Role Responsibilities

Are you looking for a new and exciting opportunity to utilize your legal administration skills? If so, take the next step and develop a career with us in an atmosphere that fosters learning and growth in a supportive, respectful, and healthy work environment!

We are looking for an enthusiast Legal Assistant to provide legal support to lawyers within Legal Services Division on the Litigation and FASCL (Family and Surrogate Court Litigation) Teams in Calgary.

The Legal Assistant within our division plays an integral part in all our teams. In this challenging legal assistant role, you will assist the legal team by:

• Preparing and processing a variety of documents from lawyers’ written or verbal instructions,
• Preparing letters, memos, agreements and reports,
• Preparing and filing pleadings and other court documents such as briefs, orders, books of authorities, factums, affidavits, affidavit of records, responses to undertakings and trial binders,
• Scanning, photocopying and logging documents as needed,
• Preparing and editing all electronic court documents, often from numerous lawyers’ input, and filing/e-filing those documents according to the Rules of Court,
• Continuing to stay up to date and following all procedural changes from the Court,
• Maintaining and organizing electronic and paper filing system, calendars and diary system,
• Managing files by liaising with a variety of clients, counsel, and the courts,
• Working in a team environment, assisting several lawyers and working closely with other legal assistants on the team,
• Arranging appointments, scheduling meetings, and making travel arrangements,
• Utilizing research tools such as CanLii, Westlaw to pull and cite various cases and statutes,
• Conducting regular case law searches for legal officers,
• Effectively managing and organizing legal files and documents in preparation for court proceedings,
• Reception cover off,
• Sorting and logging electronic disclosure and ensuring logs are current as the files often come back for new applications,
• Ordering Transcripts at the request of the lawyer,
• Completing Docket Assistant duties on a rotational basis, and
• Other duties as requested / required.

In this position, you will require an extreme attention to details, and you will need to demonstrate:

• The ability to multi-task, prioritize and schedule assignments to meet court deadlines,
• Excellent organizational skills,
• Exceptional time management skills and the ability to prepare an ongoing records management process in our office that will work with physical and electronic files,
• The ability to work independently and handle a high-volume workload for multiple lawyers and executive directors while meeting necessary deadlines and ensuring high quality standards are met,
• Strong knowledge of court procedure and relevant legislation and a firm foundation in civil law, and
• Thorough knowledge and understanding of records collection, maintenance and destruction with the Government of Alberta (GoA).

Please click on this link to view the job description for this position.

APS Competencies

Competencies are behaviors that are essential to reach our goals in serving Albertans. We encourage you to have an in depth understanding of the competencies that are required for this opportunity and to be prepared to demonstrate them during the recruitment process.

This link will assist you with understanding competencies: https://www.alberta.ca/system/files/custom_downloaded_images/psc-alberta-public-service-competency-model.pdf.

• Systems Thinking: Seeks Clarity - Identifies several analytical techniques and sources of knowledge to break apart complex problems.
• Agility: Seeks out new opportunities - Identifies alternative approaches or courses of action in unclear and complex situations. Supports others to identify, assess, and use alternative approaches.
• Drive for Results: Plan for results - Sets goals and prioritizes work to accomplish them. Follows through on duties and tasks and reports on progress.
• Build Collaborative Environments: Encourages diversity - Promotes collaboration and positive relationships (even in challenging circumstances) within and across groups and builds commitment to reach desired results.
• Creative Problem Solving: Have the ability to assess options and implications in new ways to achieve outcomes and solutions.
• Develop Self and Others: A commitment to lifelong learning and the desire to invest in the development of the long-term capability of yourself and others.

Qualifications

Requirements:

• A Two-year Legal Assistant diploma, Paralegal or in any other related field, supplemented with at least one (1) year of related experience, or equivalent as described.

Directly related experience or education considered on the basis of, One year of experience for one year of education, or One year of education for one year of experience.

• Experience with Adobe Pro.
• Experience with Microsoft Office Programs (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
• A cover letter is also required along with your application. In your cover letter, please briefly summarize:
  • Your legal experience and expertise,
  • Relevant strengths and skills, and
  • Reasons for interest in the position.

Applications without a cover letter will not be considered.

Assets:

• Experience with Prolaw.
• Experience with family law and child welfare.
• Experience with disclosure.

Minimum recruitment standards outline the minimum education and experience required for appointment to a job classification. Refer to https://www.alberta.ca/alberta-public-service-minimum-recruitment-standards.

Notes

Hours of work: Monday - Friday, 8:15 am - 4:30 pm (36.25/week)

Positions Currently available: One (1) wage position (6-12 months) is available.

Location: 16th Floor, 639 – 5 Avenue SW, Calgary, Alberta.

Final candidates will be required to undergo a security screening. Any costs associated with obtaining the required documents/checks as noted or interview travel expenses, will be the responsibility of the candidate. Out-of-province applicants can obtain the required documents/checks from the province they currently reside in.

Links and information on what the GoA have to offer to prospective employees.

• Working for the Alberta Public Service - https://www.alberta.ca/advantages-working-for-alberta-public-service.aspx.
• Public Service Pension Plan (PSPP) - https://www.pspp.ca.
• Alberta Public Service Benefit Information - https://www.alberta.ca/alberta-public-service-benefits.
• Professional learning and development - https://www.alberta.ca/professional-development-support-directive.
• Research Alberta Public Service Careers tool - https://researchapscareers.alberta.ca.
• Positive workplace culture and work-life balance.
• Leadership and mentorship programs.