Corporate Counsel

Posted Thursday, March 28, 2024 at 6:00 AM

Position: Corporate Counsel

Position Type: Full-time, Permanent, Excluded, [Internal/External]

Location: Edmonton, Alberta

Closing Date: Open until a suitable candidate is found

If you're a skilled legal professional who's looking to take their career to the next level,

the Corporate Counsel position is for you!

What you're passionate about

The Corporate Counsel works within the larger Governance and Legal Services division within Alberta Pensions Services Corporation ('APS'), providing a broad range of services, primarily to internal clients. The Corporate Counsel position will work within a larger, pooled team of other legal professionals to share responsibility for a portfolio of work that includes, but it not limited to, legal files, privacy support and governance matters across APS.

A typical day for the Corporate Counsel

• Represents APS' and internal clients' interests in a variety of legal, quasi-legal, and business matters.
• Drafts and advises internal clients on a wide variety of contracts, procurement documents, client-facing forms and communications content.
• Liaises with external stakeholders and external counsel on potential liability issues and active litigation matters to work towards remedial action, settlement opportunities or final favourable resolution.
• Provides legal opinions and advice to internal APS clients, which involves gathering facts and information, analyzing issues, conducting research, and applying critical judgment to deliver commercially reasonable advice.
• Drafts briefing notes and possibly provides training sessions on a variety of legal and quasi-legal issues to internal APS clients.
• Manages a portfolio of pension overpayment collections files, which may include the drafting of demand letters and negotiating arrangements for collection.
• Advises on privacy matters pursuant to both the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act and the Personal Information Protection Act.
• Assists with the appeal process for all pension plans serviced by APS.
• Advises on proposed plan text rule changes, both informally and formally.
• Performs all administrative work related to role, including but not limited to: ordering a variety of third party searches, drafting letters, diarizing files in bring forward system, searching and retrieving employer and member records, and reviewing daily Terrorist Watch List reports.
• Provides key advice either in the form of clear, concise and accurate opinions or in the form of policy recommendations in briefing notes for the administration of the pension plans.
• Negotiates and drafts important contracts and procurement documents.

What you bring

Qualifications

• Minimum of three years' experience as a licensed lawyer
• Member in good standing with, or eligible to become a member of, the Law Society of Alberta
• Graduation from a Canadian law school is strongly preferred

Legal Knowledge

• Matrimonial property law
• Wills and estates law
• Pensions law and pensions policy issues (preferred but not required)
• Freedom of information and protection of privacy legislation
• Contractual drafting

Skills and Abilities

• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills
• Outstanding attention to detail and conscientiousness
• Strong personal organizational and time management skills
• Judgment, tact and discretion in handling confidential and sensitive information
• Thorough knowledge of Office 365 applications
• Ability and desire to work as part of a larger team in a highly collaborative way

APS is made up of hard-working, respectful and talented people who understand and invite diversity to the workplace. We take pride in holding ourselves accountable and continuing to meet or exceed service levels for plan members, pensioners and employers. We ensure they receive quality services because they-along with our people-are the reason we endure and succeed.

And it sure feels good helping hard-working Albertans receive their well-deserved pensions.

• Flexible work arrangements that make sense to you: work from home, relocation and more
• Community-minded workplace with a friendly team environment
• Vacation starting at 15 days per year, 13 statutory holidays, personal days, plus office closure between Christmas and New Year's Day
• Competitive benefit package featuring extended health and dental benefits and a 100% employer-paid flexible spending account
• In-house training programs, extensive career development and coaching program, access to external education opportunities and wellness programs
• Discount programs through various partner agencies