Senior Counsel, Personal Banking

What you’ll be doing

With about 50 lawyers working from Toronto, Montreal, New York, London and Hong Kong, CIBC Legal manages legal outcomes by providing a full range of legal and transactional support services to CIBC’s businesses worldwide. The Senior Counsel, Personal Banking role at CIBC is accountable for providing legal services and advice in relation to personal banking products and processes, including deposit products and related services (e.g., debit cards, e-Transfer, overdraft services, etc.)

and the applicable legislation. This role is also accountable for providing the centralized advice to others within Legal on e-commerce laws relating to consumer contracts including terms, conditions and disclosures. Using strong independent judgment, broad-based legal knowledge, and a high level of professionalism, the Senior Counsel will proactively work with our lines of business and functional areas, to execute on the business priorities of the Personal Banking business including negotiations with third parties, the preparation of client facing materials and reviewing and advising on regulatory developments and requirements while mitigating potential legal risks.

The successful candidate will report to the VP, Personal Banking and will provide excellent quality legal advice, will possess strong drafting skills and advocacy capabilities, advise on data related issues, develop a point of view on emerging issues and trends impacting banking and possess strong team oriented leadership and organizational skills.

At CIBC we enable the work environment most optimal for you to thrive in your role.

You’ll have the flexibility to manage your work activities within a hybrid work arrangement where you’ll spend 1-3 days per week on-site, while other days will be remote.

• Legal Advice - Provide proactive, responsive and sound legal advice grounded in the Bank Act, consumer protection laws, and Codes of Conduct to designated lines of business to assist with the mitigation of legal and regulatory risk. Engage in negotiating, drafting and advising on matters related to Personal Banking products, including regulations and developments in the law. Identify systemic issues and assist in the development of preliminary recommendations to assist the Personal Banking team in addressing the identified issues.

• Research - Conduct research on legal issues and prepare opinions for review with the Manager, as applicable, and present such opinions to the designated lines of business. Review policies and procedures, as and when required, to ensure compliance with applicable legal requirements, mitigate reputational risk and reduce exposure to legal liability.

• Relationship Building - Participate, as a team member, in various projects relating to product and service development by providing legal and regulatory advice, identifying potential legal risks, and assisting with the development of risk mitigation strategies. Develop and sustain good working relationships with designated lines of business by facilitating open communication and becoming familiar with the designated lines of business. Engage, after consultation with the Manager, external legal counsel and work closely with them to ensure efficiency, cost-effectiveness and a solid work product.
  
  Collaborate with colleagues in the CIBC Legal Department to share legal knowledge and experience, best practices and industry trends. Partner with functional groups such as Communications, Compliance, and Risk, in order to resolve legal and regulatory issues and provide subject matter expertise.

• You're a certified professional. You have current accreditation and good standing in Successful Candidate must have been called to the Bar in Ontario.

• You can demonstrate at least six years related experience including significant experience gained at a top tier law firm or a major corporation in corporate or commercial law. It’s a significant asset if you have experience with the relevant Federal statutes (e.g. Bank Act, CDIC Act), provincial/territorial Consumer Protection legislation, and/or with deposit products as well as a good understanding of the…