Family Law Disclosure Paralegal

Role Responsibilities

Are you looking for an opportunity to demonstrate your disclosure expertise within the Family and Surrogate Court Litigation (FASCL) team in Calgary?

If you are a self-motivator, innovative thinker and able to work independently as well as part of an integral legal team, FASCL has a Temporary opportunity available for a Family Law Disclosure Paralegal position.

In this position, you will need to have an extreme attention to detail. The ability to multi-task and adjust to changing priorities is critical. You will also need strong organizational skills.

Our Family Law Disclosure Paralegal plays an integral role on the FASCL Calgary Legal Team. Your duties in this role include but are not limited to:

•    Facilitating and vetting documents pursuant to the confidentiality provision under s.126 Child, Youth and Family Enhancement Act; comprehension and understanding of CYFEA. Assisting lawyers in providing disclosure either in hard copy and/ or electronic format.
•    Developing practices such as checklists, file synopsis, indexing disclosure, tracking timelines of disclosure requests, ensuring consistent vetting practices, requesting and compiling disclosure from clients.
•    Attending regular practice group meetings.
•    Corresponding with social workers regarding misfiled original correspondence on client’s original files.  
•    Providing administrative support to specific lawyers as directed by office supervisor.
•    Exercising judgement on release of information, participating in decision making of release of confidential information with lawyers.
•    Reviewing incoming electronic disclosure, sorting and reviewing material for duplication.
•    Working with client’s original files and Family Law case files, maintaining file inventories, maintaining logs as to status of disclosure requests and through CYFEA knowledge and understanding of court process, and meeting trial provisions.  
•    Prioritizing and scheduling assignments to meet court deadlines.
•    Developing checklist on each file to identify third party information.
•    Analyzing and assessing confidential information.  
•    Reviewing file in its entirety to understand, assess, organize and index.
•    Vetting and organizing large volumes of documents such as Contact Notes (handwritten), Court Reports, Court Documents, Foster Home and Group Home notes, Visit Supervisor Notes, Psychological and Psychiatric Reports, Medical Reports, Duty Reports, Screenings, etc. (Please note that the information is extensive.)
•    Identifying third party information and vetting accordingly.
•    Maintaining and creating scanned disclosure log.
•    Scanning information using ISCAN / ESCAN programs and providing instructions to outside counsel and interested parties in order to utilize ADOBE to facilitate review of vetted materials.

To be successful in this role, you will need to:
•    Have exceptional time management skills.
•    Pay attention to details.
•    Demonstrate an ability to encourage others.
•    Work as part of a team.
•    Work independently with minimum supervision.
•    Handle a fast-paced and high-volume workload for multiple lawyers, while meeting necessary deadlines and ensuring high-quality standards are met.

The Job Description is provided for Further details on 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.

Below is the list of critical competencies required for this role:

•    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.
•    Systems Thinking - Understands how work contributes to the achievement of departmental goals. Anticipates changes in own area based on activities in other areas.
•    Build Collaborative Environment - Leads and contributes to the conditions and environments that allow people to work collaboratively and productively to achieve outcomes.

Qualifications

Requirements
•    A two-year Legal Assistant diploma or in any other related field (such as Paralegal), supplemented with at least two (2) years of related experience. 
•    Related experience or education may be considered as an equivalency on a one for one basis:
        - one year of experience for one year of education
        - one year of education for one year of experience.

Preference will be given to the applicants who have:
•    Experience and proficiency with Adobe Pro.
•    Experience and proficiency with the Microsoft Office program (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
•    Experience with record keeping electronically with programs, such as ProLaw.

Assets:
•    Experience with family law and child welfare.
•    Experience with disclosure duties and records management  

Minimum recruitment standards outline the minimum education and experience required for appointment to a job classification.

Notes

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

Positions currently available: One (1) Temporary Salaried position is available for 12-18 months.

Location: 639 - 5th Ave. SW, Calgary, AB

Final candidates will be required to undergo a criminal records check (CRC).

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. 
 
•    Working for the Alberta Public Service.
•    Public Service Pension Plan (PSPP).
•    Alberta Public Service Benefit Information.
•    Professional learning and development.
•    Research Alberta Public Service Careers tool.
•    Positive workplace culture and work-life balance.