General Counsel - EXTENSION

Important messages

IMPORTANT NOTE:
Please note that this LP -04 process has been extended until Friday, September 15, 2017 (23:59 Pacific Time).

CANDIDATES WHO HAVE ALREADY APPLIED, DO NOT NEED TO RESUBMIT THEIR APPLICATION. Amendments may be made prior to the closing date if desired.

Applicants must clearly demonstrate IN THEIR COVER LETTER how they meet the education and experience factors listed in the ESSENTIAL and ASSET QUALIFICATIONS. Applicants must use the education/experience factors as a header and then write one or two paragraphs for each demonstrating how they meet each of them with concrete examples. Please note that it is not sufficient to only state that the qualification is met or to provide a listing of current or past responsibilities. Resumes will be used as a secondary source to validate the experience described in the cover letter. FAILURE TO CLEARLY DEMONSTRATE IN YOUR COVER LETTER HOW YOU MEET THE ESSENTIAL AND ASSET SCREENING CRITERIA (Education and Experience) WILL RESULT IN THE REJECTION OF YOUR APPLICATION. APPLICANTS WILL NOT BE SOLICITED FOR INCOMPLETE OR POSSIBLE MISSING INFORMATION.

WHILE ONLINE APPLICATION IS THE PREFERRED METHOD, YOUR APPLICATION CAN ALSO BE SENT BY E-MAIL, AT IN WHICH CASE YOU MUST INDICATE THE SELECTION PROCESS NUMBER (2017-JUS-EA-JM-13131-110012) AND YOUR APPLICATION MUST BE RECEIVED AT THE LATEST ON THE CLOSING DATE.

Work environment

The Competition Bureau is an independent law enforcement agency that ensures Canadian businesses and consumers prosper in a competitive and innovative marketplace. The Competition Bureau Legal Services unit assists the Commissioner of Competition and the Competition Bureau in achieving its mandate and objectives – namely the promotion of competition in the Canadian marketplace – while upholding and developing Canadian competition law.

More specifically, the Competition Bureau Legal Services provides advisory, litigation and enforcement services to the Commissioner of Competition and the Competition Bureau, excluding criminal matters that are under the authority of the Public Prosecution Service of Canada.

As one of the senior counsel in the office, the General Counsel has an opportunity to work on a wide range on competition matters in the areas of mergers, restrictive trade practices and deceptive marketing practices including complex litigation before the Competition Tribunal, Federal Court and superior courts.

The Ottawa-Gatineau metropolitan area is a great place to work, live and raise a family. The area offers numerous attractions with historical landmarks, national museums, art galleries, performing arts and festivals and fine dining. It has the feel of a small town and remains relatively affordable in comparison to bigger cities. The area is close to national parks and offers multiple outdoor activities only minutes from downtown.

Intent of the process

The intent is to staff the position on a term basis (12 months) with a possibility of extension.

Positions to be filled: 1

Information you must provide

Your résumé.

A covering letter in 9,999 words (maximum)

You must meet all essential qualifications in order to be appointed to the position. Other qualifications may be a deciding factor in choosing the person to be appointed. Some essential and other qualifications will be assessed through your application. It is your responsibility to provide appropriate examples that illustrate how you meet each qualification. Failing to do so could result in your application being rejected.

The following will be applied / assessed at a later date (essential for the job)

English essential

Information on language requirements

EDUCATION
Law degree from a recognized university.

Degree equivalency

Member in good standing of the Bar of one of the provinces or territories of Canada or the Order of Notaries in the province of Québec.

EXPERIENCE
Extensive* and recent ** experience as litigation counsel in contested complex commercial law or competition law litigation.

Experience in competition law matters.

Experience in negotiating complex commercial agreements.

* Extensive experience is defined as depth and breadth acquired through experience as a civil litigator, in which the candidate has had sole or primary responsibility for a variety of complex cases as lead counsel, in the conduct of, contested court or Competition Tribunal matters. This experience would normally be gained within approximately 15 years.
** Recent experience is defined as experience acquired within the past two calendar years.

KNOWLEDGE
Knowledge of competition law.

Knowledge of legal risk management.

ABILITIES
Ability to analyze complex legal issues and develop innovative solutions.
Ability to negotiate.
Ability to work under pressure.
Ability to communicate effectively in writing.
Ability to communicate effectively orally.
Ability to think strategically in the context of litigation

Leadership.
Interpersonal relations.
Judgment.
Client service orientation.
Team Player.

The following may be applied / assessed at a later date (may be needed for the job)

ASSET QUALIFICATION
Undergraduate or Master’s degree in economics.

Masters Degree in Law in a subject or subjects related to competition or commercial law.

Degree equivalency

Experience in working in an administrative tribunal or enforcement agency.

OPERATIONAL REQUIREMENT
Willingness to work outside normal work hours including weekends.
Willingness to travel for extended periods of time.

Conditions of employment

Secret security clearance

Remain member in good standing with the Law Societies of one of the provinces or territories of Canada, or the Order of Notaries in the province of Québec.

Other information

- Reference checks may be sought.
- An interview may be administered.
- A written examination may be administered.
- Candidates must meet the essential qualifications to be appointed to a position.
- Candidates may be required to meet the asset qualifications or the organizational needs, depending on the requirements of the specific position being staffed.
- Acknowledgment of receipt of applications will not be sent; we will contact candidates when the screening process is completed.
- Persons are entitled to participate in the appointment process in the official language of their choice. Applicants are asked to indicate their preferred official language in their application.
- The term "degree" refers to a baccalaureate as established by educational authorities.
- A "recognized" university is a Canadian university that has provincial or territorial degree-granting status, or a university outside Canada, the programs/degrees of which are accepted by a recognized Canadian university. In the latter, please indicate if the programs/degrees you hold have been accepted by a recognized Canadian university or if you have received an equivalency established by educational authorities. It is the candidate's responsibility to demonstrate that the degree/program held has been approved by a "recognized" Canadian university.

PLEASE NOTE: For this selection process, our intention is to communicate with applicants by EMAIL for screening/assessment purposes (including issuing screening results, and sending invitations for written tests and interviews). Applicants MUST include in their application a valid e-mail address and make sure this address is functional at all times and accepts messages from unknown users.

Candidates are expected to make a reasonable effort to make themselves available for assessments as scheduled. Rescheduling will only permitted for accommodation measures or for other exceptional/extenuating circumstances, to be determined on a case-by-case basis.

Candidates from outside the public service may be required to pay for travel and relocation costs associated for this selection process.

Note: Candidates will need to provide proof of their education credentials at a later time in the process. Candidates with foreign credentials must provide proof of Canadian equivalency. Consult the Canadian Information Centre for International Credentials for further information at http://www.cicic.ca/indexe.stm.

-The Department of Justice encourages persons with priority entitlements to self-refer to our selection processes in circumstances where they believe that they meet the essential qualifications of the advertised position.

The Public Service of Canada is committed to building a skilled, diverse workforce reflective of Canadian society. As a result, it promotes employment equity and encourages candidates to indicate voluntarily on their application if they are a woman, an Aboriginal person, a person with a disability or a member of a visible minority group.

The Public Service of Canada is also committed to developing inclusive, barrier-free selection processes and work environments. If contacted in relation to a job opportunity or testing, you should advise the Public Service Commission or the departmental official in a timely fashion of the accommodation measures which must be taken to enable you to be assessed in a fair and equitable manner. Information received relating to accommodation measures will be addressed confidentially.

Preference

Preference will be given to veterans and to Canadian citizens, in that order.

Information on the preference to veterans

We thank all those who apply. Only those selected for further consideration will be contacted.