Judicial Paralegal

Role Responsibilities

Do you have experience providing Executive and Legal Assistant support within a challenging and dynamic work environment? Do you want to work with the busiest court in Alberta, assisting the Justices of the Alberta Court of Justice in rendering judgments that will impact Albertans?  If so, the Alberta Court of Justice has an exciting opportunity to provide executive and legal support to the justices in Calgary.

As a Judicial Paralegal, working in a team environment as well as independently, you will be responsible for providing comprehensive administrative and legal support for a number of Justices of the Alberta Court of Justice, including but not limited to:

• Managing calendars and scheduling appointments.
• Documenting and processing budgetary/claim expenses.
• Typing, formatting, editing and proofreading judgments, including researching and verifying case and statute citations, to ensure accuracy of the finished product prior to filing.
• Researching and preparing correspondence and memoranda of a highly complex and confidential nature.
• Preparing material for court hearings.
• Handling sensitive and confidential information.
• Establish and maintain hard-copy and electronic filing systems including organizing and classifying records.
• Handling incoming telephone inquiries and mail.
• Coordinating travel arrangements are often of a complex nature.
• Coordinating meetings and conferences, which include organizing and assembling all documents required.
• Scheduling judicial assignments.
• Performing backup duties for other Judicial Paralegals.
• Performing other related administrative tasks as requested.

The ideal candidate is a highly organized, detail-oriented, and a dependable legal support professional who thrives in a fast-paced environment. You demonstrate strong judgement, discretion, and the confidence to escalate or address issues as needed. With excellent written and verbal communication skills, including advanced editing and proofreading, you balance independence and collaboration. Technologically adept and adaptable, you manage competing priorities with ease while engaging effectively with a range of stakeholders. This is not a developmental role – it requires exceptional judgement, ethical conduct, and a high level of trust. You will demonstrate a positive, proactive attitude and a genuine commitment to fostering a collaborative and supportive environment where everyone can succeed.

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.

• Agility: Ability to anticipate, assess, and readily adapt to changing priorities, manage resilience in times of uncertainty and effectively work in a changing environment.
• Drive for Results: Ability to know what outcomes are important and maximizing resources to achieve results that are aligned with the goals of the organization.
• Develop Networks: Proactively building networks, connecting and building trust in relationships with different stakeholders.
• Build Collaborative Environments: Leads and contributes to the conditions and environments that allow people to work collaboratively and productively to achieve outcomes.
• Systems Thinking: The work done within the APS is part of a larger integrated and inter-related environment. It is important to know that work done in one part of the APS impacts a variety of other groups/projects inside and outside the APS. Systems Thinking allows us to keep broader impacts and connections in mind.
• Creative Problem Solving: Ability to assess options and implications in new ways to achieve outcomes and solutions.

Qualifications

A two-year diploma in a related field (e.g., Legal Assistant, Legal Administration, and Paralegal) supplemented with at least two year progressively responsible related experience.

Equivalencies will be considered on the basis of one year of education for one year of related legal experience or one year of legal experience for one year of related education.

Related experience includes but is not limited to:

• Judicial Paralegal/Assistant
• Legal Assistant
• Paralegal
• Legal Administration
• Executive
• Support/Assistant
  
  

Assets include:

• 5+ years as a Judicial Paralegal, Judicial Assistant, Paralegal or Legal Assistant.
• 8+ years’ experience directly supporting senior staff or executives. 
• 2+ years’ experience working in a court or legal environment.
• Demonstrated ability to type 50+ WPM with minimal errors. Based on self-reported testing results at the time of application.
• Experience conducting legal research using databases such as CanLII, Westlaw, Lexis and Carswell.
• Experience working in an M365 environment.
• Ability to read and write French fluently.
  
  

Cover Letter Required: Applicants must submit a cover letter as part of their application. The required cover letter must be 400 - 500 words. Please clearly describe your role specific skills relevant to the Judicial Paralegal position, as well as the transferable skills you have developed through your current and past professional experience. The cover letter will be used as a writing sample and will be evaluated for spelling, grammar, clarity, and overall editing quality. It will form part of the assessment of your suitability and readiness to work at a senior, independent level within the justice system. It is essential that you complete your cover letter, by yourself, and without assistance from other people or other resources (e.g., Chat GPT, CoPilot, artificial intelligence tools, search engines, etc.). Applications without a cover letter will not be considered.

Typing Test Required: A typing speed of at least 50 WPM is desired with minimal errors. Selected candidates will be asked to complete a typing test in advance of their interview.

Other Requirements:

• Lifting/moving up to 25 pounds.
• This position involves bending, walking or using the elevator to access different floors within the courthouse, and pushing or pulling a cart for file movement between floors.
  
  

Bilingual Position: If you are considered for a bilingual position a French language proficiency test will be administered during the assessment process to evaluate the candidate’s ability to speak, read and write fluently.

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

Notes

This is a Permanent position, full-time, working Monday to Friday 8:15AM - 4:30PM, 36.25 hours a week.

In your resume, please include dates (including months and years) associated with all education and work experience. Also, please indicate whether your work experience is casual, part-time or full-time. For example: January 15, 2006 - June 25, 2009: Assistant (PT three 8 hrs shifts/week).

Eligible employees who live and work in northern Alberta may be eligible to receive additional compensation. Please visit https://myaps.alberta.ca/Pages/My-HR/Compensation-Pay/Northern-Alberta-employee-programs.aspx

Internal candidates are encouraged to discuss the option of a temporary assignment with their current supervisor.

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.

Links and information on what we have to offer:

• 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.