Counsel (LP-02)

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

To apply for this process, you:
- Do not need to provide a cover letter (just a résumé);
- Answer screening questions online. (Your answers to these questions will be assessed against the resume that you submit. Any noticeable information that cannot be supported by your resume will be deemed invalid and may result in your application being screened-out from this process.)

Tips for applicants:
- Please provide complete and thorough details of your education, occupational certification, and experience.
- Do not assume that the screening board has any previous knowledge of your background, qualifications, or work history. You must be specific and provide concrete examples/details for each experience element, as applications will be screened only on the information provided.
- Failure to provide sufficient information may result in your application being screened out of the process.

YOUR RESPONSES MAY BE USED TO ASSESS YOUR ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE EFFECTIVELY IN WRITING.

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.

Work environment

At the Department of Justice Canada, we are dedicated to creating a supportive and dynamic team-oriented workplace where your drive for results can be recognized and rewarded with challenging opportunities.

Training opportunities and a National Mentoring Program will help you further develop personal and technical skills and excellence in legal knowledge.

Experience a healthy work-life balance! We support and encourage the wellness and mental health of our employees. We are committed to workplace policies such as employment equity, flexible work hours, job sharing and teleworking. At the Department of Justice, we also offer a supportive work environment, competitive compensation, a pension and full range of benefits.

Apply online today for an opportunity to join our legal team.

Intent of the process

This process will be used to fill immediate term and indeterminate vacancies in Winnipeg and Saskatoon.

More positions (term or indeterminate) may become available in other offices within the Prairie Region depending on the needs of the organization.

A pool of qualified candidates may be established and may be used to staff similar or identical positions with various linguistic profiles and requirements, security profiles and various tenures at the Department of Justice Canada.

Positions to be filled: Number to be determined

Information you must provide

Your résumé.

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

EDUCATION:

ED.1 Law degree from a recognized university.

Degree equivalency

OCCUPATIONAL CERTIFICATION:

OC.1 Membership in good standing in a Law Society of one of the provinces or territories of Canada; and eligibility for membership in the Law Society of Alberta, Manitoba or Saskatchewan within a specified period of time.

EXPERIENCE:

Stream 1 (Litigation):
EX.1a Recent and significant* experience in litigation.**

Stream 2 (Advisory):
EX.1b Recent and significant* experience in advisory services.***

Stream 1 (Litigation) and Stream 2 (Advisory):
EX.2 Recent and significant* experience working on complex files or transactions.****

NOTES:

*Recent and significant experience is defined as the depth and breadth of experience normally associated with performance of the duties over a period of approximately four (4) years within the last six (6) years.

**Experience in litigation means the candidate has worked as counsel primarily on files involving the litigation of disputes before courts. This experience must include having conduct of discrete issues within litigation files, making strategic decisions on such files and communicating those decisions to clients or colleagues.

***Experience in advisory services means the candidate has worked as counsel primarily on files involving providing solicitors’ advice to clients. This experience must have included: the preparation of legal opinions and advice, including strategic recommendations in relation to that advice; and communicating that advice to clients and colleagues.

****Complex files or transactions is defined as those files or transactions which involved multiple parties or stakeholders, raised challenging or novel legal issues, and posed significant legal or business risks.

If you possess any of the following, your application must also clearly explain how you meet it (other qualifications)

ASSET QUALIFICATIONS:

AEX.1 Significant litigation experience of at least six (6) years.
AEX.2 Significant advisory experience of at least six (6) years.
AEX.3 Experience in bankruptcy and insolvency law.
AEX.4 Experience in tax law.
AEX.5 Experience in federal real property law or transactions.
AEX.6 Experience in commercial law.
AEX.7 Experience in commercial leasing.
AEX.8 Experience in civil litigation.
AEX.9 Experience in legislative or regulatory drafting.
AEX.10 Experience in negotiating, drafting and interpreting commercial agreements including, but not limited to, transfer payment agreements.
AEX.11 Experience in Indigenous litigation.
AEX.12 Experience in land transactions on reserve.
AEX.13 Experience as lead counsel in the conduct of trials, interlocutory motions, tribunal hearings, judicial reviews, or dispute resolution before formal bodies.

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

English essential

Information on language requirements

KNOWLEDGE:

Stream 1 (Litigation):
K.1a Knowledge of civil procedure.

Stream 2 (Advisory):
K.1b Knowledge of corporate law or commercial law or real property law.

Stream 1 (Litigation) and Stream 2 (Advisory):
K.2 Knowledge of the role and mandate of the Attorney General and of Counsel in the Department of Justice.
K.3 Knowledge of recent and significant case law.

ABILITIES:

A.1 Ability to communicate effectively orally.
A.2 Ability to communicate effectively in writing.
A.3 Ability to analyze complex information.
A.4 Ability to work under pressure.

PERSONAL SUITABILITY:

PS.1 Demonstrating integrity and respect
PS.2 Thinking things through
PS.3 Working effectively with others
PS.4 Showing initiative and being action-oriented

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

.

Information on employment equity

The Department of Justice is committed to maintaining a representative workforce reflective of Canadian society. In support of achieving a diversified workforce and our employment equity goals, qualified candidates who self-declare in a staffing process as members of Aboriginal peoples, persons with disabilities, visible minorities and/or women may be selected for appointment to fulfill organizational needs.

Willingness and ability to travel, as required.

Conditions of employment

Reliability, Secret, or Top Secret security clearance (depending on position or as required).

Remain member in good standing with the Law Societies of Manitoba, Saskatchewan or Alberta.

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

We will only accept on-line applications received via the jobs.gc.ca site.

CANDIDATES WILL NOT BE SOLICITED FOR INCOMPLETE OR MISSING INFORMATION.

Proof of citizenship will be required.

A written test may be administered.

Interviews may be administered.

Reference checks may be administered.

Communication for this process will be sent via email. It is the responsibility of the candidate to ensure accurate contact information is provided and updated as required and to update their personal information when it changes. Candidates who apply to this selection process should include an email address that accepts email from unknown users (some email systems block these types of email).

Time sensitive correspondence may be transmitted via e-mail and it will be the candidate's responsibility to ensure they check their e-mail regularly. Failure to respond to communications may result in elimination from this process.

Testing/interviews will be conducted at locations of the employer's choice and may require candidates to travel to the test/interview location. Please note that candidates (including employees of the Public Service) will not be considered to be in travel status or on government business and that travel costs will not be reimbursed. Consequently, candidates will be responsible for travel costs.

Candidates may be required to meet some asset qualifications or the organizational needs, depending on the requirements of the specific position being staffed.

Other considerations may be a deciding factor in choosing the person to be appointed from the pool (i.e. other qualifications deemed relevant, organizational needs, and/or operational needs).

Persons are entitled to participate in the appointment process in the official language of their choice.

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 facilitate your full participation.

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.

For Current Federal Public Service employees:

Please identify clearly your substantive group and level, your employment status, and Personal Record Identifier (PRI) on your application.

Employees at the same group and level or equivalent may be considered for deployment or secondment.

An assignment or acting appointment or secondment requires approval of your supervisor.

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.