Labour Relations Lawyer

The City is looking for a senior lawyer with expertise in labour law and experience conducting labour arbitration hearings. Working closely with the Human Resources (HR) Business Unit, its Labour Relations Division, and a team of other labour lawyers in The City's Law Department, you will provide legal advice, advocacy and representation in support of The City's strategic goals as a municipality and an employer.

This is an exciting opportunity to practice labour law in-house for a diverse and dynamic organization with 10 different unions, a large workforce, and a variety of different service lines. The work is challenging, wide-ranging, and impactful. You will have carriage of labour law files involving all aspects of City operations. Some examples include Fire, Transit, Water, Mobility, Planning, Recreation and Bylaw Enforcement. The City Law Department also conducts labour arbitration hearings involving Police Officers. Primary duties include:

• Manage an assigned case load of hearings and independently conduct hearings. Most of the day-to-day hearing related work will focus on multi-day labour arbitrations under The City's collective agreements. At times, it will also include Labour Relations Board, Alberta Human Rights Tribunal, and related judicial review applications and statutory appeals before all levels of court.
• Provide legal advice and strategy on a wide variety of labour relations matters requiring expertise in labour law, its many interconnected subset practice areas e.g. human rights, Occupational Health & Safety (OHS), Workers' Compensation Board (WCB), privacy, the Charter, torts, etc., and the statutory framework governing The City's relationship with its unions and unionized workforce.
• Act as a trusted legal advisor and partner with HR and senior leadership on complex, sensitive and multifaceted matters of importance to the Corporation.
• Review and/or draft a variety of documents requiring labour and/or employment law expertise, including workplace policies, grievance resolutions, termination documents, contracts, etc.
• Provide employment law advice and support in relation to The City's non-unionized workforce.
• Serve as a valued project team member on key HR initiatives and corporate projects.
• Develop and mentor other labour lawyers and articling students, as required.

• Juris Doctor (J.D.), Bachelor of Laws (LL.B), or equivalent degree from a recognized institution and active membership or eligibility for membership with The Law Society of Alberta.
• At least 5 years of experience related to the practice of labour law in a unionized setting.
• Strong technical knowledge of labour law including its many interconnected subsets e.g. human rights, OHS, WCB, privacy, the Charter, torts, etc.
• Experience conducting labour arbitrations independently will be considered an asset.
• Experience advising public sector, multi-union employers will be considered an asset.
• Success in this position requires strong technical knowledge; exceptional client service; honed advocacy skills; a practical and strategic approach; willingness to collaborate and partner on issues; creativity in addressing corporate needs; and a demonstrated ability to build trust, credibility, and relationships with a variety of people, both internal and external to the Corporation.