Bilingual Commercial / Leasing Paralegal Ottawa or Toronto, Cieslok Group

CIESLOK

Position summary

Title: Bilingual Paralegal, Real Estate & Contracts (English/French)

Employment type: Full-time, permanent

Department: Legal / Real Estate

Reports to: SVP, Operations & Development

Location: Ottawa, or Toronto ON (hybrid 3-days per week in-office)

About CIESLOK

CIESLOK is a premium out-of-home advertising company that operates iconic digital and static inventory across Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, and Edmonton on sites we lease from landlords and municipalities.

The role

The Bilingual Paralegal protects that site network. You will review and help negotiate the leases, licenses and contracts that give us the right to display, draft clear legal correspondence in English and French, and keep our landlord and asset portfolio accurate, compliant and renewed on time.

The role sits between Legal, Real Estate and Operations. It suits a paralegal who enjoys detail, likes managing a portfolio end-to-end, and wants to learn the regulatory side of outdoor advertising.

What you'll do

Contract and lease review

• Review site leases, license agreements, easements and amendments for billboards, digital displays and street furniture; flag risks and recommend revisions.
• Prepare first drafts of new leases, renewals, extensions, assignments and terminations from company templates.
• Prepare lease abstracts capturing rent, escalations, term, renewal options, termination rights, removal and restoration obligations, and visibility or obstruction clauses.
• Review other commercial agreements, including advertiser contracts, vendor and installer agreements, NDAs, and municipal concession agreements.
• Support due diligence on site acquisitions and dispositions, including title searches, ownership verification, and review of encumbrances and lender consents.

Legal drafting and correspondence

• Draft formal correspondence in English and French: notices of renewal, default, rent change, termination, and responses to landlord or third-party demands.
• Prepare estoppel certificates, landlord consents, acknowledgements and other routine legal documents.
• Translate or review translations of contracts and correspondence, so French and English versions match in substance.
• Escalate non-standard or high-risk matters to senior management with a clear summary and recommendation.

Legal and regulatory research

• Research and summarize municipal sign bylaws, zoning rules and permit requirements for existing and proposed sites.
• Track provincial requirements, such as highway corridor sign permits, and Quebec's French-language rules for contracts and signage.
• Support permit applications, renewals and variance requests, and keep a record of permit status for every structure.
• Monitor proposed bylaw changes and regulatory developments affecting OOH and brief the team.
• Help assess compliance issues such as advertising content standards and privacy obligations for digital screens that collect audience data.

Landlord and asset portfolio management

• Act as the main point of contact for landlords on lease administration, in both official languages.
• Maintain the lease and asset database: landlord contacts, site ID, location coordinates, structure type, rent, payment schedule, permit and expiry data.
• Run a critical-dates calendar and start renewal and option notices well ahead of deadlines.
• Coordinate rent payments, escalations and landlord account changes with Finance, and resolve payment disputes.
• Manage changes in property ownership, including new-owner notices and lease assignments.
• Track landlord insurance certificates, property tax matters tied to structures, and site-access arrangements.
• Communicate removals, relocations and site restoration when leases end.

Records, reporting and process

• Keep organized electronic files for every site, lease, permit and related correspondence.
• Produce regular reports on upcoming expiries, renewals, open disputes and portfolio changes.
• Improve templates, checklists and workflows for lease administration.

Cross-functional support

• Work with Real Estate, Operations, Sales, Finance and external counsel on site development, digital conversions and dispute resolution.
• Support litigation or claims files by gathering documents, building chronologies and managing deadlines.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

What you bring

• Diploma or certificate in paralegal studies or law clerk studies from a recognized institution, or equivalent experience.
• 3+ years of paralegal or law clerk experience in commercial real estate, leasing or contracts.
• Fluent written and spoken English and French, including legal drafting in both languages.
• Ability to read, interpret and summarize complex commercial lease language.
• Experience managing a portfolio of agreements with critical dates and renewals.
• Advanced skills in Microsoft Word, Excel and Outlook.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in out-of-home advertising, telecom tower siting, or another industry that leases many small sites.
• Knowledge of municipal sign bylaws, zoning and permitting.
• Experience with lease administration or contract management software.
• Familiarity with Quebec civil law and the Charter of the French Language.
• Paralegal license from the Law Society of Ontario, or membership in a paralegal association such as the Canadian Association of Paralegals.

Skills & Competencies

• Attention to detail: catches inconsistencies between drafts, abstracts and the database.
• Clear writing: turns legal issues into plain recommendations for non-lawyers.
• Judgment: knows when a matter can be handled directly and when it needs counsel.
• Relationship management: keeps landlord relationships positive, including during disputes or rent negotiations.
• Organization: manages hundreds of sites and deadlines without missing a renewal.
• Discretion: handles confidential commercial and legal information appropriately.
• Initiative: spots portfolio risks early and suggests process improvements.

Compensation and other information

• Occasional travel to sites, municipal offices or landlord meetings may be required.
• Compensation: $75,000–$80,000 per year, $5K annual bonus based on KPIs, plus benefits, RRSP matching, vacation

Cieslok Group is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to building a diverse, inclusive team, and we welcome applicants of all backgrounds, identities, and experiences.

We are also committed to a fully accessible and inclusive recruitment process. In accordance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) and the Ontario Human Rights Code, accommodations are available on request for candidates taking part in any stage of the selection process, from application through interview to hiring. If you require accommodation at any point, please contact Jessica Hajsan at [email protected] or 647-514-6370, and we will work with you to meet your needs in a way that respects your privacy and dignity.