Location: TBD
Type: Permanent Full-time
Group/Grade: Bargaining Unit/Coordinator Grade
Rate: $127,824.27 (start)
Date: October 30, 2026
Position: 1
The Ontario Nurses’ Association (ONA) is Canada’s largest nurses’ union. We are powered by our members - 68,000 nurses and health-care professionals, and 18,000 nursing student affiliates - who provide care in hospitals, long-term care, public health, the community, clinics and industry.
Our mission is to defend the rights of and advocate for nurses and health-care professionals who care for the health of Ontarians. We empower members and fight against unfair and unsafe treatment, negotiate and enforce our contracts, offer benefits and insurance, provide tailored education and development opportunities and much more. We confront governments, administrations and other policymakers head on to fight for high-quality public health care.
ONA is seeking to hire a Legal Coordinator on our Litigation Team. This posting is for an existing vacancy. As a member of the Litigation Team and working within the boundaries of ONA’s governing and administrative policies, the vision, and strategic outcomes, this position provides litigation services, mentorship, advice, and support to meet the service delivery needs of ONA and its membership. The incumbent will be a leader on the Litigation Team and is accountable for providing mentorship remotely and in person, and advice to lawyers on the team on health care restructuring under the Public Sector Labour Relations Transitions Act and the Labour Relations Act, and matters before the Ontario Labour Relations Board (OLRB) and maintaining an active litigation practice primarily at the OLRB under the direction and supervision of the Manager of Litigation and Senior Legal Advisor.
This is what else you can expect from this dynamic role:
- The Legal Coordinator will be primarily responsible for Ontario Labour Relations Board (“OLRB”) matters, including Public Sector Labour Relations Transition Act (“PSLRTA”) applications, health care restructuring, sale of business and related employer applications under the Labour Relations Act (“LRA”), certifications, and unfair labour practice (“ULP”) matters which arise out of PSLRTA and certification campaigns.
- The Legal Coordinator will provide backup coverage for litigation matters before the OLRB while the Senior Legal Advisor is on vacation.
- The Legal Coordinator position will be primarily assigned to specialized OLRB litigation work. This Coordinator would also be responsible for mentoring other Litigators in conducting OLRB work to develop team capacity in addition to litigating their own files and junior with the Senior Legal Advisor on complex files.
- The position would lead, mentor, and educate other litigators on the team.
- The Legal Coordinator provides strategic and competent representation to ONA and its members at the OLRB and to a lesser extent grievance arbitration for grievances related to OLRB work and overflow.
- The Legal Coordinator researches, prepares, and litigates cases at the OLRB.
- This Legal Coordinator acts as a coordinator and leader on the Litigation Team and may be assigned to assist other lawyers and to provide advice, guidance, and mentorship in OLRB matters in coordination with the Senior Legal Advisor and Manager of Litigation remotely and in person.
- The Legal Coordinator will be responsible, in consultation with the Senior Legal advisor(s) and Manager of Litigation, for onboarding and training new lawyers to the team remotely and in person for OLRB matters
- The Legal Coordinator will be required to provide representation, research, summary advice and legal opinions on Labour Board files (PSLRTA/sale of business, ULPs, Jurisdictional Disputes, certifications)
- The Legal Coordinator acts as a key resource to litigators, labour relations officers and bargaining unit leadership providing legal and strategic advice in relation to PSLRTA, the LRA, and health care restructuring matters.
ACCOUNTABILITIES:
- Accountable for researching, preparing, and litigating legal cases, including complex cases at the OLRB
- Accountable for providing advice, mentorship, and guidance to lawyers on the team and for providing authorized instruction on OLRB files, in collaboration with the Senior Legal Advisor. This includes providing summary advice on Labour Board files and related legislation including PSLRTA and the LRA.
- Accountable for meeting the Litigation Team Mandate involving representation of ONA and its members at the OLRB and to a lesser extent grievance arbitration.
- Accountable for providing advice in relation to proceedings before the OLRB under the LRA, the PSLRTA, and/or other legislation, as required.
- Accountable for drafting pleadings, consultation-hearing materials, submissions, researching legal issues, drafting opinion letters, and briefs.
- Accountable for identifying risks and opportunities related to ONA achieving its goals/mandate including litigation strategies and provincial strategies.
- Demonstrated skills in coordinating and leading on the litigation team
- Accountable to demonstrate solid client relations and communication skills, and sound professional judgment.
- Accountable for understanding ONA’s strategic outcomes, the litigation team’s objectives, and how one’s individual role relates to ONA’s broader outcomes
- Accountable for identifying skill, knowledge and resource gaps as required to perform tasks.
- Accountable for actively participating as a team member to ensure that organizational accountabilities of the litigation team are met in relation to OLRB work.
- Accountable for making observable contributions to the success of other team members and to the overall performance of the team.
- Accountable to act as a leader and mentor, demonstrating a commitment to both the professional and personal growth of the litigation team in health care restructuring and related OLRB work.
- Accountable for participation in the development of educational opportunities within the organization including presentations to staff and the development of other litigation support resources for health care restructuring and OLRB work.
Skills & Abilities:
- Ability to take initiative and work independently. Position requires incumbent to work independently, consulting as needed with ONA’s leadership team.
- Ability to mentor, coordinate, and provide support other team members.
- Ability to lead and conduct litigation on behalf of ONA including drafting pleadings/submissions and oral advocacy before the OLRB.
- Ability to identify and analyze the essential facts, relevant issues, evidence, an applicable legislation before the OLRB.
- Ability to provide legal opinions on complex legal matters.
- Excellent legal research and analytic skills.
- Adept in identifying practical advice and solutions.
- Demonstrated persuasive oral and written advocacy skills.
- Advanced litigation and mediation/negotiation skills.
- Excellent client relations, interpersonal and communication skills.
What we are looking for:
The successful candidate will possess –
- A B/Juris Doctor (J.D.) is required.
- Called to the Bar of Ontario/Member in good standing with the Law Society of Ontario.
- Registered Nurse is an asset.
- A minimum of 5 to 10 years of experience practicing advanced union-side labour law and demonstrated experience practicing before the OLRB to a sufficient degree to both litigate and mentor others.
- Demonstrated extensive litigation experience in the following types of proceedings:
- Complex arbitrations involving protection of bargaining unit work, anti-union animus and areas related to proceedings at the OLRB
- Ontario Labour Relations Board proceedings, including under the LRA and PSLRTA.
- Demonstrated ability and experience in drafting pleadings, forms, statutory declarations, submissions, or other forms/documents before the OLRB and prepare summary advice or legal opinions under PSLRTA and the Labour Relations Act.
- Demonstrated advocacy, litigation, and presentation skills.
- Demonstrated skills in coordinating and leading on the litigation team for advisory work related to PSLRTA, the LRA and representing ONA before the OLRB.
- Demonstrated experience in mentorship of other lawyers and advisory work in relation to OLRB matters including providing general advice, reviewing pleadings, identifying litigation strategies at the OLRB and related proceedings at grievance arbitration, attending and supporting other lawyers in drafting pleadings and representing ONA and its members at the OLRB.
- Identifying areas for skills development for the litigation team to act as counsel and practice before the OLRB and working with the Senior Legal Advisor to coordinate appropriate education.
- Attending Legal Coordinator meetings with the other Coordinators and Manager of Litigation to provide updates on OLRB work, legal issues, trends, to support litigation strategies before the OLRB, and coordinate other Litigators gaining experience in OLRB work.
- Experience in teaching, advising, and mentoring junior
The successful candidate must be able to travel, possess a valid driver’s license and have access to an automobile for business use.
All interested candidates may apply via ONA Jobs by 4:30 pm on November 13, 2026. Please include a sample of an OLRB pleading or other submission.
The Ontario Nurses' Association is committed to employment equity within its staff. Applications are encouraged from members of equity-deserving groups including individuals of Indigenous ancestry, racialized individuals, individuals with disabilities, and persons from 2SLGBTQI communities. We also provide accessible employment practices that comply with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act. If you require accommodation during any stage of the recruitment process, please notify Human Resources.
Thank you for your interest in joining us. Only those selected for an interview will be contacted.
