Job Specification

Purpose of Position :

To provide legal assistance to Crown Counsel engaged in litigation by working under direction of various counsel and by working independently, as appropriate, and to perform administrative duties as required.

Duties / Responsibilities :

As part of a litigation support team, provides law clerk and administrative support to multiple legal counsel:

• Gathering, assessing and cataloguing evidence (files, records, medical, technical or physical objects) obtained during meetings or consultation with clients, doctors and other professionals or as productions or disclosures in legal proceedings
• Reviewing records and other documents, conducting inquiries or other inquiries for the purposes of assisting counsel in determining the degree of liability against the Crown and Crown employees in the Province of Ontario
• Reviewing evidence for the purposes of assisting counsel in determining quantum of damages
• Communicating with clients and witnesses regularly and conducting witness interviews including making recommendations as to the identity and suitability of witnesses and ensuring witnesses and documents are available
• Drafting pleadings and other legal documents, such as Notices of Motion, Lists of Documents, Affidavits,
records, facta
• Ensuring compliance with limitation period and time limits imposed by the Rules of Civil Procedure, legislation, case management rules and alternate dispute resolution requirements
• Assisting counsel in preparing for examinations for discovery, motions, pre-trials, hearings and trials and attending at same to assist counsel
• Conducting various searches (i.e. title and property searches, corporate and bankruptcy)
• Undertaking projects or assignments (drafting government business contracts for tenders for consultants and carrying out investigations, managing large document files, preparing transcript commentaries and chronological lists or summaries of documents.
• Carrying out research of legislation, regulations, law reports, publications and reporting results
• Identifying the implications of claims and submitting recommendations to counsel
• Researching computerized legal databases such as Quicklaw
• Monitoring files
• Docketing according to office guidelines
• Research and analytical skills to determine data sources, prepare information pertinent to case histories and determine relevancy to legal issues by research files and case law references, citations and statutes to be inserted in legal documents.
• Analytical and evaluative skills to analyze branch work systems and recommend precedents and procedures for office processes conduct complex corporate, title and other searches and determine confidentiality of privilege information to be revealed to clients or the public without referring to counsel.
• Analytical skill to identify unresolved issues in information from clients as assist clients in their resolution.
• Planning and Coordinating skills to resolve problems with completing client interests, prioritize and handle a large volume of complex cases and realign priorities based on conflicting demands of counsel.

Staffing and Licencing :

Typing (50wpm) and dicta to Ministry Standards including ability to operate a fully programmable personal computer and using software such as Word and/or WordPerfect, Excel and PowerPoint as well as computerized databases for case management, legal research and time docketing.

Knowledge :

Job requires knowledge of legal office methods, procedures and related policies, court administration practices and procedures, the Rules of Civil Procedure and relevant federal and provincial statutes to provide administrative and research services to counsel, e.g. assisting lawyers to research required information (reviewing legal articles, references, citations, statutes, land titles/registry searches, personal property security, corporate and execution searches) for use in documentation. Job requires knowledge of various legal documents, search vehicles, legal formats, style terminology and phraseology, to prepare legal documents from information provided through research and/or provided by counsel, e.g. pleadings, facta, notices of motion, lists of documents, compendia, consents, affidavits and orders for use at motions, discoveries, pre-trials, trials, administrative hearings and appeals. Job requires knowledge of word processing equipment and related software such as WordPerfect, Word, to manipulate text to produce letters, memoranda and legal documents according to established procedures. Job requires knowledge of data base applications to retrieve and/or enter file information and to enter time dockets. Job requires knowledge of Excel and PowerPoint to prepare reports and graphs.

Skills :

Job requires oral communication skills to interact with members of the legal profession, the public, all levels of government and court administration officials, e.g. to relay instructions from lawyer to client and vice versa, to explain legal procedures and documents. Job requires writing skills to use appropriate legal terminology in preparing legal consents, motions, and statement of defence. Job requires writing skills to prepare letters to clients and the outside legal counsel. Job requires tact and courtesy to convey information and to respond to inquiries from the public, lawyers, court officials and clients. Job requires typing and dicta to Ministry standards. Job requires organization and coordination skills to prioritize a large volume of cases and to organize same into retrieval format. Job requires ability to organize and handle large, document intensive cases and to following legal counsel's instructions accurately. Job requires research skills to locate relevant case law, citations, and applicable statutes for inclusion in legal documents. Job requires judgement to accurately determine the degree of liability against the Crown and in accurately prioritizing work. Job requires dexterity to meet Ministry-typing standards, handle large files, photocopy and bind documents. Job requires conceptual skills to develop spreadsheets and graphs in Excel and PowerPoint to prepare reports to assist in discoveries and other legal events.

Job requires analytical skills to select appropriate legal terminology/phraseology, style and format when preparing legal documents from precedents or information contained in files (e.g. pleadings, factums, notices of motions, trials, consents, compendia, minister's orders, appeals). Job requires research and analytical skills to determine data sources, prepare information pertinent to case histories and determine relevancy to legal issues by research files and case law for references, citations and statutes to be inserted in legal documents. Job requires analytical skill to review evidence and other legal documents, identify legal issues and determine degree of liability against the Crown. Job requires analytical and evaluative skills to analyze branch work systems and recommend precedents and procedures for office processes conduct complex corporate, title and other searches and determine confidentiality of privilege information to be revealed to clients or the public without referring to counsel. Job requires analytical skill to identify unresolved issues in information from clients and assist clients in their resolution. Job requires planning and coordinating skills to resolve problems with completing client interests, prioritize and handle a large volume of complex cases and realign priorities based on conflicting demands of counsel. Job requires written communication skills to prepare legal documents, letters and case summaries clearly and concisely. Job requires interpersonal skills to diplomatically explain legal issues/process requirements to the legal profession, the public and ministry staff and to identify system problems with clients and prioritize corrective measure among other with branch system users.
Typing to 50 w.p.m. and dicta to Ministry Standards, including ability to operate fully programmable personal computer and using software such as Word, WordPerfect, Excel and PowerPoint as well as computerized databases for case management, legal research and time docketing. Job requires analytical skills to assess user queries. Job requires evaluative skills to develop materials and provide training.

Freedom of Action :

Job requires performing tasks with minimal supervision and adherence to established practices. Guidelines are available in the form of established Rules of Civil Procedure, established administrative and legal office methods, procedures and related policies, relevant federal and provincial statutes, court administration procedures, documents and letters in accordance with established procedures. Job requires composing and signing correspondence on behalf of self or counsel. Job requires referring matters not covered by established procedures and guidelines to the supervisor's attention or to the attention of counsel, e.g. difficulty in retrieving required research information, competing priority assignments, workload and computer problems.