Description

Legal Services under the Office of General Counsel, People and Culture is currently seeking a Full-time Regular Legal Counsel (Research).

Reporting to the University's Associate General Counsel (Research), the successful candidate for the Legal Counsel position will play a vital role in the research process at the University, helping University researchers and administrators negotiate and finalize research related agreements with industry, governments and other agencies. In addition, the Legal Counsel will advise on intellectual property policy issues, regulatory matters, and research-related strategic initiatives and collaborations.

The ideal candidate will possess strong legal expertise, excellent drafting and communication skills, and experience advising on important issues within a dynamic and fast-evolving environment. A strong background in commercial or public sector contracts, research administration, intellectual property, or technology transfer will be considered assets for this role.

Summary of Key Responsibilities (job functions include but are not limited to):

• Provide timely, business-oriented legal advice and support to researchers, faculties, institutes, and administrative units across the University in connection with research-related agreements and initiatives.
• Negotiate, draft, and advise on a wide range of research agreements, including funding agreements, services agreements, collaboration agreements, and IP-related agreements.
• Maintain a collaborative and professional practice both within the organization and with external stakeholders.
• Apply legal expertise and sound judgment to identify and mitigate legal, reputational, and financial risks in complex contracts.
• Draft clear and concise legal documents, memoranda, and correspondence.
• Support the development and continuous improvement of legal processes and workflows within the Research Legal team to ensure efficient, high-quality service delivery in a high-volume environment.
• Collaborate with the broader legal services team, faculties and departments in ensuring that proper governance procedures are followed and that decision making involves key internal stakeholders and subject matter experts.

Qualifications / Requirements:

• Undergraduate degree and a law degree from a recognized university. Must be eligible to practice law in Alberta.
• 4 years of post-call experience, ideally with a focus on research, commercial, or public sector contracting.
• Experience with research funding agreements, intellectual property, or public-private partnerships is a strong asset.
• Member in good standing of the Law Society of Alberta (as required by provincial legislation).
• Proven ability to perform well on complex matters in a stressful environment, prioritize and deal with multiple assignments, all under significant time and other pressures.
• Demonstrated ability to work with senior management and commitment to client service.
• Strong drafting and negotiating skills, with demonstrated strength in risk and legal analysis.
• Excellent judgment and the ability to prioritize and address legal issues by developing solutions that are practical and mitigate risk.
• Ability to navigate large or complex organizations. Familiarity with public sector governance structures and/or experience working for a public-sector or post-secondary organization is considered an asset.
• Cooperative, team player attitude and excellent interpersonal skills.

Application Deadline: August 20, 2025