Job Summary

Under supervision of the Law Services Manager and the general direction of a Solicitor, this position performs the majority of legal secretarial and paralegal duties of a municipal law office.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Provides all support services for litigation lawyers, including Statements of Claim, Affidavits, Briefs of Law and multi-volume appeal books.  Attends to service of documents and hiring of process servers, filing of documents in various courts and administrative tribunals, preparing trial materials, making arrangements, e.g. travel regarding witnesses, arranging for telephone conferences with other lawyers, arranging for Examinations for Discovery and the obtaining of transcripts, corresponding both orally and in writing with other law firms and court registrars, and paying legal expenses.
• Attends to the ISC (Information Services Corporation) needs of the office except for those unique to the legal assistant’s duties, including land transactions, preparation of various land-related agreements and transfers, registration and withdrawal of caveats and other interests and heritage property matters.  Conducts all online ISC transactions as required.  Deal with various civic departments and outside law firms.
• Performs all paralegal work regarding document assembly and management of contract and agreement files.
• Provides a wide range of legal support services including transcription and dictation regarding correspondence, legal opinions, reports to Council and preparation of various agreements and miscellaneous legal documents.  Performs case management and document management and deals with a variety of enquiries from the public, other law firms, civic departments, members of Council, etc.
• Performs the duties of other admin positions, as required.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Education, Training and Experience Requirements

• Grade 12 education.
• Graduation from a legal secretarial program.
• Typing speed of 55 wpm.
• Three years’ related law office experience.

Knowledge, Abilities and Skills

• Considerable knowledge of civil litigation and administrative law practices and procedures, both as to forms and process.
• Knowledge of Rules of Court and of the specialized rules and guidelines of various tribunals.
• Knowledge of the ISC system and of land transactions, both regular and those unique to a municipal law office.
• Knowledge of contract preparation and document management, including understanding requirements for bonds.
• Knowledge of the municipal corporation, and the role of Council, and Council authorizations and deadlines.
• Ability to communicate effectively in English, orally and in writing, with other law firms, Registrar’s offices, process servers, court reporters, the public and other civic departments.
• Ability to work under time pressure, to meet tight deadlines, to determine priorities amid competing claims.
• Demonstrated skill in the use of automated case management and document management systems and use of various external legal databases.