Articling Student 2026 - Civil Law - National Capital Region & Québec Regional Office

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

► WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR: We are looking for highly skilled students who are excited about the practice of law in the government sector and who are committed to public service, including respect for public service values and ethics.

► ELIGIBILITY FOR ARTICILING: You must be registered to article in accordance with the École du Barreau du Québec by December 31, 2026, and must remain so during the articling appointment.

ASSESSMENT PROCESS AND INSTRUCTIONS

► STEP 1 - Screening

PART A: Job Application

Apply online through GC jobs*, answer the different questions AND submit your application via GC Jobs.

*If you need to be accommodation to apply online, please contact INFOTEL at 1-800-645-5605 for assistance and to review this job advertisement over the phone. Otherwise, you must submit your job application through your GC Jobs account.

PART B: Required Documents

Submit the following documents through Simple Survey link below:

1. Resume
2. Official Law School Transcript (Copy)
3. Covering Letter (to be addressed to Annie Chrétien, Legal Excellence Program)

You must copy and paste the following link in your internet browser: https://form.simplesurvey.com/f/s.aspx?s=2d6824ef-f76c-4469-a670-33931ac0a0a9

► INSTRUCTIONS

To be considered for SCREENING, you must submit a complete application by February 5, 2024, 11:59 PM, Pacific Time.

A complete application includes your job application (via GC jobs), your resume, a covering letter, and a copy of your most recent official law school transcript. Please note that they will be used for screening purposes to determine who may be invited to the next assessment steps.

WRITE YOUR COVERING LETTER explaining why you should be chosen for an articling position within the Department of Justice considering all the factors below:

• Combination of relevant education, training, and/or experience (including experience acquired in an academic, training, professional, or volunteering environment within and outside of Canada, etc.).
• Interest in public law and public service.
• Social and community engagement
• Communication skills
• Strengths and Skills

Your covering letter and resume will be used to assess your education, training, and/or experience (essential and asset qualifications), as well as your ability to communicate effectively in writing. They must be written in an effective, professional, and compelling manner.

The recommended length for your cover letter is 500 to 750 words. A minimum font size of 12 points and a font type such as Arial, Verdana or Tahoma are recommended.

► STEP 2 – Written Exam

If you are successful at the screening phase, you may be invited to a written exam that will take place between February 26, 2024, and March 3, 2024. The test will be administered remotely over the internet using the Simple Survey platform.

► STEP 3 – Interview

Interviews will be conducted between March 11, 2024, and March 21, 2024. The interview will be administered remotely over the internet using the Microsoft Teams (MS Teams) video conferencing platform.

Work environment

The Department of Justice has approximately 4,800 employees working from coast to coast. While roughly one half of the departmental staff are lawyers, there are a number of other professionals committed to ensuring a fair, relevant and accessible justice system that reflects Canadian values.

► ARTICLING AT THE NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION (OTTAWA/GATINEAU):

Articling opportunities in 60 + sections and Legal Services units within which to practice law including:

- Constitutional law
- Criminal Law
- Human Rights Law
- Litigation
- Legislative Services
- International Law
- Legal Services Units such as Transport Canada, Treasury Board Secretariat, Health Canada, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, etc.

The articling term consists of two rotations in various sections (one rotation in a litigation section and one rotation in a non-litigation section).

For additional information regarding Articling within the National Capital Region (Ottawa/Gatineau), please visit the following website: http://www.justice.gc.ca/fra/apd-abt/recru/pea-lep/rcn-ncr.html.

► ARTICLING AT THE QUEBEC REGIONAL OFFICE (MONTREAL OR OTTAWA):

Articling students from the Barreau du Québec in the Quebec Regional Office will be assigned to either the Civil Litigation Directorate (Montreal or Ottawa) or the Tax Litigation Directorate (Montreal).

Varied and challenging articling opportunities in the following areas of litigation:

- Constitutional law
- Administrative Law
- Crown Liability and Proceedings Law
- Class Action
- Tax Law
- Aboriginal Law
- Corrections Law
- Immigration Law
- Labour and Employment Law
- Extradition and Mutual Legal Assistance Law
- Environmental Law

For additional information regarding Articling within the Quebec Regional Office (Montreal or Ottawa), please visit the following website: http://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/abt-apd/recru/lep-pea/quebec.html.

Intent of the process

Position to staff:

• Five (5) bilingual positions (bilingual imperative CBB/CBB and CCC/CCC) in the Quebec Regional Office (Montreal and Ottawa).

• Seven (7) positions with various language requirements (Bilingual Imperative BBB/BBB and English or French Essential) in the National Capital Region (Ottawa/Gatineau).

A pool of partially assessed or fully qualified candidates will be created to staff similar articling positions within the Department of Justice Canada with various language requirements (Bilingual imperative with various profiles, English or French essential), work location (Ottawa, Gatineau, or Montreal), operational requirements, organizational needs, and/or conditions of employment.

Upon request, this pool may also be shared with other federal organizations listed in Schedules I, IV and V of the Financial Administration Act (FAA) to staff similar articling positions in their organization. By applying to this process, you consent to your personal application and assessment-related information being shared with other federal organization if they ask for it, to consider your application to staff a similar position within their organization.

Appointments resulting from this process will be made under the Justice Canada LP-01 Training and Development Program. This program provides for the progression of participants from LP-00 (articling student) to LP-02 (counsel) over approximately 5 years. As such, it is expected that an initial appointment to this program would ultimately result in an indeterminate non-advertised LP-02 appointment (subject to meeting all program requirements).

Positions to be filled: Number to be determined

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

ESSENTIAL QUALIFICATIONS

EDUCATION

• ED1 - Articling students (not yet eligible 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) must hold a Bachelor of Law degree (that is: Bachelor of Law (LL.B), Juris Doctor (J.D.), LL.L, or equivalent) at the time of appointment.

Note: If you obtained your law degree from outside of Canada, you must apply to the National Committee on Accreditation (NCA) or the Barreau du Quebec to have your legal education credentials evaluated. It is your responsibility to arrange for completion of the NCA or Barreau du Quebec’s requirements in time to commence your articles.

Degree equivalency

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

ASSET QUALIFICATIONS

EDUCATION

• AED1 - Graduation from a recognized post-secondary institution with a bachelor’s or master’s degree with acceptable specialization in a field relevant for the position being staffed (for example, accounting, tax, finance, economics, or business administration, etc.)

• AED2 - In the process of completing a specialized graduate diploma (DESS) in taxation, a master's degree in tax (M. Fisc), or Master of Laws in taxation (LL.M) from a recognized post-secondary institution.

EXPERIENCE

• AEX1 - Experience providing legal or administrative support in a legal environment within the federal, provincial, or municipal government (for example, Department of Justice Canada, Ontario Tribunals, Municipal Court).

• AEX2 - Experience conducting legal research, preparing legal drafts and/or providing legal advice in an academic, training, professional, or volunteering environment within and outside Canada.

OPERATIONAL REQUIREMENT

• Willing and able to travel, as required.

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

Various language requirements
Bilingual imperative BBB/BBB, Bilingual imperative CBB/CBB, Bilingual imperative CCC/CCC and English or French essential.

Information on language requirements

ESSENTIAL QUALIFICATIONS

ABILITIES

• A1 - Ability to analyze legal problems.
• A2 - Ability to communicate effectively orally.
• A3 - Ability to communicate effectively in writing.

COMPETENCIES

• Comp1 - Demonstrating integrity and respect.
• Comp2 - Thinking things through.
• Comp3 - Working effectively with others.
• Comp4 - Showing initiative and being action-oriented.

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

ASSET QUALIFICATIONS

KNOWLEDGE

• AK1 - Knowledge of the Department of Justice Canada.

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 a woman, an Indigenous person, a person with a disability, a member of a racialized group* or a member of the 2SLGBTQIA+**/ Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Expression (SOGIE) community, we encourage you to self-declare in this staffing process.

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

** 2SLGBTQIA+: Two-Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual and people who identify as being part of sexual and gender diverse communities.

INFORMATION ON SELF-DECLARATION

Self-declaration information can be factored into the screening, assessment, or selection decision to address our commitment to eliminate gaps and increase representation for these groups. This information will only be used in connection with this selection process.

HOW TO SELF-DECLARE

If you are an Indigenous person, a woman, a member of a racialized group, or a person with a disability, self-declaration information will be collected via your job application profile, under the Employment Equity section.

• Please note that your self-declaration as a member of First Nations, Inuit or Métis will be verified via the Affirmation of Indigenous Identity Form to be provided later in the staffing process. For more information on this requirement, please consult the Questions and Answers page: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-service-commission/services/appointment-framework/guides-tools-appointment-framework/affirmation-indigenous-identity-form.html.

If you are a member of the 2SLGBTQIA+/ Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Expression (SOGIE) communities, self-declaration information will be collected via a non-screening question in your job application.

Conditions of employment

Secret security clearance

ELIGIBILITY FOR ARTICILING: You must be registered to article in accordance with the École du Barreau du Québec by December 31, 2026, and must remain so during the articling appointment.

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

• The Department of Justice is now reimbursing the following fees for all articling students hired into the Legal Excellence Program:

- Application/enrollment fees
- Fees for exams and study materials
- Licensing fees to be an articling student

• The Department of Justice will also reimburse the Call to the Bar fee to those who will be offered a term or indeterminate position as Counsel immediately following their Call to the Bar ceremony.

• Applications that do not contain ALL documents (covering letter, resume, and transcript) will be considered incomplete. Incomplete or late applications will not be considered.

• You are entitled to participate in the appointment process in the official language of your choice (English and/or French).

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

• All communication relating to this process, including email correspondence and telephone conversations, may be used in the assessment of qualifications.

• Second Language Evaluations done through the Public Service Commission will be required for bilingual positions: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-service-commission/services/second-language-testing-public-service.html

• To manage the number of applications, a volume management strategy (for example: top-down selection, random selection and/or the application of asset qualification(s)) may be used at any time to identify who will be invited for further assessment.

• In order to qualify you must meet each essential qualification (including official language proficiency) and conditions of employment. You may be required to meet the asset qualifications, operational requirements and/or organizational needs, which may vary according to the position being staffed.

• Other qualifications may be taken into consideration in the selection decision (selection of students).

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.