Legal Counsel - *AMENDMENT- See Important Messages*

Update: *AMENDMENT TO CLOSING DATE.- The definition for recent experience has been modified. There is no need to re-apply. All applications received to date will be considered.

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

AMENDMENT - The definition for recent experience has been modified. There is no need to re-apply. All applications received to date will be considered.

YOU MUST provide responses to screening questions and your resume.

Normally, applicants will not be solicited for incomplete or possible missing information.

ONLY ON-LINE APPLICATIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED in order to take advantage of the many benefits of using the electronic recruitment system. Some of the benefits for applicants include that you can:

- modify your application/resume at any time BEFORE the closing date,
- complete screening questions which will highlight your qualifications to the hiring manager,
- verify the status of your application and notification(s), at any time, and
- be notified electronically of assessment details and results.

Persons who are unable to apply on-line must contact prior to the closing date.

Duties

The Supreme Court of Canada is looking for three legal practitioners to join the Law Branch of the Office of the Registrar. Working in a fast-paced and collegial environment, legal counsel at the Court provide expert legal advice to judges, the Office of the Registrar, senior management, and staff of the Supreme Court of Canada on a broad range of legal matters of significant scope and impact. Legal counsel are responsible for advising the Court on applications for leave to appeal, motions and appeals, drafting headnotes and providing legal editorial services on reasons for judgment, and providing corporate legal services. The Supreme Court of Canada provides an inclusive and rewarding workplace.

Work environment

The Supreme Court of Canada (SCC) is Canada’s final court of appeal. The SCC is a bilingual institution that hears cases in French and English, in all areas of the law, such as family, criminal, and tax law. It decides cases from Canada’s two major legal traditions, common and civil law. Its decisions affect the lives of all Canadians. The SCC recognizes that a key element necessary in achieving and retaining a representative workforce is providing a supportive work environment and fostering a corporate culture that is welcoming to all employees, including designated group members. According to the most recent public service employee surveys, the SCC is one of the best places to work in the federal public service. Given that the SCC is not served by Pay Centre, it has its own compensation team responsible for administering the full range of pay and benefits transactions in Phoenix and MyGCHR.

Intent of the process

This process is intended to fill three (3) existing LP-02 vacancies:
- Two (2) permanent (indeterminate) positions
- One (1) temporary position

WRITTEN COMMUNICATION may be assessed through your application and throughout the staffing process. Therefore, communication needs to be grammatically correct, with appropriate vocabulary and minimal errors in punctuation and spelling. As a result, please use complete sentences.

This process will be used to staff the above mentioned positions. It may also be used to establish a pool of qualified candidates to staff similar positions at the Office of the Registrar of the Supreme Court of Canada with varying language requirements, security profiles, and tenures.

Positions to be filled: 3

Information you must provide

Your résumé.

A covering letter "in 2,500 words (maximum). The covering letter will be used to assess the essential and asset experience criteria. You must provide clear and specific examples and provide sufficient information to allow for the selection committee to assess the depth and breadth of experience against the sought after qualifications (what, where, when, how, etc.). Failure to provide an appropriate cover letter could result in the rejection of your application. Your résumé may be used as a secondary source to validate your examples. You will not be solicited for incomplete or possible missing information."

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

EDUCATION:

Law degree from a recognized university.

Degree equivalency

OCCUPATIONAL CERTIFICATION:

Membership or 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:

*Recent and **extensive experience in legal writing, in conducting legal research and in legal analysis.

*Recent experience in providing legal advice to senior management or judges.

*Recent experience is defined as being within the last eight (8) years.
** Extensive is understood to mean the depth and breadth of the experience associated with having performed a broad range of various and complex activities that is normally acquired over a period of four (4) years.

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

ASSET QUALIFICATIONS:

As the Supreme Court of Canada considers cases from all jurisdictions in Canada, degree(s) from a recognized university in both the civil law and common law would be an asset.

Experience working in a judicial environment.

Experience in editing documents for publication, preferably legal documents.

Experience in conducting civil litigation would be an asset.

Experience in providing corporate legal services, such as procurement, staff relations or intellectual property, would be an asset.

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

Various language requirements

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:

Knowledge of the role and function of the Supreme Court of Canada.
Knowledge of the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court of Canada.

KEY COMPETENCIES:

Judgment
Effective interpersonal relationships
Reliability

ABILITIES:

Ability to summarize facts and legal issues relating to cases before the Court.
Ability to analyse complex judgments and draft case abstracts and memoranda.
Excellent writing and editing skills.
Ability to communicate effectively orally.
Ability to make recommendations and provide sound legal advice.
Ability to work under pressure with multiple conflicting priorities.

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

Selection may be limited to members of the following Employment Equity groups: persons with disabilities, visible minorities

Information on employment equity

ORGANIZATIONAL NEEDS:

In support of achieving a diversified workforce, consideration may be given to candidates self-identifying as belonging to one of the following Employment Equity groups: Persons with disabilities, Visible Minorities.

Willingness and ability to work late as required.

Conditions of employment

Secret security clearance

All employees of the core public administration are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and attest to their vaccination status unless accommodated based on a medical contraindication, religion, or another prohibited ground for discrimination as defined under the Canadian Human Rights Act.

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

A random and/or top down selection of candidates may be used in the determination of those to be given further consideration in the assessment process.

You must be prepared to provide the original or a certified true copy of your educational credentials. Candidates with foreign credentials must provide proof of Canadian equivalency. Consult the Canadian Information Centre for International Credentials for further information at www.cicic.ca/indexe.stm.

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

All communication and information obtained throughout the selection process, from the time of application to the close of process, may be used in the assessment of qualifications.

Our intention is to communicate with candidates via email. Candidates who apply on this selection process must include in their application a valid e-mail address and to make sure that this address is functional at all times and accepts messages from unknown users (some email systems block these types of email). It is the candidate’s responsibility to provide any changes to their personal information to the contact indicated on this job advertisement.

On October 6, 2021, the Government of Canada announced details of its plans to require vaccination across the federal public service. As per the new Policy on COVID-19 Vaccination for the Core Public Administration Including the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, federal public servants in the Core Public Administration and members of the RCMP must attest to their vaccination status. The requirement for employees to be fully vaccinated applies whether they are teleworking, working remotely or working on-site. This is a condition of employment and it applies to indeterminate (permanent), determinate (term), casual, and student hiring. Should you reach the point in the selection process where it is necessary to verify terms and conditions of employment then the hiring manager or a human resources representative will contact you in order to complete an attestation.

Preference

Preference will be given to veterans first and then to Canadian citizens and permanent residents, 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.