Legal Assistant

Role Responsibilities

Are you looking for a new and exciting opportunity to utilize your legal administration skills? If so, take the next step and develop a career with us in an atmosphere that fosters learning and growth in a supportive, respectful, and healthy work environment!

As a Legal Assistant on the Constitutional and Aboriginal Law team, you will support lawyers through document preparation, court filings, calendar coordination, and legal research. You will also manage legal materials, maintain electronic systems, and ensure procedural compliance, while working closely with lawyers and fellow legal assistants to organize files, communicate with clients and courts, and prepare for hearings and trials in a fast-paced, detail-oriented setting.

As a Legal Assistant, your responsibilities will include, but are not limited to:

• Preparing and processing a variety of documents from lawyer’s written or verbal instructions,
• Preparing and drafting letters, memos, agreements and reports,
• Editing and formatting various documents in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
• Uploading documents into Prolaw,
• Preparing and filing pleadings and other court documents such as briefs, orders, books of authorities, factums, affidavits, affidavit of records, responses to undertakings and trial binders,
• Preparing and editing all electronic court documents, often from numerous lawyers’ input, and filing/e-filing those documents according to the Rules of Court,
• Continuing to stay up to date and following all procedural changes from the Court,
• Maintaining and organizing electronic and paper filing system, calendars and diary systems,
• Maintaining strong Outlook calendar management through arranging appointments, scheduling meetings, making travel arrangements,
• Managing files by liaising with a variety of clients, counsel, and the courts,
• Working in a team environment, assisting several lawyers and working closely with other legal assistants on the team,
• Utilizing research tools such as CanLii, Westlaw to pull and cite various cases and statutes,
• Conducting regular case law searches for legal officers,
• Effectively managing and organizing legal files and documents in preparation for court proceedings,
• Managing your time effectively under strict deadlines, and
• Completing other duties as required.

To be succeed in this role, you will need to:

• Pay attention to detail,
• Demonstrate an ability to encourage others,
• Work as part of a team,
• Work independently, and
• Handle a high-volume workload for multiple lawyers and executive directors while meeting necessary deadlines ensuring high quality standards are met.

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

Qualifications

Requirements:

• Two-year diploma in a related field such as Legal Assistant, Paralegal or any other related majors, plus one year progressively responsible related experience; or equivalent such as Legal Assistant or Paralegal with a law firm or other agency. Directly related experience or education considered on the basis of:
  • One year of experience for one year of education or one year of education for one year of experience.
• Experience with the Microsoft Office programs (Word and Excel) and Adobe.
• Experience with civil court procedures, relevant legislation, and high-volume litigation.
• A cover letter is also required along with your application. In your cover letter, please briefly summarize:
  • Your legal experience and expertise,
  • Relevant strengths and skills, and
  • Reasons for interest in the position.

Applications without a cover letter will not be considered.

Assets:

• Experience with Action Request Tracking System (ARTS) or equivalent tracking systems
• Experience with Prolaw
• Experience with Legal research

Priority will be given to those candidates with a firm foundation in civil law.

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: One (1) Permanent position is available.

Location: This opportunity is based in Calgary.

Final candidates will be required 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.

Links and information on what the GoA have to offer to prospective employees.

Working for the Alberta Public Service - https://www.alberta.ca/advantages-working-for-alberta-public-service.aspx.

Public Service Pension Plan (PSPP) - https://www.pspp.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.

Leadership and mentorship programs.