Senior Legal Counsel

DepartmentRegular, Full timeClosing Date: December 5, 2026

The Ontario Securities Commission (OSC) is the statutory body responsible for regulating Ontario’s capital markets in accordance with the mandate established in the provincial Securities Act and the Commodity Futures Act. The mandate of the OSC is to provide protection to investors from unfair, improper or fraudulent practices, to foster fair, efficient and competitive capital markets and confidence in the capital markets, to foster capital formation, and to contribute to the stability of the financial system and the reduction of systemic risk. This mandate is performed through policy, operational, and enforcement activities. The OSC also contributes to national and global securities regulation development.

We offer a diverse, fair, and flexible work environment and take pride in our challenging and rewarding work.

Reporting to the Head of Growth Markets and Innovation Capital in the Office of Economic Growth and Innovation (OEGI), the Senior Legal Counsel is an experienced securities lawyer who will lead complex files and initiatives that advance the OSC’s mandate to foster fair, efficient and competitive capital markets and capital formation, and Goal 5 of the OSC Strategic Plan: to foster conditions for capital formation and innovation in both public and private markets. The Senior Legal Counsel will take the lead on novel regulatory issues, design policy initiatives, tests and pilots, help shape OEGI’s research on access to capital and the competitiveness of Ontario’s capital markets, and represent the OSC with the Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA), other regulators, government and Ontario’s innovation and growth ecosystem.

This role requires the resolution of unusual and complex problems with a significant degree of independent initiative and a high degree of judgement. It calls for deep securities regulatory expertise and the confidence to develop and defend positions on contentious issues before senior internal and external audiences, including the OSC Board of Directors and OSC advisory committees. It also requires a high level of intellectual curiosity about emerging areas within capital markets and the growth economy, and offers the opportunity to shape how the OSC supports responsible innovation and economic growth in Ontario.

What you will be doing:

Support for Innovative Businesses and New Entrants through OSC LaunchPad and OSC TestLab

• Lead the review of complex and novel requests for support through OSC LaunchPad, including determining the appropriate regulatory approach and next steps, making recommendations to management and decision-makers on exemptive relief, time-limited registration and other flexible regulatory approaches, and managing the application process with businesses and their external legal counsel through to a decision.

• Act as a subject matter expert and principal point of contact on novel business models, leading multi-disciplinary teams of staff from across the OSC and CSA where applicable, to resolve difficult issues and ensure appropriate investor protections and safeguards.

• Lead the design, approval and evaluation of OSC TestLab tests and other pilots, including setting test parameters, drafting orders and decision documents, and preparing closing reports that assess outcomes, evaluate whether the approaches tested could be applied more broadly across the market, and inform regulatory change.

• Review and guide the work of Legal Counsel and other team members, and share expertise to build the team’s capability.

Policy, Research and Governance

• Lead the development and execution of significant policy initiatives that address access to capital and capital-raising challenges along the private–public continuum, from problem definition through consultation to recommendation, managing scope, timelines, risks and input from across the OSC.

• Help set OEGI’s goals, priorities and work plan, monitor milestones and outcomes, and identify and escalate risk areas to management and executives, including through Board and risk reporting.

• Provide legal and policy direction to OEGI research on growth sectors, financing gaps, capital flows, equity markets and comparator jurisdictions, and translate the evidence into implementable, measurable recommendations within the OSC’s purview, as well as options to inform the work of other regulators and government.

• Prepare and present briefing notes, decision documents and presentations to OSC senior leadership, the OSC Board of Directors and OSC advisory committees, and support the effective operation of committees that help the OSC advance its Goal 5 priorities.

• Provide advice to leadership to enable sound strategic decision-making on a wide range of policy and regulatory issues, anticipating developments and emerging trends in Canada and internationally and identifying where the OSC should act.

CSA, Regulatory and Government Collaboration

• Represent companies, angel and venture investors, innovation hubs, incubators and accelerators, industry and trade groups, law firms and other professional advisors, academics, think tanks and government, to surface perspectives that inform OSC policymaking.

• Represent the OSC as a speaker and panelist at external events, roundtables and consultations, and lead stakeholder consultations on OEGI initiatives, communicating complex regulatory concepts clearly to diverse audiences.

• Develop relationships with stakeholders across the organization, including other OSC staff and management, to understand activities and concerns, collaborate on files, and identify opportunities to challenge established approaches and practices.

Stakeholder Engagement and Thought Leadership

• Build and maintain senior relationships across Ontario’s innovation and growth ecosystem, including founders and executives of early- and growth-stage companies, angel and venture investors, innovation hubs, incubators and accelerators, industry and trade groups, law firms and other professional advisors, academics, think tanks and government, to surface perspectives that inform OSC policymaking.

• Represent the OSC as a speaker and panellist at external events, roundtables and consultations, and lead stakeholder consultations on OEGI initiatives, communicating complex regulatory concepts clearly to diverse audiences.

• Develop relationships with stakeholders across the organization, including other OSC staff and management, to understand activities and concerns, collaborate on files, and identify opportunities to challenge established approaches and practices.
  
  

What you need to succeed:

Qualifications

• Post-graduate education in Law and LLB/JD designation in Canada.
• Member in good standing of the Law Society of Ontario.
• Minimum 8 years post-call experience gained in a law firm, in-house and/or regulatory role, including at least 5 years of in-depth securities regulatory experience (e.g., capital raising, prospectus and exempt market matters, registration or marketplace regulation).
• Recognized expertise in securities regulation and a strong understanding of public and private capital markets, the exempt market and the financing needs of early- and growth-stage businesses.
• Demonstrated experience leading complex legal or policy files independently from analysis through to decision, including drafting orders, exemptive relief decisions, rules or policy documents.
• Experience presenting to boards, senior executives or committees, and the ability to confidently convey difficult concepts in a meaningful way to diverse audiences.
• Strong research and analytical skills, including the ability to assess evidence and data and translate it into practical recommendations.
• Strong project management, leadership, strategic thinking and critical thinking skills.
• Operational experience in a start-up or other innovative business, or experience advising innovative businesses or their investors, would be a strong asset.
• High level of judgement and analytical, decision-making and problem-solving ability, with a demonstrated ability to make sound, practical recommendations.
• Commitment to building positive working relationships with internal and external stakeholders at all levels, and to mentoring and supporting colleagues.
• Self-motivated and able to work with a high degree of independence in an agile team environment, managing multiple concurrent priorities and performing at a high level under pressure.

Grow your career and make a difference working at the OSC.

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We thank all applicants for their interest in the Ontario Securities Commission. We will contact those selected for an interview.

The OSC is committed to diversity and providing an inclusive workplace and providing accommodation in accordance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act and the Human Rights Code. It is our priority to ensure employment opportunities are visible and barrier-free to all under-represented groups including but not limited to, Indigenous, Black and racialized groups, people with disabilities, women and people from the 2SLGBTQI+ community, to achieve an employee demographic profile reflective of the demographic profile of Ontarians.

The OSC is a proud partner with the following organizations: Ascend Canada, BlackNorth Initiative, Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion, and Pride at Work Canada

If you require an accommodation during the recruitment process, please let us know by contacting our confidential inbox [email protected].

Visit Accessibility at the OSC to review the OSC’s policies on accessibility and accommodation in the workplace.