Legal Counsel

Our legal department is a small yet integral part of our operations, and we are looking for a dedicated Legal Counsel to join our team. If you have a solution-oriented approach to the law and enjoy working independently with your clients and other team members, this position would be an excellent opportunity. The successful candidate is expected to spend a couple of years learning the business and getting to know key stakeholders with a view to developing into the General Counsel role shortly thereafter. This role is intended to meet immediate needs as well as to fulfil succession requirements.
Powertech is a wholly owned subsidiary of BC Hydro. We are a small company that is part of a big family and the same is true of our legal department. While you would be part of a small legal team in Powertech itself, you would be part of a larger team of lawyers available to you to provide camaraderie, as well as help and expertise as needed.
Reporting to the General Counsel, the selected candidate will provide legal guidance to our business units on a broad range of topics and act as a key advisor to internal client groups on a wide range of issues as they arise.
As Legal Counsel, you will support business groups in structuring legal relationships with suppliers and customers. Your responsibilities include general corporate work including drafting and reviewing contracts such as NDAs, Master Service Agreements, Terms and Conditions, MOUs, Consulting Services Agreements. You will handle various legal issues associated with international transactions and governance issues related to our organization and our US subsidiary. Additionally, you will address employment-related issues (union and non-union), dispute resolution, compliance, Intellectual Property matters, immigration and other issues. No-one is expected to know everything, and given the range of issues faced by our small legal team on a daily basis, we have relationships with prominent Vancouver firms and maintaining those relationships is also part of the role.
Part of the satisfaction you will derive from this style of practice is having the opportunity to work on a wide variety of files, some of which will require you to learn the law in areas you might otherwise not have been exposed to. This is understood and encouraged. The flip side of this “stretch” is that some expectations may be routine or even administrative and the successful applicant will be expected to cover a wide range of responsibilities. Similarly, our legal team has responsibility for a small number of other files (eg: insurance, risk management) that are outside of the “practice of law” and these topics compliment our field of expertise in a way that makes them a natural fit to our function. 
Qualifications
• A law degree and eligibility to practice law in British Columbia. Must be a member in good standing (or eligible to become a member) of the Law Society of British Columbia
• A minimum of three to five years of experience (either in-house or with a law firm) and must demonstrate the following strengths :
- knowledge and experience associated with legal issues related to the provision of goods and services;
- knowledge and experience associated with cross-border transactions;
- knowledge and experience in procurement law, with an understanding of procurement rules applicable to the public sector being an asset;
- familiarity with some or all of the following areas of law is a definite asset: intellectual property, software licensing, insurance, employment, labour, litigation, regulatory, etc.; 
- analyzing legal documents and managing a large number of files simultaneously, handling competing priorities and addressing unexpected legal issues in real time;
- strong written and verbal communication skills and proven ability to articulate and present legal arguments to senior business stakeholders;
- effective negotiation skills, along with experience in conflict resolution;
- independent, self-starter with strong organizational, prioritization and time-management skills and ability to manage multiple time-sensitive projects concurrently
- committed to maintaining confidentiality and exercising discretion
Affiliation: Management & Professionals (M&P/ Non-union role)
Job Level: P3
 
At Powertech, you will have the opportunity to work in a dynamic and innovative environment. You will be part of a team that values collaboration and excellence. If you are a motivated legal professional with a passion for technology and innovation, we would love to hear from you.
Powertech Labs is an equal opportunity employer. We include everyone. We welcome applications from anyone, including members of visible minorities, women, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, persons of minority sexual orientations and gender identities, and others with the skills and knowledge to productively engage with diverse communities. We are also happy to provide reasonable accommodations throughout the selection process and while working at Powertech Labs.
Maintaining customer-confidence and our reputation is key: To this end, all our campus and laboratories are accredited to ISO9001 (quality), ISO14001 (environment stewardship) and ISO45001 (safety) and IEC/ISO 17025 for over 100 standards. To complement the focus on accreditation, we encourage our experts to drive global standards and provide development opportunities for all staff to grow in their role and to advance in their careers. 
Working at Powertech is not a job but a career. If you want to be a part of a growing clean technology company that is impactful and working towards a common goal of accelerating the world towards a net zero carbon future, come and join our team.