Deputy General Counsel - Employment Law (Canada) (New Canada)

Deputy General Counsel – Employment Law (Canada) – Equity Partner – Remote (Canada‑based)

Overview

As Deputy General Counsel – Employment Law (Canada), you will lead all employment law and workplace legal operations across our Canadian entities. From talent contracts and investigations to compliance and policy, you will be the go‑to partner for legal, HR, and leadership teams, ensuring that hiring, managing, compensating, and growing talent is done with legal clarity and cultural alignment.

What You’ll Own

• Employment Law Strategy : Design and implement employment law frameworks across federal, provincial and territorial jurisdictions, with a focus on Québec, Ontario, and BC.
• Policy & Agreements : Draft and maintain compliant, contemporary employment agreements, handbooks, contractor terms, codes of conduct, and related policies.
• People Ops Partnership : Work directly with HR, executives and operations on hiring frameworks, terminations, accommodations, DEI initiatives and compensation structures.
• Workplace Investigations : Oversee and conduct internal investigations with legal and ethical integrity.
• Risk & Compliance : Track provincial changes, lead compliance projects and advise on how law intersects with growth.
• Remote Work & Classification : Advise on contractor vs. employee rules, remote jurisdictional frameworks and hybrid team structures.
• Litigation Oversight : Manage external counsel on employment disputes, labour board claims and other legal escalations.
• Culture‑Legal Bridge : Embed company values into legal processes so that policies support innovation, inclusion and equity.

What We’re Looking For

• Licensed to practice law in Canada (Québec Bar or Ontario Bar preferred).
• 8+ years of employment law experience in Canada, ideally with a blend of in‑house and firm‑side work.
• Strong grasp of multi‑province employment law: contracts, compliance, wrongful dismissal, human rights and investigations.
• Experience partnering cross‑functionally with HR, leadership and operations teams.
• Excellent async communication and documentation habits (Notion, Confluence, GDocs, etc.).
• Risk‑aware but growth‑mindset, able to protect and empower the organization.
• Bonus: Fluency in French and experience with Québec employment law.
• Bonus: Prior work with creative/tech/media companies or IP‑driven businesses.

Compensation & Benefits

• Equity (shares) at founding partner level (standard vesting).
• Future token‑based rewards pending legal approvals.
• Salary activates with revenue‑based milestones.
• Remote‑first, Canadian‑based, async‑native team.
• Minimum commitment: 20 hours per week.

Our Promise

We are building a scalable legal infrastructure that empowers creativity and aligns with company culture. If you are ready to build the employment law backbone of a global IP company, this is your seat at the table.