Crown 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, Court Services Division, Operational Support Branch seeks experienced legal counsel to work on a variety of initiatives and issues affecting the operation of Ontario's courts.

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About the job

Working with a team of legal and policy professionals in a fast-paced environment, duties will include:

• Leading and/or participating in legal and operational policy development and implementation in relation to the justice system and court administration
• Providing strategic advice and support on the legal implications of operational and policy issues and initiatives affecting the operation of the courts
• Providing litigation advice and support and effectively managing issues
• Reviewing and advising on statutes, regulations, and common-law developments
• Developing and drafting court rules, legislation, and regulations
• Reviewing and preparing government policy submissions, option papers, briefing materials, and correspondence
• Providing legal and operational support to court staff and management
• Making recommendations and developing opinions with respect to legal and procedural matters affecting the operation of Ontario courts
• Reviewing manuals and directives to court staff to ensure legal and procedural accuracy
• Supporting and promoting a productive team environment, which reflects the fostering of a culture of excellence and the creation of an inclusive, diverse, professional, respectful, and accessible workplace
• Supporting and promoting modernization by helping with advance planning and implementation of court services transformation
• Actively partnering with other divisions and ministries to ensure that Ministry transformation and operational planning reflects Court Services Division business goals, to provide timely access to subject matter expertise, and align initiatives and priorities for the Division

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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

• Experience in the one or more of the following areas: civil, estates, enforcement, family, criminal, provincial offences, accessibility, French language services, court reporting, and interpretation.
• Knowledge of statutes and related regulations affecting the operation of Ontario courts, including but not limited to the Criminal Code, theCourts of Justice Act, theProvincial Offences Act, theRules of Civil Procedure, and theFamily Law Rules.
• Experience in contracts, procurement, project and change management, and information management.
• Litigation experience.
• Proven ability to assess the legal, policy, operational and fiscal implications, risks and benefits of operational, policy and legislative proposals.
• Demonstrated ability to recommend strategies and solutions for mitigating identified risks.
• Demonstrated legal analysis and policy development skills, including experience in providing strategic legal and policy advice for consideration by senior officials.
• Knowledge and understanding of the role of the judiciary and justice partners and stakeholders in the justice system in Ontario.
• Demonstrated relationship management skills, including experience working with the judiciary, the bar and other justice partners and stakeholders.
• Knowledge of government decision-making processes and the legislative/regulatory process.
• Knowledge and understanding of the government's justice policy agenda.
• Experience drafting and reviewing legislation and regulations, legal opinions, briefing notes, privacy impact assessments, house book notes, options papers, presentation materials and correspondence.
• Demonstrated ability to manage complex files and projects with minimal supervision.
• Proven judgment and ability to identify, manage and problem solve complex and sensitive issues.
• Demonstrated ability to handle multiple tasks while managing changing priorities and tight and shifting timelines.
• Demonstrated oral and written communication skills including an ability to write in plain language.
• Strategic and innovative thinking with the ability to be flexible and creative.
• Ability to use computer software packages (e.g., Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Teams, PowerPoint, Word, Quicklaw).
• Experience working on teams of diverse members and demonstrated interest in Ontario Public Service priorities relating to diversity.

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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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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.