Barrister & Solicitor

Role Responsibilities

Are you looking for an opportunity to focus on your legal skills in a collaborative environment while working on interesting, novel, cutting edge, challenging and unique matters? Are you interested in practicing constitutional and/or aboriginal law in either an advisory or litigation capacity? If your answer is yes, then we are interested in hearing from you!
 

Legal Services Division is seeking to hire legal officers at the CCC2 and CCC3 classification level to join the Constitutional and Aboriginal Law Team. We are looking for someone with either or both advisory and litigation experience, however priority will be given to experienced litigators.
 

The Constitutional and Aboriginal Law Team provides strategic legal advice and legal opinions to client Ministries across the Government of Alberta on constitutional and aboriginal law matters, including advice related to the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the Constitution Act, 1867, the Alberta Bill of Rights, federal/provincial division of powers, the Crown’s duty to consult Indigenous peoples, and section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982. The team also handles complex constitutional and aboriginal litigation involving the Government of Alberta at all court levels, including interventions, judicial review applications, and civil claims.
 

Our ideal candidates will have constitutional or aboriginal law experience in some or all of the following areas:
 

Litigation experience, including:

• Representing clients before courts and tribunals both independently and as part of a team of lawyers, as lead or junior counsel;
• Preparing court documents including pleadings, applications, affidavits and written arguments; and
• Reviewing and assessing documents for production purposes and utilizing litigation document management software.
   

Advisory experience, including:

• Conducting legal research and preparing legal opinions and memos for clients;
• Providing client-focussed verbal and written strategic legal advice to enable decision-making; and
• Experience providing client education sessions and working with a broad range of clients across multiple divisions.

In all capacities, you must be adept at collaborating in a team environment and possess strong client relations skills.
 

Please click on this link to view the job description for this position.

APS Competencies

Competencies are behaviors that are essential to reach our goals in serving Albertans. We encourage you to have an in depth understanding of the competencies that are required for this opportunity and to be prepared to demonstrate them during the recruitment process.
 

This link will assist you with understanding competencies: https://www.alberta.ca/system/files/custom_downloaded_images/psc-alberta-public-service-competency-model.pdf.
 

• Agility - Must be able to anticipate, assess, and readily adapt to changing priorities, maintain resilience, and work effectively in changing environments
• Drive for Results - Sets goals and prioritizes work to accomplish them.  Follows through on duties and tasks and reports on progress.
• Develop Self and Others - Desire to invest in the development of the long-term capability of self and others
• Build Collaborative Environments - Leads and contributes to the conditions and environments that allow people to work collaboratively and productively to achieve outcomes.
• Develop Networks - Proactively builds networks, connects and build trust in relationships with different stakeholders
• Systems Thinking - Understands how work contributes to the achievement of departmental goals.  Anticipates changes in own area based on activities in other areas.
• Creative Problem Solving - Have the ability to assess options and implications in new ways to achieve outcomes and solutions.

Qualifications

A Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) or Juris Doctor (JD) is required.
 

For Law degrees obtained outside Canada, proof of accreditation from the National Committee on Accreditation (NCA) is required.
 

You must be an active member or must have immediate eligibility for full membership with the Law Society of Alberta.

Experience considered:
Civil Crown Counsel 2 - Four years to 11 years of related experience
Civil Crown Counsel 3 - more than 11 years of related experience

As an ideal candidate you are capable of forming robust client relationships and possess:

• Related advisory and/or litigation experience;
• Demonstrated experience providing strategic legal advice; 
• Exceptional legal, problem solving and communication skills;
• Exceptional analytical, research and effective writing skills;
• Oral and written advocacy experience;
• Possess business and political acumen;
• Have experience in administrative law or regulatory law; 
• Public law or corporate counsel experience; 
• Demonstrated experience leading a team of lawyers handling complex litigation matters or as a junior lawyer working as second or third counsel on a team of lawyers handling such matters; and/or
• Demonstrated experience providing strategic legal advice both written and verbal on a broad range of matters including constitutional or aboriginal law matters, Crown consultation issues, regulatory and/or energy related matters;
• Demonstrated experience in non-routine matters involving complex interactions of legislation and case law.
   

Candidates will also have a strong commitment to the Vision and Values of the Alberta Public Service.

In your cover letter, please briefly summarize:

• Legal experience and expertise,
• Relevant strengths and skills, 
• Reasons for interest in the position
   

Applications without a cover letter will not be considered.
 

Written assessment may be a part of selection process.
 

Minimum recruitment standards outline the minimum education and experience required for appointment to a job classification.
Refer to https://www.alberta.ca/alberta-public-service-minimum-recruitment-standards.

Notes

Hours of work: Monday - Friday, 8:15 am - 4:30 pm (36.25 /week)
 

Positions Currently available: Permanent and Temporary (more than 1 position available)
 

Location: Edmonton and/or Calgary.
 

Final candidates will be asked to undergo a security screening.
 

Any costs associated with obtaining the required documents/checks as noted or interview travel expenses, will be the responsibility of the candidate. Out-of-province applicants can obtain the required documents/checks from the province they currently reside in.
 

What we offer:

Working for the Alberta Public Service - https://www.alberta.ca/advantages-working-for-alberta-public-service.aspx
Management Employees Pension Plan (MEPP) - https://www.mepp.ca
Alberta Public Service Benefit Information - https://www.alberta.ca/alberta-public-service-benefits
Professional learning and development - https://www.alberta.ca/professional-development-support-directive
Research Alberta Public Service Careers tool - https://researchapscareers.alberta.ca
Positive workplace culture and work-life balance.
Opportunity to participate in flexible work arrangements such as working from home up to two days per week and modified work schedule agreement.