Special Legal Counsel *AMENDMENT TO CLOSING DATE*

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

In order to have your application considered, all screening questions must be answered. Candidates must provide CONCRETE EXAMPLES that demonstrate how they meet the education requirement and the experience factors listed in the essential qualifications.

Please note that it is not sufficient to only state that the requirement is met or to provide a listing of current responsibilities.

Your résumé will be used as a secondary source to confirm the experience described in the answers to the screening questions. Failure to provide the requested information may result in the rejection of your application. Applicants will not be solicited for incomplete or missing information.

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 Office of the Registrar and work directly with Judges of the Supreme Court of Canada. Working in a fast-paced and collegial environment, these Special Legal Counsel provide expert legal advice to Judges of the Supreme Court of Canada on a broad range of legal matters of significant scope and impact. Special Legal Counsel are responsible for advising Judges on complex legal questions raised in appeals, providing legal advice and research in preparation for hearings, draft legal memoranda, assist with reasons review and complex editing, researching topics and writing speeches, presentations and articles for Judges, as well as providing assistance to law clerks. 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 will be used to staff three above-mentioned positions with various language requirements for two year appointments. 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 which you clearly identify how you meet the essential education and experience criteria as well as any asset experience (if applicable) outlined on this job advertisement. 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.). The examples you provide should clearly explain what your role and responsibilities were in those situations. 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:
Bachelor of a 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 five (5) years.

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

Degree equivalency

EXPERIENCE:
Experience working in a judicial environment.
Experience in editing documents for publication, preferably legal documents.

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

Various language requirements
Bilingual Imperative - CCC/CCC
English or French Essential

Information on language requirements

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

Judgment
Effective interpersonal relationships
Reliability
Thinking things through
Attention to detail

ABILITIES:
Ability to summarize facts and legal issues relating to cases before the Court.
Ability to analyze 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: Aboriginal persons, persons with disabilities, visible minorities

Information on employment equity

Willingness and ability to work late 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 designated groups when you apply.

Information on employment equity

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.

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

Our intention is to communicate with candidates via e-mail. Candidates who apply on this selection process must include in their application a valid e-mail 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). It is the candidate's responsibility to provide any changes to their personal information to the contact indicated on this job advertisement.

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.