BC College of Nurses and Midwives’ (BCCNM) Board, Registrar/CEO, committees, and staff, as appropriate, on policies, and processes.

**Key responsibilities include**:

- Under the direction of Corporate Legal Counsel (CLC), provides legal research and support regarding College bylaws: identifies and documents legal issues within current bylaws; assesses, drafts, and recommends changes to College bylaws and internal policies and procedures; and supports the ongoing efficient and effective management of the College, and best practice and compliance with administrative law.
- In consultation with CLC, and working with management across the organization, analyzes, develops, and evaluates a corporate wide approach to assessing and determining legal issues related to regulatory decision making; ensures approaches, policies and processes reflect a legally sound, defensible outcome, ensuring consistency in decision making and an appropriate level of regulatory oversight to ensure public protection.
- In consultation with CLC and the CO, develops College and Board governance and corporate policy; ensures alignment with the Health Professional Act, Health Professions and Occupations Act, and College bylaws.
- Under the direction of CO, provides legal support to committees of the Board.
- Supports contracting: manages contract templates; drafts non-standard contracts; provides legal oversight of contracts; responds to management and staff questions related to contracts, and ensures staff follow protocols related to contract development, implementation and record keeping.
- Performs risk assessments, monitors legislative changes, and ensures that data sharing agreements and contracts are properly executed.
- Assists the Operations team with updating insurance policies, responding to claims on the policies, and logging reporting on financial exposure to claims.
- Drafts correspondence to applicants, registrants, complainants, and third-party organizations such as legal counsel, HPRB, and Employers, as required.
- Drafts response to requests under the _Freedom of Information & Protection of Privacy Act_ with regard to College records.

**Your education & skills**
- Bachelor of Law Degree or Juris Doctor required. Must be a practicing member of the Law Society of B.C.
- Experience in a regulatory setting or a law firm working in the areas of administrative law an asset.
- Excellent oral, written and interpersonal communication skills. Ability to use audience appropriate communication and language to present i