Senior Legislative Counsel

Role Responsibilities

The Alberta Legislative Counsel Office is looking for a self-motivated, energetic individual with demonstrated legislative drafting and leadership skills who will use their excellent English language writing ability to draft high quality Government Bills for introduction in the Legislative Assembly and to draft Regulations and Orders in Council for Government.

You will provide advice to the Government and Crown agencies on the development of legislation and regulatory policies.

Reporting to the Deputy Chief Legislative Counsel and Registrar of Regulations, your primary responsibility will be to provide advice and mentorship to legislative drafters to assist the Alberta Government and its Ministries in achieving their legislative objectives.

Additional duties involve drafting complex bills and regulations in accordance with Legislative Counsel Office standards and performing related legal services.

This position will ensure client Ministries’ policy objectives are met by :

• Mentoring legislative drafters with less drafting experience;
• Contributing to the drafting resources of the Legislative Counsel Office;
• Providing legal and legislative advice and opinions on legislative proposals made by Ministries;
• Advising ministry officials on their legislative proposals and assisting them in achieving their policy goals through legislation where appropriate;
• Providing impartial, high-quality legislative drafting services to the government;

Drafting bills and regulations in a timely and effective manner in accordance with drafting standards; and

Responding to client ministries’ concerns and questions regarding the making, drafting, and filing of regulations.

Qualifications

A Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) or Juris Doctor (JD) is required. You must be an active member or must have immediate eligibility for full membership with the Law Society of Alberta.

A minimum of 10 years of legislative drafting experience is required.

Intellectual inquiry, problem-solving and innovative thinking, combined with precision and thoroughness, are required in this position.

Strong client focus, effective verbal and written communication skills, and effective interpersonal skills are essential to your success in this role, as you must understand your client's policy goals and be able to express them in a legislative framework that the clients can understand and explain to others.

The ability to work both independently and collaboratively will ensure you are successful in meeting the demands of this position.

As the ideal candidate you possess :

• A minimum of 10 years experience drafting government legislation while employed as a legislative drafter for a Government Legislative Counsel Office or a Parliamentary Counsel Office;
• Experience drafting the most complex, politically sensitive government bills and regulation projects;
• Demonstrated experience in a leadership role in a legislative counsel office;
• Demonstrated experience mentoring and coaching other legislative drafters;

Demonstrated experience dealing with multiple complex files.

A graduate diploma or professional certificate in Legislative drafting is considered an asset.

In your cover letter, please briefly summarize :

Legal experience and expertise,

Relevant strengths and skills, and

Reasons for interest in the position

Applications without a cover letter will not be considered.

Notes

Hours of Work : 7.25 hours per day / 36.25 hours of work per week (Monday to Friday).

Successful candidates will be required to undergo a security screening. Any costs associated with obtaining the required documents / checks as noted or interview travel expenses, will be the responsibility of the candidate.

Out-of-province applicants can obtain the required documents / checks from the province they currently reside in.

Links and information on what the GoA has to offer prospective employees :

Management Employees Pension Plan ()

Alberta Public Service Benefit Information ()

Leadership and mentorship programs

Positive workplace culture and work-life balance

Opportunity to participate in flexible work arrangements such as working from home up to two days per week and modified work schedule agreements