Paralegal supervisor and paralegal expert

Important messages

We are committed to providing an inclusive and barrier-free work environment, starting with the hiring process. If you need to be accommodated during any phase of the evaluation process, please use the Contact information below to request special accommodation. All information received in relation to accommodation will be kept confidential.

Information on accommodation for persons with disabilities

At time of application, screening questions will be asked to you. You WILL HAVE to provide concrete examples, in a few paragraphs explaining WHEN, WHERE and HOW you obtained each EXPERIENCE (essential and/or asset) criterion. Describe the examples in specific terms, providing sufficient details so that the screening board can clearly understand your examples. Content of your response must be supported by your résumé. Lack of details may result in your application being rejected as the screening board will have insufficient information. APPLICANTS WILL NOT BE SOLICITED FOR INCOMPLETE OR POSSIBLE MISSING INFORMATION.

Duties

Key Activities

- Conducts complex comprehensive legal research and difficult analysis on a variety of legal issues in multiple areas of law. Precedents are not easily accessible. Prepares summaries and recommendations.

- Organizes or directs others on the organization of a sensitive and/or confidential documents, information and data associated to a case/file/project.

- Under general guidance, conducts activities that are of high complexity within cases/files/projects.

- Oversees the administration of complex cases/files/projects.

- When responsible for own case/file/project, under general guidance, administers medium complex cases/files/projects. Represents client(s) in legal systems (e.g. small claims court, tax court, arraignment court, judgment debtor examinations and administrative tribunals) and/or assist counsel with the conduct of legal proceedings in legal systems.

- Provide recommendations to management and counsel on emerging legal and administrative issues related to a specific case/file/project.

- In-depth technical and interpretive advice to contacts on various operational issues.

- Operational advice on innovative techniques for the management of the practice of law and paralegal services in a Sector.

- Coaches and mentors colleagues.

- Trains Paralegals with respect to the provision of services.

- Team leader on cases/files/projects and/or leads a team.

Work environment

WHY JOIN CANADA'S LEGAL TEAM ?

• Are you passionate about the paralegal field and interested in contributing to innovation and change?
• Are you an action-oriented self-starter?
• Do you have strong analytical skills?
• Are you a client service-oriented team player and a solution-oriented partner?

If you have what we are looking for, this is a great opportunity for you to join our energetic team and take on new challenges, contribute significantly to change and service delivery improvement, and be fulfilled as a paralegal professional.

BEING A MEMBER OF CANADA'S LEGAL TEAM MEANS:

• Working in an energetic team of paralegal specialists who value communication, cooperation and excellence in client service delivery.

• Participating in a culture of change by innovating and fostering practical solutions in order to serve Canada’s legal system well.

• Working in a virtual team as part of a national structure, with your colleagues located throughout Canada and your clients in various departments nationwide. Your workplace may be in downtown Ottawa or downtown Montreal.

WHAT WE HAVE TO OFFER:

The Department of Justice has implemented many well-being and mental health initiatives, including the 2018–2019 Wellness Campaign, the Health & Wellness Platform and the Mental Health Passport. Employees’ well-being, career development and work-life balance are of the utmost importance in our Department, and that is why we support flexible working arrangements such as variable work weeks, compressed work weeks, telework and virtual work.

Intent of the process

A pool of fully qualified candidates will be established from this process to fill a paralegal supervisor position in Montreal. Also, this pool will serve to fill future positions and also will be used to staff similar positions within the Department of Justice with various tenures (such as: indeterminate, acting/acting extension, specified period, assignment/secondment, deployment, etc.), various languages requirements (English or French essential, bilingual imperative of various levels) and various condition of employments, which may vary according to the position to be staffed.

Stream 1 : Paralegal supervisor (immediate need)
Stream 2 : Paralegal expert (anticipated)

Positions to be filled: 1

Information you must provide

Your résumé.

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

Diploma of Collegial Studies in Paralegal Technology or Diploma of a University (including certificates equivalent to 2 years post-secondary) in Law from a recognized institution.

Degree equivalency

Recent and significant experience* in legal AND factual research notably through the use of electronic legal data bases.

Recent and significant experience* providing legal support on complex or very complex cases/files/projects**.

*Such an experience can usually be acquired after having worked, for a certain period and in an active way, on legal matters. Although a specific number of years cannot be a determinant in itself, it appears that a person does not usually gain “significant experience” in drafting legal documents and in legal and factual research without having spent approximately 7 years of his/her career in this area over the past 8 years.

**Complex or very complex cases/files/projects” are defined as ones that involve multiple factual and legal issues of a complex nature; that raise legal issues in areas where the law is not clearly established or that challenge established law or procedures. Those cases/files/projects often require dealing with stakeholders.

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

Bilingual - Imperative
CBB/CBB or CCB/CCB

Information on language requirements

FOR BOTH POSITIONS (SUPERVISOR AND EXPERT):

Ability to analyze legal problems and to formulate recommendations.

Ability to draft legal documents.

Written and Verbal Communication: To obtain and to exchange messages, verbally and in writing, and to retransmit them in a clear and effective way by using suitable medium and a language adapted to the audience.

Demonstrating integrity and respect.

Thinking things through.

Working effectively with others.

Showing initiative and being action-oriented.

Leadership: Mentoring and coaching a team of paralegals in a legal environment.

FOR THE POSITION PARALEGAL SUPERVISOR:

Ability to manage employees.

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

Experience*** in preparing and processing legal documents pertaining to commercial or real estate property transactions in the Province of Quebec.

Experience*** in managing employees including performance management.

Experience*** in tax litigation.

Experience*** in debt collection procedures.

Experience*** in bankruptcy and insolvency law.

Experience*** in labour law.

Experience*** in criminal law (extradition).

Experience*** in aboriginal law.

Experience*** in liability law.

Experience*** in class actions.

Experience*** in immigration law.

Experience*** in administrative law.

Experience*** using document management software.

***Such an experience can usually be acquired after having worked approximately 1 year of his/her career in this area over the past 3 years.

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.

Willingness and ability to travel occasionally to support jurists in the context of a file.

Willingness and ability to work overtime as required.

Conditions of employment

Secret security clearance

Other information

The Public Service of Canada is committed to building a skilled and diverse workforce that reflects the Canadians we serve. We promote employment equity and encourage you to indicate if you belong to one of the targeted groups when you apply.

Information on employment equity

Communication for this selection process will be sent via e-mail. Candidates who apply to this selection process must include in their application a valid email address. They must make sure that this address is functional at all times and accepts messages from unknown users. It is the responsibility of the candidate to ensure that accurate contact information is provided and updated as required.

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.

If you require any accommodations (e.g. an alternative method of assessment, a technical aid, accessibility requirements, etc.) at any stage of the assessment process, please contact us so that we can take the appropriate measures to ensure your full participation in a fair and equitable manner.

Reference checks may be sought and may also be used to validate the experience described in your application.

An interview may be administered.

A written examination may be administered.

All information, communication or exchange obtained throughout the process, from the time of application to close of process to appointment, may be used for evaluation and selection of candidates.

A top down selection approach may be used at any stage in this selection process.

Selection/Appointment decisions may be based on the merit criteria established for the position, for example:
- Fitting of the individual's experience or qualifications to the strengths and weaknesses of the work team
- Fitting of the individual's experience or qualifications to the specific duties of the position being staffed
- Depth and breadth of the experience related to the type of work
- Level/degree of one or more competencies/qualifications.

Acknowledgment of receipt of applications will not be sent. We will contact candidates when the screening process is completed.

Candidates 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 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.