Director, Legal - Mergers & Acquisitions

Banyan Software•Toronto, ON

2d•CA$160,000 - CA$190,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Banyan Software is seeking a Director, Legal to join their Toronto team to support a high-volume M&A practice and an expanding portfolio of vertical-market software companies. This role involves taking ownership of deal execution across the full acquisition lifecycle, working alongside M&A Directors, Operating Partners, and portfolio company leaders. Initially, the role will focus approximately 80% on deal work, including due diligence, purchase agreement negotiation, closing mechanics, and post-close integration support. Over time, the position will evolve into a portfolio-level leadership role, becoming the dedicated legal lead for a group of software companies and effectively owning the full legal function for them, while remaining connected to a collaborative legal guild at corporate headquarters. This growth path leads to becoming a "Portfolio General Counsel."

Requirements

5 to 7 years of legal experience, including meaningful M&A transactional work at a mid-size or large law firm.
Direct experience leading or supporting buy-side due diligence and purchase agreement negotiations.
Familiarity with technology company legal issues: IP ownership, SaaS licensing, data privacy, and software-specific commercial terms.
Licensed to practice in Ontario (Law Society of Ontario member in good standing) or eligible for prompt admission.
Canadian or US M&A experience; cross-border deal exposure is a plus.
Strong written and verbal communication skills. You can translate complex legal concepts into clear guidance for non-legal stakeholders.
Comfortable working independently with minimal supervision while staying connected to a collaborative legal team.

Nice To Haves

In-house experience at a technology company is a strong asset, even if gained informally (e.g., acting as outside de facto counsel for technology clients on commercial and corporate matters).

Responsibilities

Lead legal due diligence on acquisitions, identifying and escalating risks across corporate, IP, employment, and regulatory dimensions.
Draft, review, and negotiate purchase agreements, disclosure schedules, and ancillary deal documents from LOI through closing.
Manage external counsel relationships and coordinate specialist advice when required by deal complexity or jurisdiction.
Partner directly with M&A Directors and Operating Partners to ensure transactions close on time and within risk tolerance.
Provide day-to-day legal support to portfolio companies on commercial contracts, NDAs, vendor agreements, and general corporate matters.
Cover portfolio legal responsibilities during team transitions, including maternity leave coverage, ensuring continuity across the team.
Advise portfolio company leadership on operational legal questions, acting as a trusted business partner to CEOs and operating leaders.
Transition into the dedicated legal lead for one of Banyan's operating portfolios as the verticalized structure scales.
Build and own the legal playbook for your portfolio: deal support, commercial contracting, compliance, and corporate governance.
Participate in the Banyan Legal Guild, contributing to cross-portfolio knowledge sharing and best practices with the broader legal team.