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 Ministry of the Attorney General is offering an exciting, challenging and highly rewarding opportunity in the Office of the Children's Lawyer (OCL), Victims and Vulnerable Persons Division for one experienced counsel to assist victims of human trafficking and those at risk of being trafficked in obtaining restraining orders against their traffickers. The OCL is seeking counsel with experience in trauma-informed lawyering. Counsel must have knowledge, skills and abilities to work with people (children and adults) affected by trauma. With a trauma-informed perspective, counsel must be able to develop trauma-informed relationships that establish safety, trust and compassion.

The Office of the Children's Lawyer is dedicated to ensuring an open, accessible, equitable and respectful workplace, and is committed to reflecting the diverse communities it serves. We encourage applications from members of our diverse communities and under-represented groups, particularly Indigenous Peoples, Black people, persons from other racialized groups, persons with disabilities and 2SLGBTQ+ persons, as well as anyone committed to providing high-quality services to the children of Ontario.

Each application must be sent individually. Collective applications will not be accepted. It is mandatory to quote the Job ID on the subject line of your email and your application.

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About the job

Duties will include:

• Providing legal services to victims and those at risk of human trafficking in obtaining a restraining order against a trafficker, in a time-sensitive, trauma-informed manner
• Appearing on motions, at hearings, and appeal hearings on behalf of victims of human trafficking and those at risk of being trafficked
• Liaising with legal representatives, community and legal organizations, Children's Aid Societies, victim support organizations, social service providers, ministry partners, and other anti-human trafficking stakeholders
• Conducting outreach and education presentations for police, social services providers, communities, ministry partners, and victims' organizations on how human trafficking restraining orders work and on how to access the Free Legal Support Program
• Lecturing at workshops, seminars and public speaking engagements
• Prepare training materials and delivery training on the relevant legislation and regulations

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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

• Demonstrated experience in civil and criminal litigation with a focus on human trafficking and sexual exploitation
• Demonstrated experience in litigation cases involving children and other vulnerable persons
• Knowledge of related legislation such as the Prevention of and Remedies for Human Trafficking Act, the Combating Human Trafficking Act, the Criminal Code of Canada, the Child, Youth and Family Services Act, theEvidence Act and the Courts of Justice Act.
• Ability and skill in interviewing and communicating effectively with both children and adults in a time-sensitive, trauma-informed manner.
• Demonstrated ability to explain options and processes to those seeking restraining orders, including to child clients.
• Demonstrated experience and knowledge to be able to identify the immediate safety concerns of clients, create safety plans, and make appropriate referrals to HT victim services and supports.
• Demonstrated administrative, instructional and public speaking skills.
• Demonstrated negotiation, interpersonal, and communication skills.
• Ability to work effectively as a team member.
• Proven judgment, research and analytical ability.
• Demonstrated computer 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.