Counsel

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ELIGIBILITY FOR THIS COMPETITION IS RESTRICTED TO STEP 1 CANDIDATES INCLUDING OPS ALOC AND OCAA LAWYERS  living or working within 125 km of this location. Note: Eligible lawyers from outside the Area of Search may apply but will not be entitled to relocation or travel expenses for the transfer as set out below.

Step 1: All regular/fixed-term OCAA and ALOC lawyers on staff, current Redeployment List Members and current Articling Student Hireback Pool Members.

Step 2: In the absence of qualified applicants at Step 1 the competition may be reposted so that external applicants or non-members of the above-mentioned groups would then be eligible to apply.

The Office of the Chief Justice, Superior Court of Justice, requires two lawyers to provide clear and concise legal, policy and strategic advice to the Chief Justice, the Council of Regional Senior Judges and the Executive Legal Officer with a strong focus on civil law and small claims court.

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About the job

Duties will include:

Working under the direction of Executive Legal Officer and Deputy Executive Legal Officer, and in consultation with the Courts Executive, including Regional Senior Judges Council, you will:

• Provide strategic, legal and policy advice to the Executive Legal Officer and the Courts Executive
• Participate in or lead numerous court-related initiatives including policy development and digital projects to make improvements on court processes
• Act as Counsel to one or more of the Superior Court of Justice Working Groups
• Produce briefing documents as well as prepare and present briefing notes and materials for judicial and other advisory committees
• Draft correspondence to government officials, the judiciary and other court stakeholders
• Act as the Superior Court's liaison to the Ministry of the Attorney General and other organizations
•The Office of the Chief Justice deals with all areas of the Court's responsibility – criminal, civil, family and Divisional court
•This position will have a focus on civil and small claims law but there will be work relating to all areas of the court's responsibility and on technology

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What you bring to the team

Mandatory requirements

• Membership in good standing as a lawyer with the Law Society of Ontario

Knowledge and Skills

• Proven knowledge of statute and case law gained through formal training, application and experience in areas of civil law and small claims court. Having experience or knowledge in other areas of the Court's responsibility is an asset.
• Demonstrated court experience (ie civil and small claims court experience; other court experience is an asset)
• Demonstrated analytical, legal research, problem-solving and project management skills
• Proven knowledge and expertise in policy development to evaluate and develop sound and strategic policy initiatives and refinements
• Proven interpersonal, oral and written communication and organizational skills
• Knowledge of relevant legislation and regulations such as, the Rules of Civil Procedures and the Courts of Justice Act
• Computer proficiency
• Knowledge of court operations, procedures and practices, together with knowledge of substantive law
• Demonstrated oral and written communication skills with solid experience writing, researching and presenting detailed reports and materials
• Demonstrated analytical and research skills and sound judgment with the ability to articulate legal, policy and pedagogical advice clearly and concisely
• Ability to take initiative, manage work priorities, work quickly, provide effective advice under pressure
• Ability to interact on a professional level with members of the judiciary, bar, academics, government and non-government organizations and the public
• Demonstrated computer skills
• Demonstrated project management skills

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How we support diversity, inclusion and accessibility

We are building an inclusive workforce that reflects the communities we serve. We encourage everyone interested in working with us to apply, including people with disabilities, Indigenous, Black and racialized individuals, as well as people from all ethnicities, cultures, sexual orientations, gender identities and gender expressions.

Our hiring process is accessible, consistent with Ontario's Human Rights Code and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005. We are working to prevent and remove barriers in our hiring processes and can offer  accommodation to address specific needs related to Code-protected grounds such as disability, family status and religion. For more information about accommodation during the hiring process please  contact us.

Learn more about the work the OPS is doing to create an inclusive, anti-racist, accessible and diverse workplace:

• diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives
• accessibility
• Anti-Racism Policy

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Additional information:

Note:

• About security checks:
  A criminal or other federal offence record does not automatically disqualify you from the position. We consider each situation based on the position's responsibilities.
  If a check is needed and you've lived outside of Canada in the past 5 years for 6 or more months in a row, or if you are not a Canadian resident, you'll need to provide an out-of-country police clearance certificate from the country you lived in.
  Employment screening checks are only reviewed and evaluated by the Transition and Security Office, which also maintains them and keeps them strictly confidential.
• For issues with submitting applications, or questions, please contact CSMD.HR.LegalCompeti@ontario.ca

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How to apply:

1. You must apply online.
2. Your cover letter and resume combined should not exceed five (5) pages. For tips and tools on how to write a concise cover letter and resume, review the Writing a Cover Letter and Resume: Tips, Tools and Resources.
3. Customize your cover letter and resume to the qualifications listed on the job ad. Using concrete examples, you must show how you demonstrated the requirements for this job. We rely on the information you provide to us.
4. Read the job description to make sure you understand this job.
5. OPS employees are required to quote their WIN EMPLOYEE ID number when applying.
6. If you require a disability related accommodation in order to participate in the recruitment process, please Contact Us to provide your contact information. Recruitment services team will contact you within 48 hours.

Language requirements and assessment:
All external Ontario Public Service (OPS) job ads are posted in English and French. Check the "position(s) language" section at the top of each job ad for the language requirements. For all roles, candidates are assessed in English, the business language of the OPS. If the position is bilingual (English/French), you'll also need to pass a French-language proficiency test.

Exigences en matière de langue et évaluation:
Toutes les offres d'emploi externes de la fonction publique de l'Ontario (FPO) sont affichées en français et en anglais. Consultez la section « Langue du ou des postes » en haut de chaque offre d'emploi pour connaître les exigences linguistiques. Pour tous les postes, les candidats sont évalués en anglais, la langue d'affaires de la FPO. Si le poste est bilingue (anglais/français), vous devrez également passer un test de compétences linguistiques en français.