Senior Counsel

Employment Status:

Regular

Time Type:

Full time

BUILDING A WORLD CLASS TEAM STARTS WITH YOU

At the heart of CSA Group is a vision: making the world a better, safer, more sustainable place. It's been part of our mission for nearly one hundred years: from the first engineering standard for railway bridges developed in 1919, to more than 3,500 standards, codes & related products today.

Headquartered in Canada, with a global footprint of more than 30 labs and offices across Europe, Asia and North America, CSA Group tests, inspects and certifies a wide range of products - from every day househould items to leading edge technology-to meet exacting requirements for safety, performance and environmental impact.

Our employees take pride in making a difference in people's lives through the work that we do. We're looking for people like you to help make it happen.

Job Summary:

The Senior Counsel provides strategic legal services that enable CSA Group to effectively manage risks while meeting business objectives, including technical and tactical advice and support to other legal team members.

Principal Duties & Responsibilities:

• Maintain current knowledge of the law; understand and apply in-house legal industry best practices in areas including employment, corporate/commercial, international trade laws, sanctions and expert controls, mergers/acquisitions, professional negligence (tort) law and insurance coverage.
• Corporate and cross-functional committees as requested, e.g. pension committee.
• Provides advice and counsel on routine and complex contracts covering various relationships. Negotiates and drafts contracts for routine and complex commercial and corporate relationships. Develops template contracts as required. Mentors and oversees team of legal professionals reviewing contracts.
• Manages the litigation process. Manages external counsel in the conduct of litigation. Ensures budget and litigation plans are established; reviews billings against plan on a timely basis.
• Advises senior management and internal staff regarding status and conduct of litigation and seeks input. Ensures that legal holds and litigation reports are prepared and circulated on a timely basis. Coordinates the collection and organization of information within CSA necessary to conduct the litigation and assign related accountabilities. Selects and prepares witnesses, legal documents including pleadings and affidavits. Ensures that disputes are resolved in the most cost and time efficient way possible.
• Acquisitions: Provides legal advice to CSA Group for acquisitions, divestitures and other corporate arrangements. Retains, instructs and coordinates external counsel as necessary based on the jurisdiction and complexity of the transaction. Ensures that appropriate due diligence and transactional documents are created. Participates as required in post-acquisition integration activities.
• Corporate Governance: As requested, advises with regard to the establishment of new offices in international locations. Liaises with Corporate Secretary, Finance and Operations as necessary to support the establishment of corporate offices in other countries as required by regional management to accommodate organic growth or new local statutory requirements requiring changes to existing CSA Group corporate subsidiaries, JVs, branches or representative offices.
• Compliance: Identifies regulatory compliance issues facing the company (including, but not limited to, trade sanctions; records retention; competition, anti-bribery, supply chain risks and lobbyist regulations); provides information and training as necessary to staff; provides legal advice on sufficiency of operational systems to meet compliance and corporate due diligence defense goals. Undertakes workplace investigations as required.
• Policies & Procedures: Supports the maintenance of corporate policies and procedures, and legal and compliance training programs. Participates in the periodic development and review of CSA Group policies; coordinates comments and input from broad range of internal stakeholders; identifies trends and the need for new policies that might not yet exist. Manages, develops and implements special projects, policies and procedures as required.
• Internal Committees & Strategic Plans: Provides legal strategic advice and counsel including, but not limited to: participation in cross-functional committees as assigned; review of key internal documents (i.e. marketing/communications documents, strategic plans); legal assessment of new business initiatives; material changes and new developments in existing fields of business to determine the potential exposure to liability; protection of intellectual property.
• Risk Management: Participates as required in enterprise risk management (ERM) initiatives to support the maintenance of corporate systems by which CSA Group can identify inherent and residual risks to the organization. Helps identify control measures to assist CSA Group in managing risks while achieving business objectives.
• Intellectual Property: Provides legal advice in relation to the protection of CSA Group’s IP portfolio, including trademarks and copyright. Manages CSA’s global Trademark and Copyright Portfolio working with outside TM agents; reviews, proposes and takes appropriate action to protect CSA Group’s IP assets; oversees and manages a team of anti-counterfeiting investigators that protect CSA’s IP portfolio.
• Continuing Education: Stays abreast of current legal developments and updates and advises senior management and the rest of the legal team as appropriate.
• Notary Public: Notarizes and swears documents as required.
• Works as a member of a team – cross-functional or within the department.
• Performs all work in accordance with established regulatory, compliance and safety requirements.

Education:

• Law degree; licensed to practice law in a relevant jurisdiction
• Technical, engineering or other cross-functional education and/or experience preferred

Experience:

• Minimum 10-12 years’ experience working as in-house legal counsel and/or in private practice, preferably with exposure to international operations
• In-depth knowledge of contracts, policies and procedures, precedents, corporate/commercial laws, various federal and state laws and regulations
• Familiarity with, or exposure to, general corporate/commercial, regulatory proceedings, intellectual property, employment law, commercial litigation

Skills and Attributes:

• Strong understanding of corporate policies, with the ability to interpret legal and business issues and provide clear, practical advice
• Demonstrated integrity, accountability, and discretion in handling confidential and sensitive information, in alignment with CSA Group values
• Proven leadership capability, including the ability to lead and manage strategic, cross‑functional legal initiatives
• Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills, with sound judgment and the ability to make informed recommendations
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to engage effectively with senior leadership, internal stakeholders, and external partners
• Outstanding negotiation and facilitation skills.
• Collaborative team player with strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build consensus on complex issues
• Highly organized and detail‑oriented, with strong time management skills and the ability to manage competing priorities and deadlines
• Self‑directed and adaptable, able to operate effectively in a fast‑paced, evolving environment
• Exposure to litigation and familiarity with intellectual property and employment law considered assets

CSA Group is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion.  We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on any grounds stipulated by applicable laws. We are an organization where opportunities are based on skills and abilities, and differences are respected and valued.  Please contact us at talentacquisition@csagroup.org if you require accommodation in the interview process.