Competition # : 46130
Department: Office of the Public Trustee
Location: HALIFAX
Type of Employment: Permanent
Union Status: NSGEU - NSPG
Closing Date: 10-Jun-25 (Applications are accepted until 11:59 PM Atlantic Time)
The Public Trustee is committed to the proper administration of estates of deceased persons, incompetent persons, children and missing persons. It is also committed to providing informed consents for health care, placement to continuing care homes or home care services using an approach that is client-centred, respectful of human rights and freedoms and in the clients best interests if prior wishes, values, and beliefs are not known.
The Public Trustee of Nova Scotia is independent of government. It is set up as a corporation to protect the financial and personal well-being of its clients and offers a wide range of unique services. Its authority is set out in numerous provincial laws.
As a Legal Assistant within the Public Trustee's Office you will provide high quality specialized legal assistance, case management, secretarial and administrative support for the solicitors on staff with the Public Trustees Office.
Under the supervision of the solicitor's, you are responsible for all work involved in the administration and proper management of the solicitors client files. This includes not only dictation duties but document preparation, including the drafting of legal documentation for Supreme Court Chambers and Probate Court, attendance at the Prothonotary's Office and daily contact by telephone and correspondence with the many stakeholders involved with the solicitors client files.
You will also assist the solicitors by prioritizing workload, ensuring approaching deadlines are met, a bring forward system is in place and workflow and time management are coordinated. Additional duties include reception coverage, telephone communication and various clerical functions for the office, Public Trustee and the Health Care Decisions Division.
As the successful applicant you will have a certificate/diploma from a paralegal training program or legal assistant training program and three years of experience working in a legal practice or an acceptable combination of education/training and experience.
Your proficiency in typing, dicta-typing and file management is required along with knowledge of legal terminology, legal forms and procedures. As well, your basic knowledge of principles of estate law and real property transactions and sound knowledge of computer programs to create legal documents and spreadsheets is required.
With minimal supervision the strong organizational skills and ability to determine priorities, meet deadlines and perform multiple tasks are necessary. As well as your high degree of initiative, effective interpersonal and communication skills as well as sound judgment and tact in dealing with people.
We will assess the above qualifications using one or more of the following tools: standardized typing test, interview and reference checks.
Include, but not limited to:
Applicants relying on education and experience equivalencies must demonstrate such equivalencies in their application.
Based on the employment status and union agreement, the Government of Nova Scotia offers its employees a wide range of benefits such as a Defined Benefit Pension Plan, Health, Dental, Life Insurance, General illness, Short and Long Term Disability, Vacation and Employee and Family Assistance Programs. For information on all our Benefit program offerings, click here: Benefits for government employees.
Normal work week is 35 hours/week, 7 hours/day
May be required to work overtime on occasion
Work is completed in a comfortable office environment
This is a Permanent employment opportunity, located in Halifax, NS.
Pay Grade: CL 21
Salary Range: $1,834.08 - $2,044.45 Bi-Weekly
Employment Equity Statement:
Our goal is to be a diverse workforce that is representative, at all job levels, of the citizens we serve. The Government of Nova Scotia has an Employment Equity Policy, and we welcome applications from Indigenous People, African Nova Scotians and Other Racially Visible Persons, Persons with Disabilities and Women in occupations or positions where they are under-represented. If you are a member of one of these equity groups, you are encouraged to self-identify on your electronic application.
This is a bargaining unit position initially restricted to current civil service employees represented by the Nova Scotia Government Employees Union (NSGEU). If applying from outside a government office, employees must apply correctly via this link:
Failure to apply correctly means that your application will not be given first consideration as a bargaining unit applicant, and will only be included if external applications are pursued.
External applicants and current casual employees will only be considered if there are no qualified civil service bargaining unit candidates. PLEASE NOTE: Candidates will not be considered for an interview if applications are incomplete or are missing information.
Offer of employment is conditional upon the completion of all applicable background checks and confirmation of credentials, the results of which must be satisfactory to the employer. We thank all applicants for the interest, however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted. All questions and concerns may be directed to Competitions@novascotia.ca.