What is the opportunity?

As Senior Counsel – Canadian Retail & Commercial Lending, Private Banking, you will provide highly specialized expert transactional and advisory legal support on a wide range of complex lending matters (outside Quebec) to Royal Bank of Canada’s:

• Commercial Lending businesses, including Corporate Client Group, Commercial Financial Services, Senior Commercial Markets, Leasing and Equipment Financing and Commercial Real Estate Markets, and
• Retail Lending businesses, including Private Banking, Home Equity Financing, Capital Loan and Carry Loan Business Product Group, Indirect Lending.

You will also work with National Office, the Business Loan Origination Group (BLOG-- tasked with drafting commercial lending documentation), Group Risk Management and Commercial Lending Product lines on:

• the development and delivery of new commercial lending products and solutions in Canada, and changes to such existing lending products and solutions, and
• the assessment of the impact of laws and regulations affecting the activities of Canadian Commercial Lending businesses in order to manage legal, regulatory and reputational risks in everyday operations.

What will you do?

• Providing primary legal support to the branch network across Canadian Banking and to Commercial Lending business lines, such as Commercial Financial Services, Corporate Client Group, Commercial Mortgages and Real Estate Markets, Group Risk Management, the Commercial Advisory Group, RBC Equipment Financing & Leasing and RCAP financing, the BLOG, Commercial Auto Finance, Indigenous Banking and RBCx, on a wide array of lending and financing products (including on credit agreements, collateral security, mortgages, guarantees, intercreditor and priority agreements, payout arrangements and other credit-related matters)
• Staying abreast of regulatory and legal changes which impact commercial lending activities in Canada and partnering with Compliance, Operations, Risk and other functional areas to ensure oversight and control over supported business lines
• Providing primary legal support to National Office on Canadian commercial lending products and policies and identifying, assessing and managing legal and reputational risks relating to credit structuring and documentation of commercial lending products in Canada
• Providing primary legal support to the Private Banking Business on transactional lending matters and on lending products, including loans to Ultra High-Net-Worth clients and Enterprise Strategic clients, loans to non-residents, and on matters pertaining to security in investment portfolios and cash collateral;
• Providing primary legal support to Home Equity Finance on retail transactional lending and mortgage matters, and providing primary legal support to Retail Banking on Capital and Carry Loan programs;
• Providing assistance on complaints pertaining to lending escalated to branches or to Client Care and working with other Teams, including Litigation, on such matters;
• Inspiring confidence within all levels of employees of the foregoing businesses with respect to identification and successful management of legal and reputational risk; and
• Supporting the goals of the Assistant General Counsel, Canadian Retail & Commercial Lending, Private Banking in achieving the business/operations, strategic priorities and operational performance goals of the RBC Law Group.

What do you need to succeed?

Must-have

• Law Degree and qualification to practice law in Ontario or in another common law Province (in good standing), with at least four or more years of post-call relevant legal experience.
• Significant legal experience in secured lending and financing transactions, including in respect of collateral security matters and attendant legal and reputational risks.
• Demonstrated ability to triage and assess situations and determine the appropriate escalation actions and strong problem-solving, communication and decision-making skills.
• Strong ability to balance competing work demands and to work independently and collaboratively within a team, including building effective relationships with internal partners.

Nice-to-have

• Legal experience with personal and/or commercial mortgages.
• Legal experience in leasing and equipment finance activities.
• Demonstrated ability to manage contentious issues.

What’s in it for you?

We thrive on the challenge to be our best, progressively thinking to keep growing, and working together to deliver trusted advice to help our clients thrive and communities prosper. We care about each other, reaching our potential, making a difference in our communities, and achieving success that is mutual.

We offer:

• A comprehensive Total Rewards Program, including bonuses and flexible benefits, competitive compensation.
• Leaders who support your development through coaching and managing opportunities.
• Work in an inclusive, dynamic, collaborative, progressive, and high-performing team.
• Opportunities to do challenging work.

LAWGROUP23

Job Skills

Business Perspective, Commercial Laws, Decision Making, Financial Regulation, Group Problem Solving, High Impact Communication, Legal Compliance, Legal Issues, Legal Practices, Regulatory Issues, Strategic Advice, Time Management

Additional Job Details

ROYAL BANK PLAZA, 200 BAY ST:TORONTOTORONTOCanada37.5Full timeCHIEF LEGAL & ADMIN OFFICE GRPRegularSalaried2025-06-252025-07-31

Note: Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on the day prior to the application deadline date above

Inclusion and Equal Opportunity Employment

At RBC, we believe an inclusive workplace that has diverse perspectives is core to our continued growth as one of the largest and most successful banks in the world. Maintaining a workplace where our employees feel supported to perform at their best, effectively collaborate, drive innovation, and grow professionally helps to bring our Purpose to life and create value for our clients and communities. RBC strives to deliver this through policies and programs intended to foster a workplace based on respect, belonging and opportunity for all.