Concordia beefing up its legal team

If everything goes as planned, Concordia will be fielding a team of in-house lawyers by next year, according to Chris Mota, head of Concordia’s public relations.
The new hirings, designed to take place over the next few months, will provide the university with three new in-house lawyers, with combined specializations in labour, education and real estate law. The hirings are designed to complement the recent appointment of a new general counsel for the university, Me. Fredrika Jacobs.
According to Maria Peluso, president of Concordia University’s part-time faculty association (CUPFA), it’s too early to say precisely what effect the hiring of additional in-house counsel will have on labour relations within the university community. That said, Peluso did note that ending Concordia’s reliance on outsourced legal services will translate into significant savings.
“The easiest way to save money,” she said, “would be for the university to simply apply the collective agreements as they have been negotiated.”
As far as the cost-savings go, Mota also noted that the university is looking to expand its stable of lawyers first and foremost in order to save money.
“The money we will save is enormous,” she said. “We may be able to save as much as $100,000 per year on our total [legal] costs.”
“These hirings are about more than just cutting costs, though,” she said. “They are about increasing the efficiency we can bring to all of our operations.”
According to files obtained as a result of an Access to Information Request, The Concordian has learned that the university spent more than $150,000 in legal bills resulting from various legal conflicts with CUPFA over the past five years. Compiled costs for all union-related legal proceedings were unavailable at print time.
CUPFA members voiced concerns that Concordia’s decision to bring its lawyers onto payroll staff would increase the university’s willingness to pursue issues within the courts.
According to Peluso, however, it is too early for staff and faculty to begin questioning the new president’s motives. “In the past, the university has demonstrated a very litigious attitude towards its labour unions,” she said. “But now we have a president who is interested in bringing together different members of the community.”