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Legal Counsel, Labour & Employment
Req ID: 25155
Vacancy Type: Permanent
Number of Positions: 1
Closing Date: 06/21/2024
Working for the City means you are part of something big, something special! You will be part of a team of engaging, enthusiastic and dedicated people who collaborate to deliver on our commitments to the residents, visitors and businesses of Mississauga.
The City of Mississauga’s Legal Services Division is a full-service law department that handles a wide variety of interesting and rewarding files that directly impact the way people live, work and play in Mississauga. Legal Counsel are supported in their work by experienced and skilled law clerks, legal assistants and articling students and have access to the technology and software they need to do their work efficiently and easily.
Duties and Responsibilities
Reporting to the Deputy City Solicitor, Litigation, Labour & Employment, and working with Legal Services, operations and Human Resources staff, the successful candidate will:
• provide strategic and legal advice to City Council, Senior Leadership and City staff arising from unionized and non-unionized employees in varied workplaces such as Fire, Transit, Parks, Recreation, Library, Culture, Enforcement and various administrative services;
• have carriage of matters relating to all aspects of labour and employment law including grievances, wrongful dismissals, human rights, privacy, whistleblowers and workplace safety;
• represent the City in court, before labour arbitrators and at relevant tribunals such as the HRTO, OLRB, WSIAT and IPC;
• retain and instruct external lawyers, workplace investigators and experts, as required, and review their accounts for compliance with billing guidelines;
• conduct legal research and draft reports, legal opinions, legal agreements and written submissions in a timely manner and under tight deadlines as required;
• provide advice on the development, implementation and interpretation of corporate and Human Resources policies;
• advise staff regarding workplace legislation, regulatory requirements and developments in case law impacting City operations;
• provide practical and legally defensible solutions to problems and support staff in achieving the City’s strategic goals and priorities;
• provide functional direction to law clerks, legal assistants and articling students working within the Litigation, Labour & Employment Section; and
• conduct staff training on labour and employment law issues, where appropriate.
Skills and Qualifications
• a member in good standing of the Law Society of Ontario, with a university degree in law (LLB or JD) and an L1 Licence to practice law in Ontario;
• strong and varied experience practicing labour and employment law. Experience advising in the public sector is an asset;
• experience advising and representing unionized employers, including providing advice on the interpretation and application of collective agreements and the Ontario Labour Relations Act;
• experience representing parties in court and before arbitrators and tribunals. Experience conducting trials and arbitrations is an asset;
• effective oral advocacy with the ability to clearly and persuasively communicate complex information to a variety of audiences, including adjudicators, members of Council, Senior Management, City staff and external stakeholders;
• excellent writing and the ability to draft legally defensible agreements, clear and concise reports, and persuasive legal arguments, opinions and submissions;
• sound judgment and effective negotiating skills;
• excellent interpersonal skills with a demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with others;
• strong legal research skills and facility using digital and online reference materials and tools;
• strong organization and time-management skills and the proven ability to meet deadlines and prioritize work; and
• willingness and ability to practice law using paperless files, with the assistance of legal document management and case management software.
Hourly Rate/Salary: $ 130,623.00 - $ 174,164.00
Grade: I
Hours of Work: 35
Work Location: Civic Centre
Organization Unit: CMO/Litigation, Labour & Employment
Department/Division/Section: CMO/City Manager's Office , CMO/Legal Services , Litigation, Labour & Employment
Non-Union/Union: Non Union
Applicants applying to this posting may be considered for the same position(s) should another vacancy occur within six months from the date of this posting, unless the requirement to repost is expressed differently in a Collective Agreement.
If you are selected for an interview and your proposed transfer or promotion results in a real or perceived conflict of interest in relation to the Employment of Relatives Corporate Policy and Procedure, you must notify the Human Resources Representative as soon as possible.
If you are selected for an interview you are expected to disclose all current positions held in the City, whether full time or part time.
Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
The City of Mississauga is committed to creating a respectful and supportive workplace that fosters a culture of equity, diversity and inclusion which broadly reflects the communities and residents we serve. Throughout the employee life cycle, the City is working to include an EDI lens to attract, retain and support the growth of diverse talent.
Learn more about the City’s commitment to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion .
Accommodations
The City of Mississauga is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to removing barriers in our selection process for people with visible and invisible disabilities. In accordance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 and the Ontario Human Rights Code, the City of Mississauga will provide accommodations throughout the recruitment, selection and/or assessment process to applicants with disabilities.
If selected to participate in the recruitment, selection and/or assessment process, please inform Human Resources of the nature of any accommodation(s) that you may require in respect of any materials or processes used to ensure your equal participation.