Description

Application Deadline:

09/11/2025

Address:

100 King Street West

Job Family Group:

Legal

We are hiring! Our BMO Insurance business continues to grow. The Legal team supporting this business is also expanding. In this Senior Legal Counsel role, you would be providing expert guidance on insurance products, financial services regulatory law, investments, corporate law and compliance. You will be advising Senior Leaders, shaping strategic initiatives, and mitigating risk. If you have a strong background in Insurance, Financial Services Regulatory Law, Investments and/or Pension Risk Transfers (all as they relate to a federally regulated insurance company), along with deep industry knowledge, this is your opportunity to make a difference.

• 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 market place.

• 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:

• Typically 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 the regulation of business/group activities may be required.

• 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.

In addition to the general qualifications outlined above, this particular role is seeking someone with significant experience in several areas of the financial services industry:

• Life Insurance regulation and products

• Investment management - including understanding the use of investments for asset-liability matching

• Good understanding of the regulatory environment in which a life insurance company operates (OSFI and provincial insurance regulators)

• Pension plans, locked in retirement plans, and pension risk transfer transactions (group annuity buy ins and buy outs)

• Familiarity and/or expertise in life products and segregated funds, as well as in the investment asset classes that insurance companies focus on

• A solid general grounding in corporate-commercial matters and contract drafting