Legal Counsel

College of Complementary Health Professionals of BC • Vancouver, BC

2d • CA$129,608 - CA$145,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

The College of Complementary Health Professionals of BC (CCHPBC) is seeking an individual with extensive experience in administrative law and litigation to provide risk-informed legal advice on professional conduct matters and support regulatory decision-making within complex legislative and governance frameworks. The Legal Counsel will report to the Director, Legal Services, and will support the effective, fair, and risk-informed management of legal matters related to professional conduct and discipline processes. This includes providing legal advice and support for complaints investigations, consent resolution, and discipline hearings, ensuring alignment with applicable legislation such as the Health Professions and Occupations Act (HPOA), the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (DRIPA), and relevant privacy legislation, as well as College bylaws and administrative law principles. The role also involves providing strategic and legal advice to the Registrar/CEO, Executive Director, committees, and staff to support sound decision-making and the development of policies, processes, and practices within the College’s regulatory mandate. A key aspect of this role is contributing to a regulatory approach that is fair, transparent, and responsive, while supporting the College’s public protection mandate and broader commitments to reconciliation. All College staff are expected to contribute to the public protection mandate, deliver efficient and responsive services, align with DRIPA and reconciliation commitments, and support the College's regulatory, strategic, and operational goals.

Requirements

• Practicing lawyer in good standing of the Law Society of British Columbia or eligible for membership within a specified period.
• 5-10 years of administrative law and litigation experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Experience working in a professional regulatory or government organization or a closely related field.
• Experience advising statutory decision makers and drafting decisions.
• Thorough knowledge of existing common law and legislation including the HPOA FOIPPA, Regulated Health Practitioners Regulation and the Complementary Health Professionals Regulation and other statutes that impact the organization’s operations.
• Ability to work within several statutory frameworks and apply relevant legal principles to diverse issues.
• Ability to provide legal opinions and advice in a pragmatic, risk-based manner.
• Effective communicator both orally and written.
• Collaborative spirit with a passion for fostering regulatory excellence.
• Awareness of the DRIPA and Action Plan and their application to the work at CCHPBC.
• Knowledge of the social, economic, political, and historical impacts of settler colonialism on Indigenous Peoples, along with familiarity with Indigenous-specific anti-racism, cultural safety, and relevant foundational documents and legislative commitments and how they intersect across the health care system.
• An individual who meets either the established formal qualification or the accepted equivalency can be considered equally for this role.

Responsibilities

• Provide legal analysis and advice, in consultation with the Director, Legal Services, & Deputy Registrar, to staff, leadership, and statutory decision-maker on professional conduct matters, applying a risk-informed and trauma-informed approach.
• Advise on investigative strategy and outcomes, including drafting reasons for decisions and negotiating consent resolution agreements.
• Take carriage of legal proceedings within a team-based model, including summary protection applications, records applications, discipline hearings, judicial reviews, and proceedings before the Health Professions Review Board (HPRB).
• Provide instructions to external counsel on professional conduct matters and support alternative resolution processes, as required.
• Support the continuous review and improvement of complaint intake and assessment processes, including the implementation of culturally safe and distinctions-based approaches.
• Maintain a strong understanding of privacy legislation as it applies to professional conduct matters, and support Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy (FOIPPA) processes, including breach management and compliance requirements.
• Conduct investigations, as required, in alignment with legislative and procedural requirements.
• Support the review and development of bylaws, policies, and procedures to ensure legal compliance and alignment with regulatory best practices.
• Identify legally complex or high-risk matters, in consultation with the Director, Legal Services, & Deputy Registrar, and provide timely legal advice to staff, committees, the Executive Director, and the Registrar & CEO.
• Liaise and collaborate with internal stakeholders across the organization to support consistent and coordinated regulatory processes.
• Provide legal education and training to staff, committee members, and, as appropriate, registrants and the public.
• Demonstrate a commitment to ongoing learning in Indigenous cultural safety, humility, and anti-racism, and support organizational efforts to address Indigenous-specific racism in the health care system.
• Contribute to and support an organizational culture grounded in equity, diversity, inclusion, mutual respect, collaboration, and service excellence.
• Performs other duties, functions, and responsibilities as assigned by the Director, Legal Services, & Deputy Registrar.

Benefits

• health and dental benefits
• employee assistance program
• Municipal Pension Plan
• paid time-off package
• flexible hybrid work arrangement
• professional development opportunities
• office closures for the 11 statutory holidays in B.C., as well as Easter Monday and Boxing Day

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: No Education Listed