Senior Solicitor (Development and Property)

Job Number: 3398
Job Type: Full-Time
Location: 150 Frederick St - Regional Admin Headquarters
Job Category: Legal Services
Number of Positions: 1
Department: Property
Division: Planning, Development and Legislative Services
Hours of Work: 35 hours per week - Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 4:30pm (hybrid), with the flexibility to support operational needs outside of regular working hours
Grade: Management/Management Support Grade 10
Salary Range: $142,560.60 - $178,196.20 per year
Posting Date: September 25, 2025
Closing Date: October 1, 2025

About Us!

The Region of Waterloo is a thriving, diverse community committed to fostering opportunities for current and future generations. Waterloo Region is part of the Dish with One Spoon wampum, a treaty guiding our commitment to:

• Taking only what we need
• Leaving some for others
• Keeping the dish clean

This agreement underpins our vision, mission, and core value, and reinforces our dedication to meaningful reconciliation and equity. Waterloo Region is home to over 674,000 residents and expected to grow to nearly one million by 2051.

Guided by our 2023-2027 Strategic Plan, “Growing with Care,” we prioritize homes for all, climate aligned growth, equitable services and opportunities and a resilient and future ready organization. Our mission is to provide essential services that enhance the quality of life for all residents, while our core value emphasizes caring for people and the land we share. Join us and be part of a team dedicated to making a meaningful difference in our community.

The Role

Performs a senior legal advisory role in complex and significant political, social, and economic legal matters, including legal advice and recommended courses of action to Regional Council, Committees, senior management, staff, and external professionals, particularly as it relates to real estate and land matters.

Protects and advances the organization’s legal interests by advocating and defending its position before external decision-making bodies, ensuring Regional actions, policies, programs, and regulations are legal, enforceable, and functional. Participates in corporate decision-making bodies.

Negotiates and drafts legal documents to implement Council decisions.

Duties/Responsibilities

• Oversees the provision of real estate services and provides related legal advice to the Region including land acquisition, disposition and development for capital projects, and strategic priorities; assumes the carriage of priority real estate and development files including the negotiation and preparation of agreements of purchase and sale and related documentation.
• Oversees the acquisition of lands by expropriation per legislative requirements and deadlines, provides legal advice to staff and Council regarding expropriations, including costs related to liability under the Expropriations Act for damages, such as injurious affection, and negotiates agreements, including settlement agreements in connection with expropriations.
• Supervises a Manager of Real Estate Services and Legal Assistant. Indirectly supervises additional staff. Directs, monitors, and advises retained outside Counsel and other professionals for assigned area of responsibility.
• Attends Council and Committee meetings and provides Council, senior management (including CAO), and Regional staff with legal opinions, advice, recommendations for action, information pertaining to legal matters, and services such as the creation and review of legal documentation.
• Oversees the provision of legal advice to the Region relating to matters of regional interest, regional services and infrastructure in land use planning approval processes of area municipalities per Provincial legislation and policy, regional policy, and any memoranda of understanding.
• Provides legal opinion, advice, and drafting of documentation relating to the Surplus Property Disposition Bylaw, regional roads access, jurisdiction, opening/closing bylaws, and liability issues.
• Provides legal opinion and advice in connection with Clean Water Act regime, designations, risk management plans, and appeals to the Environmental Review Tribunal.
• Reviews and assesses security requirements and risk, including letters of credit to secure performance of development conditions, and advises on actions to be taken.
• Participates on project teams and ad hoc meeting groups to provide advice, draft, and negotiate legal documents, including agreements of purchase and sale, joint development agreements, land exchange agreements, settlement agreements, leases and licenses, relating to complex/ significant real estate property acquisitions and dispositions and complex/significant development matters.

Additional Duties/Responsibilities

• Services client departments by reviewing, preparing, and negotiating contracts, agreements, bylaws, and other documents.
• Liaises between regional departments, staff, Council, the public, consultants, lawyers, developers, government officials, special interest groups, and associated agencies, to expedite requests and applications and resolve disputes, including expropriation proceedings and planning act appeals. Researches and forms resolutions and settlements of disputes involving diverse needs/positions of internal and external stakeholders.
• Responds to inquiries from members of council and senior management staff (including the CAO).
• Serves as acting Regional Solicitor when required in accordance with the applicable regional by-laws and policies.
• Assists the Director to develop and implement the divisional strategic plan.
• Develops new methods, policies, and procedures, by participating in committees, study groups, project teams, task forces, and assists the Director in their implementation.
• Assists the Director to prepare the Division’s budget. Makes recommendations for office supplies, equipment, and library resources.
• Has unlimited signing authority to requisition cheques (including real estate transactions, contractual obligations, litigation settlements).
• Represents the Region's interests, conducts negotiations, explains the Region's position, and provides legal advice and services to associated agencies. Deals with judges, lawyers, government officials, special interest groups, the media, developers, and the public. Defends and advances the Region's position before external decision-making bodies, including boards, Courts, and tribunals.
• Performs related duties as required.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Must have a law degree from a recognized law school, and fulfillment of Bar Admission requirements, plus extensive real estate, municipal and development experience, including experience in independent carriage of real estate files and Court and tribunal appearances.
• Must be registered as a lawyer with the Law Society of Upper Canada.
• Knowledge of analytical techniques, negotiation, mediation, and communication and professional judgment in applying knowledge to resolve issues.
• Knowledge of law (legislation and case law), including municipal law, planning law, public and administrative law, real estate, expropriation, corporate commercial, environmental, civil litigation, family, wills and estates, criminal law, and constitutional law.
• Knowledge and understanding of the corporation, including its overall organizational structure, its powers, jurisdiction, authority, and the constraints on its freedom of action.
• Knowledge of corporate policies and procedures and an ability to apply them to any conceivable set of facts or circumstances to achieve regional goals and objectives, or change them per legislation.
• Negotiation, analytical, problem solving, time management, and continuous improvement skills to plan and develop objectives; assist to develop divisional goals; respond to changes in legislation and issues, and assist in the development of new policies and bylaws; and review and assess agreements.
• Leadership skills to supervise, train, develop, motivate, and support staff.
• Communication and human relations skills to present and explain complex and politically sensitive issues to Council, senior management, staff, associated agencies, tribunals, Courts, the public, and the media; and participate as an effective team member.
• Ability to read, interpret, and analyze legal documents, including research and statutory interpretation; and professional reports relating to land use planning, engineering, and appraisals.
• Ability to write complex and technical pleadings, legal opinions, bylaws, reports, and other documents for senior management staff, Council, and Committees.
• Computer skills using software such as Microsoft Office and legal databases.
• Ability to work irregular hours and evenings for Council meetings, and as required.
• Ability to travel within and outside Waterloo Region.
• Ability to support and demonstrate the Region’s values.

The Region of Waterloo is an equal opportunity employer dedicated to an inclusive and accessible recruitment process. We actively encourage applications from diverse groups, including Black, racialized, First Nations, Métis, Inuit individuals, women, people with disabilities, and 2SLGBTQIA+ persons, and are committed to equity, diversity, accessibility, and inclusion in the workplace. For an accommodation request, please contact us and we will work with you to meet your accessibility needs. Alternate formats of this document are available upon request. Please contact the Service First Contact Centre at phone number (519) 575-4400 to request an alternate format, or email talentmanagement@regionofwaterloo.ca. Please note: candidates will be provided an update on their application. Please check your spam or junk folder occasionally as some candidates have noticed our emails in those folders (Gmail and Hotmail in particular).