Legal Counsel

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 specialized accommodation. All information received in relation to accommodation will be kept confidential.

Assessment accommodation

When you apply to this selection process, you are not applying for a specific job, but to an inventory for future vacancies. As positions become available, applicants who meet the qualifications may be contacted for further assessment.

Work environment

Do you like working in a fast-paced, results-oriented environment that values service excellence? Are you looking for the chance to make your mark in a small organization that plays a big role in providing justice to Canadians?

The Administrative Tribunals Support Service of Canada (ATSSC) is a group of committed public servants providing support services to 11 administrative tribunals.

We are the lawyers, mediators, registry officers and other specialized and technical staff that support the effective operations of the tribunals, which are important components of Canada’s justice system.

Why choose the ATSSC?

• Work in a great location in downtown Ottawa, close to parking and public transit.
• Experience the benefits of working in a small federal organization:

o Broaden your experience by working on a variety of files
o Quick team integration
o Direct access to responsive, on-site internal services (e.g., compensation advisors, IT troubleshooting)
o Connect daily with different teams and levels of management

• Benefit from a flatter organizational structure - you will have more time with senior management providing you with a greater opportunity to understand our business as a whole and to see your contributions in action.

• Grow in an organization that is strongly committed to providing a supportive work environment and healthy life-work balance!

Visit the ATSSC website to learn more about us and the tribunals we serve.

Intent of the process

We are looking for dynamic lawyers to join the legal team of secretariats supporting the various tribunals we serve. ATSSC lawyers are committed professionals who share our core values of Service Excellence, Team Work, Integrity and Collaboration and Respect.

A fully or partially assessed pool may be created and may be used to staff similar positions at an identical or equivalent group and level with various linguistic requirements, tenures and security clearances within the ATSSC.

HOW TO APPLY :

The organization will accept applications on-line only. All job applications must therefore be submitted through the Public Service Resourcing System.

Respond to Screening Questions.

You will be invited to clearly demonstrate how you meet each of the screening criteria by answering the questions in the Screening Questions section of the application. This may take more time than applying to a standard process so please save your information regularly to keep from losing your work.

You must provide concrete examples to illustrate how you meet each criteria identified in the questions.

When drafting your responses to the experience qualifications, follow this format:

1. include where, when and how you obtained the required experience.

2. include the period(s) in which you performed the functions of the position(s).

By providing the required information in the suggested format, you will ensure that the assessors are in a position to assess the depth, complexity and scope of your experience.

Asset Qualifications (Other Qualifications Section)

You must indicate "NO" if you do not have experience in performing a task listed in the section titled "Other Qualifications". Responding “NO” to one or more of these non-essential experience questions will not result in the rejection of your application. If you answer “YES” to a non-essential experience question, you must provide information in the format mentioned above to ensure that the assessors are in a position to assess the depth, complexity and scope of your experience. This will ensure that you can be considered for a specific appointment where asset qualifications would be used.

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

A law degree from a recognized university.

Degree equivalency

OCCUPATIONAL CERTIFICATION

Eligibility for membership in the Bar of one of the provinces or territories of Canada or in the Order of Notaries in the Province of Quebec.

EXPERIENCE

Experience in legal writing, or conducting legal research and or legal analysis.

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

Various language requirements
Bilingual Imperative BBB/BBB
Bilingual Imperative CBC/CBC
Bilingual Imperative CCC/CCC

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

ABILITIES

Ability to communicate effectively in writing.

Ability to communicate effectively orally.

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

ASSET QUALIFICATIONS

EXPERIENCE

Experience in the preparation of legal opinions or memoranda.

Experience in reviewing draft judgments in a judicial or quasi-judicial context.

Experience in conducting research in a quasi-judicial or judicial context.

Experience in the field of administrative law.

Experience working in a Court, a Tribunal, a Board or a Commission environment.

Experience in drafting legal opinions.

Experience in providing training or teaching.

Experience in any of the following areas of law: Labor Law, Human Rights Law, Agricultural Law, Transportation Law, Competition Law, Trade Law and Aboriginal Law.

ABILITIES

Ability to summarize facts and legal issues.

Ability to analyze complex legal judgments and draft case abstracts or memoranda.

Ability to work under pressure.

Ability to multi-task and meet tight deadlines.

Ability to conduct legal research and interpret legislation.

PERSONAL SUITABILITY

Dependability

Attention to detail

Judgment

Client Service oriented

Autonomy

Effective Interpersonal Relationships

Demonstrating integrity and respect

Thinking things through

Working effectively with others

Showing initiative and being action-oriented

Conditions of employment

Various security clearance levels :

Reliability security status.

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 designated groups when you apply.

Information on employment equity

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

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

All information obtained throughout the selection process, from the time of application to close of process, may be used to evaluate the candidates.

The selection committee reserves all rights to use any methods that they deem appropriate in order to evaluate the candidates (written examination, interview, reference check, written samples, etc.).

For this selection process, our intention is to communicate with the candidates by email. Candidates who apply to this selection process must include in their application a valid email address and make sure that this address is functional at all times and accepts messages from unknown users (some email systems block these types of email).

Persons with disabilities preventing them from applying on-line or persons without access to the internet are asked to contact 1-800-645-5605.

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.

Preference

Preference will be given to veterans and to Canadian citizens, in that order, with the exception of a job located in Nunavut, where Nunavut Inuit will be appointed first.

Information on the preference to veterans

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