Senior Counsel, Canadian Personal & Business Banking
Top Benefits
About the role
Application Deadline:
12/11/2025
Address:
100 King Street West
Job Family Group:
Legal
The Canadian Personal & Business Banking legal team provides advisory and regulatory legal advice to fast-paced lines of business in retail and small business banking. As Senior Counsel on this legal team, you will be working in a complex and changing environment where legal, regulatory and reputational risks must be constantly considered. You will provide expert guidance on various bank products and financial services regulatory laws, particularly in the areas of lending, real estate, and retail banking. You will be advising Senior Leaders, shaping strategic initiatives, and mitigating risk. This role reports to the Associate General Counsel for Canadian Personal & Business Banking.
Key Accountabilities:
• Makes recommendations to senior leaders on strategy and new initiatives,
based on an in-depth understanding of the business/group.
• May participate in the design of legal advice strategies & approaches for
the unit activity and making recommendations to minimize legal issues.
• Acts as the prime subject matter expert for internal/external
stakeholders.
• Exercises judgement on complex, confidential and sensitive matters
• Identifies and resolves moderately complex issues.
• Determines root causes and negotiates resolutions.
• Delivers legal advice, instructs external counsel and ensures compliance
with internal policies & procedures for a single or small number of
function(s).
• Acts as a subject matter expert on relevant laws, regulations and
policies.
• Resolves daily issues and/or escalates with appropriate analysis and/or
recommendations.
• Identifies risks and implements appropriate actions to mitigate them.
• Implements areas of improvement to ensure consistency with marketplace.
• Builds effective relationships with internal/ external stakeholders.
• Geographic scope: up to global.
• Operates at a group/enterprise-wide level and serves as a specialist
resource to senior leaders and stakeholders.
• Applies expertise and thinks creatively to address unique or ambiguous
situations and to find solutions to problems that can be complex and non-
routine.
• Implements changes in response to shifting trends.
• Broader work or accountabilities may be assigned as needed.
Qualifications:
• At least 7 years of legal practice or an equivalent combination of
education and experience.
• Degree in law (LLB or JD) and license to practice law in relevant
jurisdiction.
• Private practice, in-house experience or experience at regulatory body
relating to financial services, federal consumer protection, real estate, and
commercial lending.
• Knowledge in legal field, typically with a functional or business line
specialization.
• Knowledge of business and regulatory environment in which BMO Financial
Group operates.
• Advanced knowledge of subject matter legal requirements and the
operations of a single client group.
• Negotiation skills - in depth.
• Seasoned professional with a combination of education, experience and
industry knowledge.
• Verbal & written communication skills - In-depth / Expert.
• Analytical and problem-solving skills - In-depth / Expert.
• Influence skills - In-depth / Expert.
• Collaboration & team skills; with a focus on cross-group collaboration -
In-depth / Expert.
• Able to manage ambiguity.
• Data driven decision making - In-depth / Expert.
About Desjardins
Desjardins Group is the largest cooperative financial group in North America and the fifth largest cooperative financial group in the world, with assets of $435.8 billion as at March 31, 2024. It was named one of Canada's Best Employers by Forbes magazine and by Mediacorp. To meet the diverse needs of its members and clients, Desjardins offers a full range of products and services to individuals and businesses through its extensive distribution network, online platforms and subsidiaries across Canada. Ranked among the world's strongest banks according to The Banker magazine, Desjardins has some of the highest capital ratios and credit ratings in the industry and the first according to Bloomberg News.
Senior Counsel, Canadian Personal & Business Banking
Top Benefits
About the role
Application Deadline:
12/11/2025
Address:
100 King Street West
Job Family Group:
Legal
The Canadian Personal & Business Banking legal team provides advisory and regulatory legal advice to fast-paced lines of business in retail and small business banking. As Senior Counsel on this legal team, you will be working in a complex and changing environment where legal, regulatory and reputational risks must be constantly considered. You will provide expert guidance on various bank products and financial services regulatory laws, particularly in the areas of lending, real estate, and retail banking. You will be advising Senior Leaders, shaping strategic initiatives, and mitigating risk. This role reports to the Associate General Counsel for Canadian Personal & Business Banking.
Key Accountabilities:
• Makes recommendations to senior leaders on strategy and new initiatives,
based on an in-depth understanding of the business/group.
• May participate in the design of legal advice strategies & approaches for
the unit activity and making recommendations to minimize legal issues.
• Acts as the prime subject matter expert for internal/external
stakeholders.
• Exercises judgement on complex, confidential and sensitive matters
• Identifies and resolves moderately complex issues.
• Determines root causes and negotiates resolutions.
• Delivers legal advice, instructs external counsel and ensures compliance
with internal policies & procedures for a single or small number of
function(s).
• Acts as a subject matter expert on relevant laws, regulations and
policies.
• Resolves daily issues and/or escalates with appropriate analysis and/or
recommendations.
• Identifies risks and implements appropriate actions to mitigate them.
• Implements areas of improvement to ensure consistency with marketplace.
• Builds effective relationships with internal/ external stakeholders.
• Geographic scope: up to global.
• Operates at a group/enterprise-wide level and serves as a specialist
resource to senior leaders and stakeholders.
• Applies expertise and thinks creatively to address unique or ambiguous
situations and to find solutions to problems that can be complex and non-
routine.
• Implements changes in response to shifting trends.
• Broader work or accountabilities may be assigned as needed.
Qualifications:
• At least 7 years of legal practice or an equivalent combination of
education and experience.
• Degree in law (LLB or JD) and license to practice law in relevant
jurisdiction.
• Private practice, in-house experience or experience at regulatory body
relating to financial services, federal consumer protection, real estate, and
commercial lending.
• Knowledge in legal field, typically with a functional or business line
specialization.
• Knowledge of business and regulatory environment in which BMO Financial
Group operates.
• Advanced knowledge of subject matter legal requirements and the
operations of a single client group.
• Negotiation skills - in depth.
• Seasoned professional with a combination of education, experience and
industry knowledge.
• Verbal & written communication skills - In-depth / Expert.
• Analytical and problem-solving skills - In-depth / Expert.
• Influence skills - In-depth / Expert.
• Collaboration & team skills; with a focus on cross-group collaboration -
In-depth / Expert.
• Able to manage ambiguity.
• Data driven decision making - In-depth / Expert.
About Desjardins
Desjardins Group is the largest cooperative financial group in North America and the fifth largest cooperative financial group in the world, with assets of $435.8 billion as at March 31, 2024. It was named one of Canada's Best Employers by Forbes magazine and by Mediacorp. To meet the diverse needs of its members and clients, Desjardins offers a full range of products and services to individuals and businesses through its extensive distribution network, online platforms and subsidiaries across Canada. Ranked among the world's strongest banks according to The Banker magazine, Desjardins has some of the highest capital ratios and credit ratings in the industry and the first according to Bloomberg News.