Senior Legal Counsel

Founded in 2000 by three former Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) CF-18 fighter pilots who identified an opportunity to improve military readiness training, Top Aces has since established itself as the world leader in contracted adversary air (ADAIR) services and joint terminal attack controller (JTAC) training.

We pride ourselves on our unblemished safety record, having flown an industry leading 160,000+ hours of operational training without accident in support of customers worldwide, including Canada, the U.S., Germany, and multiple other NATO allies and international partner nations.

Our vision is to be the most trusted provider of innovative defense training solutions, continuously elevating standards in an industry where "Experience Matters." This commitment to innovation and technology ensures we remain adaptable, training allied militaries to succeed against evolving threats.

Top Aces’ dynamic team contributes to delivering on our purpose of training the next generation of combat leaders by living our values of Service, Integrity, Excellence, and Together every day!

Join our team!

Overview:

Reporting to the VP, General Counsel, Corporate Secretary and Chief Compliance Officer, the Senior Legal Counsel will provide practical, commercially focused legal advice supporting Top Aces’ Canadian and international business activities. The role will independently manage a broad range of commercial agreements, advise on privacy, data and intellectual property, and support acquisitions, financings and other corporate transactions. Working closely with other members of the legal team, in addition to the business development, purchasing, operations, finance and technology teams, the successful candidate will help advance business objectives while identifying and managing legal risk.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Negotiate and draft a variety of commercial agreements, including but not limited to non-disclosure agreements, letters of intent, technology transfers, purchase and sale agreements, joint venture/teaming agreements, data processing addenda, services and consulting agreements, and commercial leases.
• Support business development in responding to government RFX processes.
• Advise and provide legal support to other teams, including finance, human resources, technology, service operations.
• Instruct and supervise external counsel, including EU-based and in other international jurisdictions.
• Support various corporate transactions including acquisitions, financing activities, and corporate reorganizations.
• Review and support the creation, implementation and compliance with a variety of corporate policies and processes, including EU-based and other international jurisdictions.
• Support the establishment and maintenance of international operations branches and offices.
• Advise on regulatory and contractual requirements and support compliance initiatives and programs.
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders and partners within and outside the legal team at all levels of the business.
• Support protection of the organization’s intellectual property, including maintenance of registrations.

Secondary Duties and Responsibilities:

• Support corporate secretarial responsibilities for the organisation’s entity portfolio, including drafting resolutions, minutes, and other corporate documents.
• Maintain and update corporate registrations in Canada, the EU, the United States, and other international jurisdictions, as required.
• Manage insurance claims and other litigation.

Education and/or Work Experience and Qualifications Requirements:

• Qualified as a lawyer in a province/territory within Germany, the Netherlands, France or Canada.
• Dual credentials in civil and common law jurisdictions is an asset.
• A minimum of 10 years of progressive legal experience is required, including a blend of in-house and private practice experience at a reputable firm.
• Strong commercial drafting skills is essential.
• Experience developing programs and supporting compliance with GDPR and other privacy laws relevant to the organisation’s operations.
• English language proficiency is essential, with the capacity to practice in another language (preferably German, Dutch or French) is an asset.
• Experience supporting transactions with government entities is an asset.
• Experience in the defence and/or aviation industry (or an analogous regulated industry) is strongly preferred.
• Excellent problem-solving, business-acumen, communication, analytical and organizational skills are required.
• Experience operating independently, advising senior business leaders, and recommending pragmatic solutions to mitigate risk are required.
• Proactive, creative and adaptable to rapidly changing priorities in a fast-moving environment is essential.

Working Conditions:

• Flexibility to provide support across multiple time zones.
• Occasional travel, including international, may be required.

Security Clearance Requirements/ CGP / ITAR:

To be defined based on the successful candidate’s jurisdiction of residence.

By joining Top Aces, you will find:

• A work environment in which service, integrity, excellence and teamwork are highly valued;
• Opportunities for development and growth;
• Multidisciplinary and multicultural collaboration at a local and global level;
• A flexible schedule;
• Attractive benefit plan.

Come share your passion with us! Here, you’ll be encouraged, empowered, and challenged to be your best self.

Equal Employment Opportunity

At Top Aces, all employees are welcome regardless of race, nationality, color, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, disability or age. The masculine form may be used in this job description solely for ease of reading but refers to men, women and gender diversity.

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