Senior Counsel

Career Opportunity

Role Title

Senior Counsel

Purpose of role

Reporting directly to the General Counsel, Legal Services, the Senior Counsel position contributes to optimal organizational effectiveness by providing quality support to Foresters legal team and legal services to The Independent Order of Foresters ("Foresters") and its subsidiaries. This will be achieved by being responsive, proactive, and customer-oriented, supporting the achievement of the organization's strategy.

Job Description
Key Responsibilities

• Provide a full range of timely, accurate and cost-effective legal support, advice and services primarily in collaboration with our in-house legal team, management, officers, and employees throughout Foresters in Canada and the US, that may include, services in the following areas:
• General corporate commercial advice and services
• Procurement and commercial contracts
• Regulatory and compliance
• Litigation management
• Insurance and employment law
• Fraternal law
• Legal services are also provided to every area of the organization as needed to assist Foresters in fulfilling its strategic objectives
• Conduct legal research, identify legal issues and risks, formulate and recommend legal strategies and solutions particularly on complex legal matters and project related work; draft legal opinions and advise on a comprehensive range of legal matters
• Identify opportunities and assess options for legal services process improvements
• Contribute to an effective program of corporate governance compliance for Foresters and its subsidiaries by functioning in a corporate secretarial capacity as needed for Foresters Board Committees
• Manage external and internal legal resources. This includes needs analysis, resource allocation, and project monitoring
• Direct the work of the paralegals assisting with various legal files and matters
• Litigation management and directing the work of external counsel on an as needed basis
• Contribute to the maintenance of Foresters fraternal status through active involvement in industry associations, and direct interaction with legislators and regulators
• Develop, promote and deliver a program for internal client development and education to assist clients in performing their functions and to maximize law department resources. This includes contributing to seminars, presentations and written materials
• Assist in knowledge sharing and the professional development of other lawyers, paralegals and other employees
• Interest in learning new areas of law relating to multiple jurisdictions and staying abreast of statutory developments and evolving jurisprudence
• Participate in Foresters employee development and community service programs

Key Qualifications

• Ten+ years legal experience
• A subject matter expert in two or more areas of law, preferably related to the life insurance sector and compliance related experience
• A strategic thinker who can assist various Foresters departments in meeting its strategic objectives
• Multitasks, handles high volumes, reprioritizing as required as well as handling or assisting with complex cases
• Directs others as needed in relation to specific files
• Proven track record of collaboration, with an interest in mentoring colleagues within the legal team and supporting professional development
• Assists other departments in understanding and meeting their legal obligations
• Effective communication and collaboration skills to manage working partnerships with all levels of the organization and within the legal department, including team approach to determine prioritization
• Positively receives direction and guidance from others
• Proficient with technology, legal research and concise memo drafting
• Ability to communicate highly complex issues to people outside the legal profession
• Exceptional analytical and investigative skills, with appropriate attention to detail
• Ability to identify potential sources of significant exposure, consequences and risk mitigants
• Ability to identify the need and then hire expert lawyers when the issues involved require either more extensive knowledge/experience or when insufficient internal legal resources
• Ability to absorb information quickly and adjust strategy to handle issues as they evolve
• Must remain objective throughout highly subjective situations
• Creative and adaptable
• Can comfortably adjust to changing priorities and direction
• Professional, calm, composed, objective, courteous and respectful

Equal Opportunity Employment and Inclusion –
at Foresters Financial, we are committed to sustaining an equal opportunity environment for all job applicants. We embrace Inclusion, Diversity and Equity (IDE) as a core strategic objective for building strong, innovative teams in which all our employees can show up wholly and authentically as themselves.
Foresters Financial strives to provide an accessible candidate experience for prospective employees with different abilities. If you anticipate needing any type of accommodations during the recruitment process, please email in advance of your appointment.
Thank you for choosing Foresters. Only those candidates who will be selected for further consideration will be contacted by our Talent Acquisition Team.