Legal Counsel

Position title: Legal Counsel                                                          
Department: Legal
Position band: Management Advisory (Global Grade 4)
Reports to: General Counsel
Type of position: Full-time, Permanent 

The Opportunity

How would you like to work for the #1 quick service restaurant operation in the world?!

We currently have an opportunity for a Legal Counsel in our Legal Department with flexibility for the role to reside in either our Toronto or Montreal office.

This position will primarily be accountable for providing legal advice and drafting and negotiating agreements and documentation in the areas of commercial real estate and commercial leasing. This lawyer will partner with the McDonald’s Canadian New Restaurant Development and Asset Management teams to grow and manage McDonald’s real property portfolio across the country.  This position will provide you with an opportunity to hone your existing skills, learn new areas of practice, and work closely with, and be mentored by, other members of the legal and business teams.

Who you are
You thrive in a collaborative team environment and enjoy building productive work relationships with internal and external teams. You have strong negotiation, project management and administrative skills to move your projects forward. You are self-sufficient and own your work from start to finish.  You take smart risks to help the business meet their goals.  You are a critical thinker, adaptable and confident, with strong communication skills to effectively support the team in a fast paced and agile environment.  You are a proven leader, with experience managing others and the skills and desire to lead a team.

What’s in it for you?
This is an unparalleled opportunity to join a winning organization during an exciting time of transformational change.  Help McDonald’s secure its real estate portfolio as the company works to update and continually improve its restaurant operations and expand its footprint across the country.  If you are looking for a company with a winning culture where you can grow in depth and breadth while making a tangible impact on central initiatives, this is the right position for you.

Principal Accountabilities

In addition to adhering to McDonald’s policies and procedures, principal accountabilities include, but are not limited to:

• Support McDonald’s business teams with the drafting and negotiation of commercial leases and related agreements
• Act and advise on title, off-title, zoning, construction and other due diligence matters
• Maintain a current subject matter expertise on all areas of law relevant to the position.
• Establish and further a smart risk taking approach that allows the business to be agile and deliver on its strategic growth pillars
• Ensure team collaboration, information sharing, organization, and appropriate use of technology
• Foster trust and work collaboratively with all internal and external stakeholders
• Identify and implement process improvements and working efficiencies within legal and across the business

• Legal degree (LLB or JD) and a member in good standing of a provincial or territorial law society in Canada
• 8+ years of legal experience, with a focus on commercial real estate
• Prior in-house legal experience gained from a major corporation will be an asset
• Outstanding analytical, drafting and negotiation skills, with an ability to learn quickly and apply technical skills to a wide range of business initiatives
• Effective communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to work on cross-functional teams
• Strong work ethic with the ability to multi-task in a fast-paced environment
• Demonstrable leadership experience
• Bilingualism is a significant advantage

McDonald’s Canada and Owner/Operators are committed to a diverse and inclusive workplace for all. Our workplaces have a long-standing policy of providing fair, equitable, and accessible opportunities for all employees and prospective employees. Accommodations during the application process are available upon request.