Judicial Assistant

Role Responsibilities

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

As a Judicial Assistant, working in a team environment, you will be responsible for providing comprehensive administrative and legal support to up to five Justices of the Court of King’s Bench, 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
• establishing and maintaining hard-copy and electronic filing systems including organizing and classifying records
• handling incoming telephone inquiries and mail
• coordinating travel arrangements often of a complex nature
• coordinating meetings and conferences, which includes organizing and assembling all documents required
• scheduling judicial assignments
• performing backup duties for other Judicial Assistants
• performing other related administrative tasks as requested
   

As the ideal candidate, you will possess strong communication and problem-solving skills and will be highly motivated and creative in managing multiple projects with competing deadlines.  It is imperative that the ideal candidate has worked solely for at least three executives, lawyers, or judges.
 

You will have daily contact with the judiciary, lawyers, Court personnel, unrepresented litigants and others. Your excellent interpersonal skills will be needed to liaise with these key stakeholders before, during, and subsequent to Court proceedings.
 

The successful candidates must act in a responsible and professional manner reflecting the fair and equitable delivery of justice in Alberta.

To succeed in this role, you must have excellent attendance, as well as exercise a high level of professionalism, flexibility, and attention to detail. You will also possess strong leadership skills and have a well-developed ability to work independently. Having excellent knowledge of the court system, court procedures and relevant legislation will allow you to identify and deal quickly with complex technical problems as they arise.
 

Competencies for this position include:

• excellent communication and judgement 
• time management skills
• attention to detail
• punctuality
• ability to multi-task
• ability to work independently and without supervision
• conflict management skills
• dependability
• professionalism
• flexible/adaptable
• diplomacy
• tact

Qualifications

All applicants must include a cover letter. Applications without a cover letter will not be considered. In your cover letter, please give us a brief overview (approximately 300-400 words) of why you are suitable for this role. Your grammar and punctuation will be assessed.
 

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

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.
 

Preference will be given to candidates with 10+ years of directly related Legal Assistant, Judicial Assistant and/or Executive Assistant experience. 
 

Assets include:

• Previous experience as a Judicial Assistant supporting three or more Justices or Judges.
• Previous experience as an Executive Assistant supporting three or more Executives. 
• Previous experience as a Legal Assistant supporting three or more Lawyers. 
• A Legal Assistant diploma. 
• Experience working in a Court environment, preferably with the Court of King’s Bench. 
• Experience working in a M365 environment.
• Experience using, applying and understanding legal terminology. 
   

Candidates may be asked to do further testing.
 

Selected candidates will be asked to complete typing and grammar tests prior to scheduling an interview. Typing speed of at least 60 WPM is required but at least 80 wpm is preferred.

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

This is a permanent position in the Court of King's Bench – Judicial, Grande Prairie, full-time, working Monday to Friday 8:15AM - 4:30PM, 36.25 hours a week. Overtime may be required with little or no notice. 
 

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).
 

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. 
 

Final candidates will be required to undergo a security screening.
 

Links and information on what the GoA has 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
• Leadership and mentorship programs