Competition #: 2025-6
Posting date: July 11, 2025
Closing date: August 15, 2025
Duration: Indeterminate
Classification level: Level 6
Salary: From $143,485 to $163,480
Number of positions: 1
Language requirements: Bilingual
Status: Excluded
About the association
The Canadian Association of Professional Employees (CAPE) is a dynamic and progressive union representing more than 25,000 professional employees in the federal public sector. At CAPE, we are committed to fostering an inclusive and equitable environment for all our members.
Our organization offers:
• Health and dental benefits
• Pension plan
• Flexible work model & remote work opportunities
• Great work-life balance
Position summary
Under the direction of the general counsel and director of policy, the legal counsel provides legal advice on the interpretation of CAPE’s Constitution and By-laws, and on all legislation under which CAPE operates or under which its members are employed. Under the general supervision of the general counsel, the legal counsel may be called upon to provide legal advice to CAPE management staff and labour relations officers on complex human resources and labour relations matters. This includes performing requisite-related research, drafting policies of the association, and providing legal opinions on various matters including federal government policies affecting the association or its members. This role may also represent CAPE in mediation or arbitration before the Federal Public Sector Labour Relations and Employment Board, the Ontario Labour Board, and other judicial settings.
Requirements
Education & Experience
- Law degree from a recognized institution and membership in good standing with the Law Society of Ontario.
- 5+ years of relevant experience (post call-to-bar).
- Note: Equivalent combinations of education and/or experience may be considered.
Key responsibilities
- Provides legal advice and support to CAPE on various matters including:
- Interpretation of the CAPE collective agreements
- CAPE’s Constitution and By-laws
- Current and proposed CAPE policies and procedures
- Operational decisions
- Member representation
- Keep up with changes to relevant legislation and evolving jurisprudence
- Conduct legal research on various labour and employment matters
- Provide support to labour relations officers in complex labour relations matters
- Provide legal representation on cases being argued before the Federal Public Sector Labour Relations and Employment Board, the Ontario Labour Board and other judicial settings
- Provide legal advice to senior management on the rights and obligations of CAPE as an employer
- Consult with external counsel, CAPE labour relations officers and legal counsel of other bargaining agents to develop risk mitigation strategies to support CAPE and its members
- Support the development of policies, and terms and conditions for the employment for CAPE employees
- Other duties as assigned
Other skills and abilities
- Professional knowledge of the theories, principles, and practices of Canadian common law and policy research in the fields of labour relations and employment law
- Professional knowledge of Canadian labour and employment law jurisprudence, in particular the labour law jurisprudence applicable to employees of the Government of Canada
- Professional knowledge of governance frameworks, organizational policies, and best practices
- Professional knowledge of Ontario’s Employment Standards Act, Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act, Labour Relations Act, 1995, Human Rights Code, Occupational Health and Safety Act, Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005, and other Ontario legislation, regulations, policies, and directives
- Professional knowledge of the Public Service Employment Act and Regulations, Federal Public Sector Labour Relations Act and Regulations, Financial Administration Act, Parliamentary Employment and Staff Relations Act, Superannuation Act, Canadian Human Rights Act, Canada Labour Code, Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, Employment Equity Act, Federal Public Sector Labour Relations and Employment Board Act and other federal legislation, policies and directives
Condition of employment
- Must meet the language requirement of the position.
- Must be a licensed lawyer with the Law Society of Ontario.
Additional information
- Candidates must be fluently bilingual in both English and French at the time of application. This position requires advanced proficiency in both spoken and written English and French, and candidates should be prepared to demonstrate this fluency during the recruitment process.
- If you are a member of an equity-deserving group, we encourage you to self-declare in this recruitment process. This self-declaration information may be factored into selection decisions and to address CAPE’s commitment to increase representation of these groups.
- CAPE is committed to providing an inclusive and barrier-free work environment, starting with the hiring process. Should you require accommodation during any phase of the evaluation process, please contact rh-hr@acep-cape.ca. All information received in relation to accommodation requests will be kept confidential except when required to implement accommodation.
- An eligibility list of applicants may be established from this process to staff similar positions within CAPE.
- Acknowledgment of receipt of applications will not be sent; we will contact applicants when the screening and interview phases are completed.
- The recruitment committee reserves all rights to use any methods that they deem appropriate to evaluate applicants.
- Communication for this process will be sent via email. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that accurate contact information is provided and updated as required and to update their personal information when it changes. Applicants who apply to this selection process should include an email address that accepts email from unknown users (some email systems block these types of email).
- Time-sensitive correspondence may be transmitted via email, and it will be the applicant's responsibility to check their email regularly. Failure to respond to communications may result in elimination from this process.
- CAPE may decide to use top-down or random selection or any other additional qualification to determine the number of applicants who will be considered for the next stage of the evaluation.
- Beyond skills and experience, we’re looking for someone who’s the right fit for our team: a good communicator, adaptable, and passionate about the association’s mission of defending the rights of our members.
How to Apply
Interested candidates must send the necessary documents to rh-hr@acep-cape.ca by Friday, August 15, 2025, to be considered.
Attach a cover letter to their curriculum vitae. Your cover letter must:
- Clearly state your interest in the position of legal counsel (competition number: 2025-6)
- Highlight your qualifications, experience and language skills
- Provide specific examples demonstrating your expertise in Federal and Ontario labor and employment law, as well as your experience in providing legal advice to organizations or unions
- Confirm that you are a member in good standing of the Law Society of Ontario
- Indicate your availability and desired start date
- Include your contact details and the names and contact details of two professional references
Please note: Applications without a cover letter addressing these points will not be considered.
