Corporate Counsel, General Counsel Office

McCarthy Tétrault LLP (“McCarthy Tetrault” or the “Firm”) is one of Canada’s leading full-service law firms, delivering integrated business law, litigation, tax, real estate, and labour and employment services to national and international clients. With offices in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, Montréal, Québec City, New York City and London, UK, the Firm provides clients with recognized expertise and deep sector knowledge across key industries.

The Firm operates under a dynamic governance model, with authority delegated by the partnership to an elected Board of Partners, CEO, and leadership team. This structure enables efficient decision-making and seamless operations across all offices and practice areas. The General Counsel Office oversees the Firm’s legal, compliance and risk management functions.

The General Counsel Office is seeking a highly skilled lawyer to join the Firm as Corporate Counsel. Reporting to the Deputy General Counsel, the Corporate Counsel will be part of the General Counsel Office to support Firm operations and to ensure the Firm operates in compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and professional responsibilities. 

The position can be situated in the Firm’s Montréal or Québec City office.

Key Responsibilities:

Specific duties will include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Providing legal advice to the Firm’s Leadership Team, lawyers, and administrative departments on a wide range of matters, including commercial matters, privacy, technology, information security, and ethics and professional responsibility.
• Playing a pivotal role on new client and matter intake, including identifying legal, business and ethical conflicts of interest and working with key stakeholders to reach a resolution in alignment with Firm policies and values.
• Working with the Firm’s Vendor Management Office and other internal teams to develop and maintain Firm contract precedents for vendors and building a central depository of templates and agreements used by the General Counsel Office to maximize efficiency and centralization of function.
• Working with the Vendor Management Office to review and negotiate high-value and complex contracts including:
  • Software, hardware, and other IT / AI service agreements
  • Key vendor contracts including commercial property and facilities vendors
  • Publication contracts
• Reviewing and negotiating client engagement terms and outside counsel guidelines, coordinating stakeholder input, and ensuring guidelines are captured in internal systems.
• Providing support on corporate governance matters.
• Helping to maintain corporate records and governance documentation.
• Assisting with security clearances for legal team.
• Assisting with the approvals for any directorships.

Qualifications:

• LL.B./J.D. from an accredited Canadian law school and admission to the Barreau du Québec in good standing.
• Minimum six (6) years of legal experience, including substantial time in a law firm environment and/or in-house legal department.
• Possess excellent judgment, professionalism, and credibility to build confidence with senior leadership, and professionals firmwide.
• Possess excellent research and writing skills, as well as excellent verbal communication skills.
• Strong organizational skills and an ability to prioritize and manage multiple demands simultaneously with high level of attention to detail and accuracy.
• Excellent research, drafting, and analytical skills, including ability to review commercial contracts and handle negotiations with counterparties,
• Demonstrated commitment to the highest ethical standards, with a discreet and diplomatic approach.
• Knowledge of law firm operations and familiarity with data protection/privacy laws, employment law, and cybersecurity matters are considered assets.
• Significant experience with negotiating IT and AI contracts is considered an asset.
• The candidate must have a superior academic and professional record and be fully bilingual in English and French.

The candidate will be required to interact with clients and third parties who only understand and communicate in English. This position also requires that the candidate be able to interact fluidly with colleagues in our offices across Canada, where English is the predominant language. We evaluate that an important majority of the work required by this position is to be performed in English, therefore bilingualism is required.

Year One Critical Success Factors

• Developed strong working relationship with the General Counsel and Deputy General Counsel.
• Established as a dependable and go-to resource for stakeholders throughout the Firm.
• Centralized key responsibilities within the General Counsel Office to maximize efficiency and reduce Partner time on administrative tasks.
• Integrated in Firm processes, values and culture. 

Contact Information:

Catherine Tees, Professional Resources Director, Québec Region
Email: recrutementavocats@mccarthy.ca