LP-02 Counsel (Advisory & Litigation)

Update: ***Closing date amended to July 29, 2022***

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.

We will only accept on-line applications received via the Public Service Jobs site. Persons with disabilities or residing in locations that prevent them from applying on-line are asked to contact 1-800-645-5605.

When submitting an application to this selection process, you will be prompted to answer screening questions concerning the essential education and experience qualifications. It is your responsibility to provide clear and concrete examples in your responses to each question, including when (from-to), where (occupational title, organization) and how you obtained your education and experience. It is recommended that you describe the experience examples in specific terms, providing sufficient details so that the Assessment Board can clearly understand. The content of your response must be supported by your resume as your responses to these questions will be used as a primary source of information and your resume will only be used to validate this information.

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.
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Northern Allowances:
- In addition to your base salary, you will receive an Isolated Post Allowance: approximately $3,959 – $40,866 per year (rates vary depending on work location)
- Vacation Travel Assistance provided upon request once or twice per year for each eligible member of the household (rates and frequency vary depending on work location)

Please note that rates and conditions above are subject to change. Please see the Isolated Posts and Government Housing Directive for more information http://www.njc-cnm.gc.ca/directive/ipgh-pile/index-eng.php

We also offer:
- Relocation Assistance: Applicants may be eligible for relocation assistance and may wish to review the Relocation Directive: https://www.njc-cnm.gc.ca/directive/d6/en
- Pension & Benefits package: For more information, see: https://www.canada.ca/en/treasury-board-secretariat/topics/pension-plan.html and https://www.canada.ca/en/treasury-board-secretariat/topics/benefit-plans.html
- Training, Development & Education Opportunities: Multi-year career development plans which include opportunities for education assistance funding and training opportunities
- Housing: Federal government housing is available in Iqaluit, NU.
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Please note: The first extraction of applications is scheduled for May 2, 2022.

The subsequent extractions will take place on an “as and when needed” basis.
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Duties

As an experienced counsel joining the Northern Regional Office, you will have an opportunity to immerse yourself in a broad scope of practice, working closely with your colleagues in our Whitehorse, Yellowknife and Iqaluit offices, providing litigation or advisory services in a truly northern context, and across all of the Northern territories.

As litigation counsel, you will prepare pleadings, review documents develop strategic directions on files, provide advice to client departments on legal risk, engage with legal counsel for other parties, and represent Canada in courts and tribunals in case conferences, motions and trials.

As advisory counsel, you will attend meetings with client officials, produce memos, review documents, assist with transactions and represent officials in engagements with legal counsel for other parties.

Work environment

This is an opportunity to join the Northern legal team of Justice Canada as litigation or advisory counsel, working in Whitehorse, Yellowknife or Iqaluit.

About the Northern Region of Justice Canada:
The Northern Region of Justice Canada provides advisory and litigation services to departments and agencies operating in Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut. The Northern team includes approximately 14 lawyers plus administrative support and managers.

Litigation:
Much of the work of the Northern Regional Office is litigation-based. A significant portion of the work requires defending actions involving Crown Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs, the Royal Canadian Mountain Police, and to a lesser extent other federal departments operating north of 60.

As litigation counsel you will represent the Attorney General of Canada in actions and judicial reviews, in the Federal Court and the courts of one or more of the Territories.

Advisory:
About one-third of the work of the Northern Region is comprised of a broad range of advisory services. This includes legal advice and support in relation to Aboriginal law, environmental law, torts, contracts, real property practice including conveyancing, statutory interpretation, and administrative law including some tribunal proceedings.

Intent of the process

The immediate need is to staff one Litigation position in the Whitehorse, Yukon office on an indeterminate basis.

The results of this staffing process may also be used to staff similar positions with various tenures, various linguistic requirements, various operational requirements and/or various conditions of employment, as needs arise.

Please note that if successful and offered a position, you would be required to relocate.

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)

Occupational Certification:
Member in good standing of the law society of a province or territory of Canada.

Degree equivalency

Experience:

Stream 1: Litigation
Approximately 4 years within the last 6 years of experience conducting civil litigation cases (or an acceptable combination of civil and criminal litigation), including court or administrative tribunal proceedings and appeals.

Stream 2: Advisory
Approximately 4 years within the last 6 years of experience providing legal advice and/or litigation support.

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

English essential

Information on language requirements

Ability to communicate effectively orally.

Ability to communicate effectively in writing.

Ability to analyse legal issues and provide strategic advice.

Demonstrating Integrity and Respect.

Thinking Things Through.

Working effectively with others.

Showing initiative and being action-oriented.

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

Stream 1: Litigation
Experience working as a litigator in one or more of the following areas of Canadian law or file types: aboriginal law, administrative law and tribunal practice, civil litigation, class actions, constitutional law, Crown law, eDiscovery, environmental law, human rights law, immigration law, police law, tax law, tort law.

Stream 2: Advisory
Experience providing legal advice in one or more of the following areas of Canadian law or file types: aboriginal law, administrative law and tribunal practice, commercial law, constitutional law, Crown law, environmental law, procurement law, real property law, federal real property transactions.

Both Streams:
Experience working on legal issues pertaining to the Territorial North of Canada.

Stream 1: Litigation
Knowledge of the following area(s) of law: aboriginal law, administrative law and tribunal practice, civil procedure, class actions, constitutional law, Public law, eDiscovery law, environmental law, human rights law, immigration law, police law, tax law, tort law.

Stream 2: Advisory
Knowledge of the following area(s) of law: aboriginal law, administrative law and tribunal practice, commercial law, constitutional law, Public law, environmental law, procurement law, real property law.

Both Streams:
Knowledge of the legal issues arising in the context of comprehensive land claims and self-government agreements.

Organizational Needs:
The Department of Justice believes that to be able to effectively serve the public, its workforce needs to reflect the diversity of the Canadian population. Diversity is a great source of strength in driving Canada’s Legal Team in ensuring that Canada’s justice system is as fair, accessible and efficient as possible. The Department is committed to a representative workforce that represents the Canadian public we serve. If you are an Indigenous person, a person with a disability, a member of a racialized group*, or a member of an equity seeking group** (e.g. members of the LGBTQ2+ communities) and you are interested in bringing in different perspectives and insights we encourage you to self-declare in this staffing process. This self-declaration information may be factored into the screening and assessment as well as selection decisions to address our commitment to eliminate gaps and increase representation for these groups.

* Please note that this group is currently designated as members of visible minorities in the Employment Equity Act and the self-declaration form.

** Please take note of the Public Service Employment Act definition of equity seeking groups: A group of persons who are disadvantaged based on one or more prohibited grounds of discrimination within the meaning of the Canadian Human Rights Act.

HOW TO SELF-DECLARE

If you are an Indigenous person, a person with a disability or a member of visible minorities:
• when you apply for a job through GC Jobs, complete the Employment Equity section under Requirements.

If you are a member of an equity seeking group (e.g. members of the LGBTQ2+ communities):
• please respond to the equity seeking groups screening question as part of your application.

Operational Requirements:
Willing and able to work extended hours including weekends.

Willing to travel as required and for extended periods of time.

Conditions of employment

Security clearance (according to the position Enhanced Reliability, Secret, Top Secret etc.)

Remain a member in good standing of the law society of Yukon, Nunavut or Northwest Territories (depending on the position being staffed).

Medical 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

Communication for this process will be sent via e-mail. It is the responsibility of the candidate to ensure that a current and valid e-mail address is provided and updated accordingly and that it accepts messages from unknown senders. We encourage candidates to provide a second e-mail address in their application.

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.