Legal Assistant, Litigation

ABOUT US

Almost 1.2 million residents call York Region home making it one of the largest regions in Canada and the fastest growing with a population thats expected to grow to more than 2 million by 2041. Our geography which is comprised of about 1800 square kilometers over nine different municipalities is as beautiful interesting and diverse as our government is organized in a two-tier structure and we work together with our local municipalities to provide residents and businesses access to a broad selection of services and resources.

WHAT WE OFFER

Consistently named one of Canadas Best Employers by Forbes we offer a collaborative progressive workplace that takes pride in our organizational culture and is committed to living The 13 Factors of Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace aligned with our vision to create strong caring and safe communities both within and outside our walls.

• Defined Benefit Pension Program - With the Ontario Municipality Employees Retirement System (OMERS) defined benefit pension plan you can confidently retire knowing that you will have income for life. Eligibility from date of hire as a full-time employee and includes employer-matched contributions.
• Employer of Choice - Recognized as the highest-ranking government employer in Canada and fourth overall among 300 organizations.
• Benefits and Wellness - Employees and their loved ones have access to an employee health care spending account access to a 24/7 Employee and Family Assistance Programand corporate discounts and purchase plans for day-to-day products and services. Casual employees are eligible to receive payment in lieu of benefits and/or vacation.
• Inclusive and Diverse Workforce - Were committed to fostering an environment that celebrates all dimensions of diversity and ensures everyone can develop to their full potential participate freely in society and live with respect dignity and freedom from discrimination. Our robust Inclusion Diversity Equity and Accessibility program continues to grow and has been recognized by the United Nations and many other organizations for our leadership.

ABOUT THE ROLE:

Reporting to the Deputy Regional Solicitor in the Dispute Resolution and Construction Law Section provides confidential legal and administrative support to the Deputy and supports the Litigation Law Group responsible for drafting and preparing correspondence and legal documents on a confidential basis related to dispute resolution and litigation matters involving Regional Departments.

WHAT YOULL BE DOING

• Drafts and/or prepares various documents pleadings and supporting materials corporate searches and correspondence.
• Administers and processes legal documents and ensures limitation periods are tracked to protect the legal and financial interests of the Region; arranges for signatures and execution of documents and agreements.
• Assists in drafting and in the preparation of confidential correspondence documents and reports.
• Maintains filing system precedents etc. and updates records and lists to ensure accuracy; files correspondence reports and other documents in accordance with Regional standards and assists with records management.
• Acts as the communications link between staff and cross-department staff outside agencies and the public.
• Produces and distributes documents ensuring security and confidentiality of information.
• Identifies best practices and procedures in connection with job duties and responsibilities and implements changes.
• Drafts and/or prepares and co-ordinates background material for briefing notes as appropriate
• Conducts legal research utilizing various legal research software.
• Receives redirects and responds as appropriate to communications and takes appropriate action to ensure urgent matters are dealt with quickly.
• Assists Litigation team by arranging meetings and attendance at courses making travel and accommodation arrangements.
• Responds to inquiries referring urgent matters to appropriate staff and ensures timely communication to the Deputy and the Litigation team.
• Schedules meetings as required.
• Performs other duties as assigned to meet Branch and Department objectives.
• Team player who collaborates closely with members of Litigation team and staff across the Legal Department

WHAT WERE LOOKING FOR:

• Successful completion of a post-secondary education in a Legal Assistant Program or equivalent approved combination of education and experience.
• Minimum of five (5) years legal administrative experience in a private or public law practice with an emphasis on litigation as well as sound working knowledge of the Rules of Civil Procedure.
• Thorough knowledge of the preparation of various legal and Court documents records and file systems and clerical administrative practices related to the practice of dispute resolution and litigation
• Knowledge of and demonstrated ability in corporate core competencies including customer service communication team work initiative/self-management and accountability and flexibility/adaptability.
• Computer literacy utilizing MS Office software applications .
• Demonstrated ability to research/investigate issues and resolve problems.
• Organizational skills and ability to assess priorities work independently to meet required deadlines with conflicting demands and changing priorities.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise good judgment and discretion in dealing with confidential information and/or responding to inquiries.
• Ability to work outside normal business hours as required.