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Legal Counsel (12 to 18 month Contract Fixed Term OR Secondment)

  • Ontario Securities Commission
  • Toronto, Ontario, Canada
  • Nov 15, 2026
Contract Lawyer (In House Counsel) Lawyer (Public Sector) Litigator

Job Description

  Location: Toronto, Ontario (Hybrid)
Employment Type: Fixed Term (12 to 18-Month Contract or Secondment), Full-Time
Closing Date: November 29, 2026

About the Ontario Securities Commission (OSC)

The Ontario Securities Commission (OSC) is the statutory body responsible for regulating Ontario’s capital markets under the provincial Securities Act and the Commodity Futures Act. Our mandate is to protect investors from unfair, improper, or fraudulent practices, foster fair, efficient, and competitive capital markets, support capital formation, and contribute to financial system stability and systemic risk reduction. We execute this mandate through policy, operational, and enforcement activities, while actively shaping national and global securities regulation.
At the OSC, we offer a diverse, fair, and flexible work environment where legal professionals take pride in challenging, high-impact work.

The Opportunity

Reporting to the Head of Growth Markets and Innovation Capital in the Office of Economic Growth and Innovation (OEGI), the Legal Counsel will leverage legal and operational expertise to advance capital formation and innovation across Ontario’s public and private markets (Goal 5 of the OSC Strategic Plan).
In this role, you will advise innovative businesses navigating Ontario’s regulatory framework, help design and execute regulatory sandboxes and testing initiatives for novel financial products and services, and contribute legal and policy analysis to OEGI’s research and stakeholder outreach on capital access and market competitiveness.
This is an ideal opportunity for a securities lawyer with high intellectual curiosity about emerging capital markets, fintech, and the growth economy who thrives on solving complex regulatory challenges for novel business models.

Key Responsibilities

Supporting Innovative Businesses via OSC LaunchPad & OSC TestLab

  • Application & Regulatory Review: Engage with early-stage and growth companies applying to OSC LaunchPad, evaluating business models and regulatory frameworks to ensure robust investor protections and safeguards at every stage.
  • Cross-Branch Collaboration: Partner with founders and consult subject matter experts across OSC branches (Corporate Finance, Trading and Markets, Investment Management, and Registration, Inspections and Examinations) to identify practical regulatory solutions and mitigate risks.
  • Novel Legal Analysis & Exemptive Relief: Conduct legal analysis on emerging market issues and recommend flexible regulatory pathways—including testing environments, exemptive relief, and time-limited registration—that balance commercial viability with investor protection.
  • Regulatory Testing & Drafting: Support the design, delivery, and evaluation of OSC TestLab initiatives focused on early-stage capital raising, drafting related orders, decision documents, regulatory guidance, and reports.
  • Market Education: Develop clear regulatory guidance so new entrants, investors, and legal advisors can effectively navigate prospectus, registration, compliance, and marketplace requirements.

Securities Policy, Research & National Committees

  • Policy Development: Support and lead policy initiatives addressing capital-raising friction along the private–public continuum, managing project deliverables, resolving complex legal issues, and preparing executive briefing notes.
  • Market & Jurisdictional Research: Provide legal and regulatory analysis for OEGI research on growth sectors, financing gaps, capital flows, and equity markets—including international regulatory benchmarking—to inform consultations, pilots, exemptions, and rule amendments.
  • Emerging Trends Monitoring: Track domestic and international capital market developments (such as fintech, digital assets, and private market innovations) to brief leadership and identify proactive policy opportunities.
  • CSA FinHub Representation: Represent the OSC on the Canadian Securities Administrators Financial Innovation Hub (CSA FinHub), contributing to national testing initiatives, working groups, and cross-jurisdictional research.
  • Stakeholder Negotiation: Advocate for OSC positions and negotiate constructively with CSA counterparts, government bodies, and industry stakeholders to resolve contentious regulatory issues.

Ecosystem Engagement & Relationship Management

  • Innovation Ecosystem Outreach: Build collaborative relationships across Ontario’s innovation and venture ecosystem—including founders, angel investors, venture capital and growth equity funds, incubators, accelerators, securities lawyers, and academics—offering guidance on how securities regulation impacts capital raising and business scaling.
  • Consultations & Pilots: Support OEGI events, roundtables, and public consultations to drive adoption of OSC regulatory pilots and translate market feedback into actionable policy.
  • Internal Advocacy: Partner with internal OSC teams to share ecosystem insights, advise on cross-cutting files, and constructively challenge established regulatory approaches.

Qualifications & What You Need to Succeed

  • Education & Credentials: LL.B. or J.D. degree from a recognized Canadian law school (or equivalent) and a member in good standing with the Law Society of Ontario (LSO).
  • Experience: Minimum 5 years post-call to the Bar gained in a leading law firm, in-house legal department, or securities regulatory role, with deep expertise in Canadian securities regulation (prospectus exemptions, registration, corporate finance, or market regulation).
  • Growth & Innovation Acumen: Demonstrated interest in emerging capital markets, early- to growth-stage capital formation, and how financial technology and new business models serve businesses and investors.
  • Preferred Asset: Operational experience inside a start-up or high-growth company, or hands-on experience advising early- and growth-stage ventures and venture capital/angel investors.
  • Analytical & Strategic Skills: Strong legal research, data-literacy, and critical-thinking skills, with a track record of translating complex legal analysis into sound, practical business and policy recommendations.
  • Communication & Execution: Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including executive presentations; self-motivated, agile, and able to manage multiple competing priorities under tight timelines.

How to Apply

Grow your legal career and make a lasting impact on Ontario’s capital markets. Please submit your application by November 29, 2026.
  • Internal OSC Employees: Please apply directly in Workday using the Browse Jobs feature within your Jobs Hub.
We thank all applicants for their interest in the Ontario Securities Commission. Only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.

Diversity, Inclusion & Accessibility

The OSC is committed to diversity, equity, and providing an inclusive, barrier-free workplace in accordance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) and the Ontario Human Rights Code. It is our priority to ensure employment opportunities are visible and accessible to all under-represented groups—including Indigenous, Black, and racialized individuals, persons with disabilities, women, and members of the 2SLGBTQI+ community—so our workforce reflects the diversity of Ontarians.
The OSC is a proud partner of Ascend Canada, the BlackNorth Initiative, the Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion (CCDI), and Pride at Work Canada.
If you require an accommodation at any stage of the recruitment process, please contact our confidential inbox at HRRecruitment@osc.gov.on.ca. Visit Accessibility at the OSC on our website to review our workplace accommodation policies.

About Ontario Securities Commission

The Ontario Securities Commission administers and enforces securities law in the province of Ontario. Our mandate is to provide protection to investors from unfair, improper and fraudulent practices, and foster fair and efficient capital markets and confidence in capital markets.

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