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 Attorney General is seeking a counsel to provide policy-focussed strategic legal services and support to the Ministry of Finance, related to the administration and enforcement of complex tax avoidance matters, the development of taxation policy and other matters within the mandate of the Ministry of Finance.

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About the job

Duties will include:

•Providing strategic legal advice with respect to matters related to Ministry legislation mainly in the area of provincial taxation, but occasionally in the areas of insurance, credit unions, capital markets and other financial services.
•Working with taxation policy staff in developing taxation policy options for the Ministry, including contribution to briefing materials and participation in briefings.
•Monitoring and conducting research on issues impacting provincial taxation policy and legislation; determining administrative feasibility of potential policy or legislative changes and providing recommendations on the administration of tax legislation.
•Coordinating the development of, and amendments to, agreements with the federal government affecting personal income and corporate taxes.
•Drafting amendments to provincial tax statutes and regulations for complex measures to address tax avoidance and evasion and other provincial taxation issues.
•Providing written and oral legal opinions to the Ministry on other matters related to the Ministry's mandate and interpretation of Ministry legislation.

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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

• Knowledge and experience in the interpretation and application of legislation administered by the Ministry of Finance, including provincial tax statutes and Financial Administration Act.
• Demonstrated experience in negotiating and drafting contracts, guarantees, debt securities and loan agreements
• Experience in drafting orders in council, regulations and legislation
• Relevant legal research experience

Other Essential Skills

• Proven ability to work under pressure and handle multiple tasks while working under tight deadlines with changing and competing demands
• Ability to inspire client confidence and to work effectively as a team member
• Excellent • oral/written communications skills, including interpersonal communication skills
• Excellent analytical ability and sound judgement in dealing with complex issues
• Excellent 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.