Legal Counsel

Legal Counsel – LC092724

Department: Law

Type of Position: Full Time, Permanent

Location: 7th Floor, 5160 Yonge Street, Toronto, ON

Reporting to: Associate General Counsel

Work Model: Hybrid - Flexible work schedule (All remote work must be completed from your home office within the province of Ontario)
Grade: N

About Tarion

Since 1976, Tarion has served new home buyers and new homeowners by ensuring that one of their life’s biggest investments is protected. Almost every new home in the province is covered by a new home warranty. This warranty protection is provided by Ontario’s builders and lasts up to seven years. It is backstopped by Tarion. More than 375,000 homes are currently enrolled in the warranty program. Every year about 55,000 new homes are enrolled.

How We Make a Difference

A home is one of life’s biggest purchases. As an independent, not-for-profit organization, Tarion provides Ontario’s new home buyers and owners with peace of mind that their purchase is safeguarded through the province’s new home warranty and protection program.

Almost every new home in the province is covered by a new home warranty. Tarion ensures consumer protection by providing free tools, guides and resources to help homeowners understand their builder’s warranty and navigate warranty claims with confidence.
If a builder does not meet their warranty commitments, Tarion offers guidance to help homeowners ensure they receive the coverage they’re entitled to, and when necessary, steps in to help resolve warranty claims.

This is a hybrid role requiring working two (2) days in the office and three (3) days remotely, per week.

About the Role / Department

The Tarion Law department has three broad functions: operational, support and policy development. A key operational component of the administration of the Ontario New Home Warranties and Protection Plan is dispute resolution, which Law addresses in courts, arbitrations and tribunals. Law supports other Tarion departments, the CEO and the Board of Directors by providing sound legal advice and recommendations regarding Tarion’s operations and special projects. Law is also involved in the development of Tarion’s policies and strategic initiatives. Reporting to the Associate General Counsel, the Legal Counsel is responsible for providing the company with legal and policy advice, policy development, dispute resolution, and representing Tarion at proceedings.

Responsibilities include:

• Represent Tarion before the Licence Appeal Tribunal, other administrative bodies, in arbitrations and in court
• Have carriage of own litigation files as well as provide support to Associate General Counsel and General Counsel on legal files and other matters
• Conduct legal research and provide opinions to other lawyers in the department and to internal client groups
• Provide legal advice and support to internal client groups on various matters, including warranty-related matters, underwriting issues and Tarion business initiatives
• Assist with the development and drafting of policies and regulations
• Manage and mentor staff and provide appropriate support for career goals and professional growth and development

A great candidate for this position will have:

• Minimum LL.B. or J.D.
• Licensed to practice law in Ontario
• 3-5 years’ experience post call in litigation
• Good working knowledge of the Rules of Civil Procedure
• Experience in having carriage of own files in a law firm or in-house setting
• Experience conducting trials, hearings and examinations for discovery
• Experience drafting legal documents and submissions
• Strong and confident communicator with excellent written and oral advocacy skills
• Strong work ethic with a general interest in home building and consumer protection
• Demonstrated successes as a team player, balancing multiple priorities in a dynamic environment

Why Choose Tarion?

We believe that Tarion’s employees are its most valuable asset. We strive to provide a welcoming work environment.

We offer employees a competitive compensation program, opportunities for learning and development, an employee discount program, access to wellness programs, and a variety of Employee Assistance Program tools and online resources to support well-being.

At Tarion, we believe that a strong commitment to diversity and inclusion allows employees to perform at their very best and underpins a culture in which everyone feels they have an equal opportunity to belong and build a career. Tarion is committed to developing and maintaining work environments and practices that ensure equality of opportunity in recruitment, selection and promotion, and to removing systemic barriers so that employees have every opportunity to feel included in the workplace.

If you are a person with a disability and have questions or would like help with your application, please contact a member of the Human Resources Department.

Application Submissions & Deadline:

Please submit a single file with a covering letter and resume with vacancy code LC092724 by no later than October 11, 2024.