Barrister & Solicitor

Role Responsibilities

This role offers you the opportunity to provide expert legal advice on complex matters under the responsibility of the Minister of Justice and the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Services (PSES). You will work on high-impact files that require strong legal acumen, strategic thinking, and the ability to navigate novel legal issues.

In this role, you will be part of a team that provides high quality, legal and strategic advice on the development of Alberta Sheriffs Police Service (ASPS) (a Crown Corporation), ensuring that the ASPS implementation plan is aligned with ASPS objectives and the law.

As a member of the Justice and PSES Legal Team, your responsibilities will include, but are not limited to:

• Assessing legal risks and providing practical, client-focused advice and mitigation strategies, to enable decision making and advance government goals,

• Providing legal and strategic advice on the development, implementation and interpretation of legislation, policy and administrative procedures for policing that are sustainable and in accordance with the law,
• Identifying legal issues affecting policing or law enforcement,
• Drafting and communicating clear, concise, and accurate legal opinions, assessing legal risks and recommending mitigation strategies,
• Drafting and reviewing legal documents such as contracts, grants, memorandums of understanding, intergovernmental agreements, as well as statutory instruments, and
• Working with other lawyers and legal teams to coordinate legal advice and services.

The ideal candidate will have a strong client focus and will demonstrate:

• Experience advising on police governance and legislation related to policing,

• Experience advising government or police services as a client,
• Experience working with legislation and policies,
• Exceptional legal, problem solving and communication skills,
• Experience prioritizing issues effectively to respond to numerous challenges and changing demands,
• Flexibility and the ability to work within a project team or individually and respond quickly to address changing client needs, issues, and priorities, and
• Experience providing strategic legal advice including on large, complex projects.
  
  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

Requirements:

• A Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) or Juris Doctor (JD). 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.
• Below is the minimum number of years required for each classification:
  • Civil Crown Counsel 1 (0-4 years of related experience)
  • Civil Crown Counsel 2 (Minimum of 4 years of related experience)
  • Civil Crown Counsel 3 (Minimum of 11 years of related experience)
• A cover letter is required along with your application.

In your cover letter, please briefly summarize your:

• Legal experience related to the requirements noted above,
• Experience advising police services,
• Relevant strengths and skills, and
• Reasons for interest in the position.

Assets:

• Practice experience or expertise in legislative development and administrative law.
• Experience interpreting and applying police legislation, standards and procedures.
• In addition to experience practising the above, the following are also considered assets:
  • Experience with: Criminal Code, Emergency Management Act, Protection of Privacy Act, Fiscal Planning and Transparency Act, Financial Administration Act, Government Accountability Act, Government Organization Act, Public Service Act, Police Officers Collective Bargaining Act; Public Service Employee Relations Act; and the Police Act (and related regulations for each, where applicable);
  • Practice experience or expertise in any of the following:
    • Advising on law enforcement or police governance issues,
    • Advising provincial corporations,
    • Negotiating, drafting and interpreting contracts, intergovernmental agreements, and memorandums of understanding, and
    • Providing legal and strategic advice in the public sector.

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) temporary position is available for two years. This competition might also be used to fill similar opportunities for temporary or permanent positions in the future.

Location: This opportunity is located in Bowker Building, 9833 - 109 Street, Edmonton, Alberta.

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.

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.
• 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.
• Leadership and mentorship programs.