Director, Legal & Associate General Counsel

Operations

Vancouver, BC

• ID : 752-028
• Full-Time / Regular

LGM Financial Services Inc. ( LGM ) is ranked as one of Canada’s Best Employers and is listed with PROFIT 500 as one of the fastest growing companies! As Canada’s best automotive partner, we will revolutionize the consumer ownership experience.

The Organization :

LGM is a national leader in providing warranty, finance and insurance services to the Canadian automotive industry. Since 1998, LGM has been successfully supplying quality products and leading training solutions to Canadian franchised new car dealerships.

Dealer partnerships are complimented with the strong backing and support of their automotive manufacturing brands, which include BMW / MINI, Kia, Mazda,, Volvo, and Mitsubishi Motors.

LGM develops solutions that are win-win for all stakeholders including consumers, dealers, OEMs / manufacturers and underwriters.

Job Summary : Reporting to the EVP, Legal, the Director, Legal & General Counsel manages the legal and compliance team. The Director, Legal and General Counsel will be responsible for providing strategic legal advice and counsel to the executive team and ensuring that the company operates in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations.

Key Responsibilities :

• Manage legal and compliance team, including prioritization of tasks in line with strategic objectives.
• Provide strategic and enterprise legal advice to the Board and Executive to support the development and implementation of LGM’s strategy and associated initiatives.
• Provide legal support for mergers, acquisitions, and other strategic transactions.
• Lead relationships with insurer legal teams
• Lead relationships with insurer compliance teams (including quarterly meetings)
• Lead prioritization of legal, compliance and reporting tasks
• Lead counsel for OEM and insurer negotiations and strategy
• Lead strategy and drafting foundational SOP for dealer quality assurance program
• Lead strategy and responses to regulatory and privacy legislative changes
• Direct cross-functional staff in implementation of legal / compliance advice for new products and internal processes
• Lead submission of corporate insurance renewal
• Oversee maintenance of corporate and individual staff insurance licensing across Canada
• Lead drafting submissions in response to regulatory inquiries and public consultations
• Provide legal support for employee relations (including employment, non-competition agreements, compensation agreements, etc.

and financing arrangements.

• Review and respond to contentious consumer claims escalated by the claims team.
• Manage intellectual property interests and litigation.
• Manage relationship with regulatory bodies, including Provincial Insurance Councils.
• Investigates compliances on behalf of the Corporate Services Department for the OmbudService.
• Experience managing external counsel.
• Oversee the company's litigation matters, advising the executive team on associated legal risks and coordinating with outside counsel to devise strategies.

Monitor litigation progress and keep senior management informed, while managing budgets.

• Maintain corporate insurance portfolio for all entities within the corporate group.
• Provide timely, trusted and practical legal advice to enhance business operations.

Leadership Competencies (management) :

• Self-Management - Leads with emotional control, agility and influence through expressing a wide spectrum of emotions to suit the environment they are within, in order to build commitment.
• Results Focused - Creates a high performance culture throughout the organization with imbedded urgency and accountability to achieve results while preserving core values and enthusiasm from the employees.
• Effective Communicator Expressing and transmitting meaningful information with consistency and clarity, using active listening techniques in order to promote increased understanding.
• Empowers and Coaches Others Applies standard coaching methodology that help individuals self-identify their opportunities for change, make decisions within their scope of authority, and pursue a plan of action to achieve business results.
• Collaboration and Influence - Fosters a high performing culture where leaders work well together toward a common vision, while positively and respectfully challenging each other to do their best work across the business building effective relationships both internally and externally.
• Builds Teams Facilitates the right teams, with the right skills, and working cooperatively and effectively toward a common goal.
• Innovation and Change Leadership - Commits to new approaches ahead of emerging opportunities and successfully removes obstacles to ensure the organization remains nimble and responsive to change.
• Strategic Orientation - Anticipates and plans for future events and opportunities including competitive realities to create clarity in direction for how our vision is to be achieved.
• Resilience Responds well to pressure and the demands of daily flexibility durability, strength and speed of recovery.

Required Skills :

• Excellent communication, negotiation, and leadership skills.
• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced environment and manage multiple priorities.
• High ethical standards and integrity, with a commitment to upholding the company's values

Education :

• LL.B. or Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from an accredited law school and admission to the bar in the relevant jurisdiction.
• Good standing with a Canadian Law Society.
• General and Life Insurance Licensing highly valued.

Experience :

• Minimum of eight (8) years of experience practicing law, with a focus on corporate and commercial matters, with a focus on financial services and insurance law.
• Proven track record of providing strategic legal advice to senior executives and guiding companies through complex legal issues.
• M&A experience considered an asset.
• Strong knowledge of corporate governance principles, contract law, regulatory compliance.

The Rewards :

We offer a highly competitive compensation package including : comprehensive health benefits plan, Group RRSP, performance bonus, education sponsorship, and four paid days when giving back to the community.

We also offer a vehicle rebate program. This is a hybrid role with teams in office days.