Legal Assistant - Anticipatory Staffing

Important messages

NOTE: You must clearly demonstrate in detail, in a covering letter how you meet the education and experience requirements. You must provide concrete and detailed examples to clearly demonstrate how you meet the education and experience requirements listed in the essential qualifications and asset qualifications section. The screening board cannot make any assumptions about your experience or education. It is not sufficient to say that you have the required qualifications or to list your current duties. One effective approach would be to use the wording of each experience criterion as a heading and then write one or two paragraphs demonstrating that you have the required experience and ensure that clear and accurate details are provided. APPLICATIONS THAT DO NOT CLEARLY DEMONSTRATE THAT THE CANDIDATE MEETS THE SCREENING CRITERIA WILL NOT BE GIVEN FURTHER CONSIDERATION.

Intent of the process

Anticipatory Staffing – Permanent/Temporary - Full Time. A pool of qualified candidates may be established and may be used to staff similar positions with various linguistic profiles on a term, indeterminate, deployment, assignment/secondment basis.

Positions to be filled: Number to be determined

Information you must provide

Your résumé.

A covering letter in 2,000 words (maximum) "You must submit a covering letter and resume when applying for this selection process."

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.

In order to be considered, your application must clearly explain how you meet the following (essential qualifications)

Successful completion of secondary school education according to provincial standards or an acceptable combination of education, training and/or experience.

Degree equivalency

Experience working as a legal secretary and/or legal assistant.

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

Various language requirements
English Essential and Bilingual Imperative – level: CCC/CCC for the creation of a pool of qualified candidates.

Information on language requirements

Second Language Writing Skills Self-Assessment
In order to help you decide if you should apply to a bilingual position, an optional self-assessment of your writing skills in your second official language is available for you to take before completing your application.

For more information, please consult:
Unsupervised Internet Test of Second Language Writing Skills

Knowledge of legal terminology.

Ability to draft and format routine correspondence and/or legal documents using Microsoft Word.

Ability to communicate effectively orally.

Ability to plan, organize and set priorities.

Ability to proficiently proofread and correct documents/correspondence for grammar, spelling and/or related errors.

Ability to maintain a bring forward (BF) system, calendars and/or schedules.

Initiative
Dependability
Judgment
Teamwork

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

Asset Qualifications:
Diploma in Legal Secretary or Paralegal studies.

Recent experience (1 year within the last 5 years) working as a legal secretary and/or legal assistant.

Experience working in a team environment supporting multiple lawyers.

Experience in preparing lists or affidavits of documents.

Experience in providing legal assistance to civil litigation counsel.

Experience in providing legal assistance to tax litigation counsel.

Experience typing from handwritten notes and dictation.

Experience in maintaining an electronic file management system.

Experience organizing and maintaining files and filing systems.

Experience scheduling and organizing travel arrangements and in completing travel expense claims.

Organizational Needs:
The Department of Justice is committed to establishing and maintaining a representative workforce. Qualified candidates who self-declare as members of a visible minority group, Aboriginal peoples, persons with disabilities and/or women may be selected for appointment to fulfill organizational needs.

Operational Requirements:
May be required to work overtime from time to time and if so the incumbent must be willing and able to work overtime.

Willingness and ability to travel.

Conditions of employment

Secret security clearance

Other information

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.

A written test may be administered.

Language tests will be administered to confirm proficiency for bilingual positions.

An interview will be administered.

Reference checks will be sought.

You must provide proof of your education credentials. 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.

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.

Candidates are to note that all results and invitations will be sent electronically. We request therefore that you provide us with a valid electronic address when you apply.

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.