This posting is for 1 full-time, permanent position

The Legal Assistant position is responsible for providing legal administrative support for the Legal Services area of the Legislative and Legal Services (LLS) department. This support includes assisting lawyers to facilitate legal practice efficiency and ensure the provision of timely and effective legal advice.

Benefits of this role include 75% employer-paid health and dental care with a flexible health or wellness spending account, participation in an earned day off program, and three (3) weeks of vacation time. The Legislative and Legal Services department also has a positive and friendly working environment.

Responsibilities

Provide legal assistant support to lawyers within the legal function of the LLS department including, but not limited to:

• Create, organize, maintain and close paper and electronic files
• Manage limitations, diarizations, and other important deadlines and advise the lawyers of file actions required to be completed
• Review, triage, and confirm assignment of legal services requests in the database to lawyers and initiate preliminary steps to recommend or obtain external counsel as required
• Liaise with County staff submitting legal services requests, including confirming the scope of the request, requesting required documents, and determining desired timeframes for review and action by lawyers
• Manage lawyers’ schedules, including coordinating meetings, preparing meeting materials and logistics, and monitoring the timing of upcoming deadlines to ensure time is well organized and key deadlines are met
• Completion of corporate registry and land titles searches
• Utilize a solid understanding of legal documents, proofreading, revising, editing, and formatting legal documents and some related document drafting
• Draft legal correspondence and memorandums for lawyers' review and sign off
• Review and confirm contracts are complete, correct, and ready for execution
• Conduct case law and resource searches from legal research tools (such as, CanLit and Westlaw)
• Prepare reports using legal practice management software, such as summaries of monthly hours spent working for certain clients or on certain types of work
• Provide content management for legal related documents posted on the County internal website
• Other legal assistant related support as requested
• Provide administrative support to Legislative and Legal Services department, as required, including coverage for the departments administrative staff absences

Skills and Abilities

• Excellent computer skills with a solid understanding of Microsoft Office Suite
• Strong written and oral communication skills
• Advanced interpersonal skills
• Detail orientated with excellent organizational and time management skills with sound decision making skills
• Ability to take initiative and work under pressure in a deadline-driven environment
• Ability to deal with confidential matters in a discreet and professional manner
• Ability to work independently as well as in a team environment
• Experience with legal practice management software (CLIO, PCLaw, ProLaw, PracticePather, CosmoLex, or similar software)
• Proficient in performing corporate registry searches and land title searches
• Experience with legal research resources (CanLII, Westlaw or similar resources)

Qualifications

• High School Diploma
• Post-secondary diploma in a related field such as a Legal Assistant or Paralegal
• Experience in a municipal government legal department setting is considered an asset
• Paralegal experience is considered an asset

Conditions of Employment

• Submission of Satisfactory Criminal Record Check

Equivalencies of education and experience may be considered.

Successful candidates will be required to provide proof of educational and professional credentials as noted in the resume.

This competition may be used to fill future vacancies for similar positions within the next 6 months.

Thank you for your interest in Strathcona County. We only contact candidates selected for interviews.

A cover letter must be submitted along with a resume describing the interest in this position.