Legal Counsel

Fairstone Bank • Montreal, QC

53d • Hybrid

About The Position

Who we are: Fairstone Bank and its family of brands are united in delivering innovative, accessible and reliable financial solutions that enable Canadians to reach their goals. Over the years, our brand family has grown. In 2024, Home Trust Company, Home Bank and Oaken Financial became part of the Fairstone Bank family of brands, alongside Fairstone, EdenPark and Fig. Together, we are the leading alternative lending bank in Canada. We have the collective experience and expertise to better serve our customers and foster our partners’ growth. With a diverse suite of products—residential and commercial mortgages, consumer deposits and GICs, credit cards, retail and automobile financing, personal loans and digital lending—we offer financial solutions tailored to all Canadians, including newcomers, small-business owners, smart investors and savvy consumers. Backed by nearly a century of lending experience through its legacy companies, Fairstone Bank and its brand family are proud to be Canada’s leading alternative lending bank. Join Fairstone as a Legal Counsel - Contract, reporting to the Vice President of Legal, and be part of our talented and growing team! This is a temporary 12 month contract role. About the role: Providing strategic legal support to, amongst others, the business, operations, human resources, risk, finance, marketing, technology and product development teams; Drafting, negotiating and reviewing complex commercial contracts and related documents to support consumer lending and credit card products, retail point-of-sale financing agreements and real estate leases for retail branches; Serving as a main legal point of contact for multiple business lines; Advising business units on all aspects of federal and provincial consumer lending laws and regulations, including consumer protection; Accountable for scheduled workload as well as other special projects assigned on an ad hoc basis; Demonstrating strong judgement, analytical and problem-solving skills and capacity to synthesize complex issues and propose pragmatic solutions

Requirements

• Juris Doctor or Bachelor of Laws (LLB.) degree
• Licensed to practice law in Canada and a lawyer in good standing with a provincial law society (Quebec or Ontario bar membership preferred)
• 1-3 years of corporate commercial experience in a law firm or in house legal department, preferably in the areas of banking, corporate or consumer finance
• Working knowledge and experience with Federal and Provincial consumer and mortgage lending, consumer protection, banking and finance and privacy laws preferred
• Strong organizational and leadership skills
• Ability to analyze statutes and regulations, determine their impact on the business and propose practical solutions
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Fully bilingual (English and French), written and spoken
• Ability to work well with others in the legal department and in the business
• Highly motivated, energetic and enthusiastic self-starter
• Solid MS Office skills

Nice To Haves

• Licensed to practice law in Canada and a lawyer in good standing with a provincial law society (Quebec or Ontario bar membership preferred)
• Working knowledge and experience with Federal and Provincial consumer and mortgage lending, consumer protection, banking and finance and privacy laws preferred

Responsibilities

• Providing strategic legal support to, amongst others, the business, operations, human resources, risk, finance, marketing, technology and product development teams
• Drafting, negotiating and reviewing complex commercial contracts and related documents to support consumer lending and credit card products, retail point-of-sale financing agreements and real estate leases for retail branches
• Serving as a main legal point of contact for multiple business lines
• Advising business units on all aspects of federal and provincial consumer lending laws and regulations, including consumer protection
• Accountable for scheduled workload as well as other special projects assigned on an ad hoc basis
• Demonstrating strong judgement, analytical and problem-solving skills and capacity to synthesize complex issues and propose pragmatic solutions

Benefits

• Award-Winning Culture: We’re proud to be recognized as a Great Place to Work Canada 2025 and one of Montreal’s Top Employers 2025 by Canada’s Top 100 Employers.
• Work-Life Balance: Enjoy flexibility with our hybrid work model designed to support your lifestyle.
• Time to Recharge: Generous vacation based on your role, statutory holidays, plus 6 wellness days to prioritize your well-being.
• Exclusive Perks: Discounts from top retailers via WorkPerks, plus location-based perks like gym memberships and Toronto Bike Share.
• On-Site Fitness: Gym access at our London and Montreal offices.
• Continuous Growth: Education Assistance Program and Fairstone Academy for training and skill development.
• Family Support: Parental leave top-up program to help you during life’s big moments.
• Community Impact: One paid volunteer day to give back to causes that matter to you.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level