Job Description

Competition # : 41059

Department: Justice

Location: HALIFAX

Type of Employment: Relief

Union Status: Exclusion - Non Union - NSPG

Closing Date: 15-Dec-23 (Applications are accepted until 11:59 PM Atlantic Time)

About Us

The Legal Services Division is the government\'s law firm, providing a full range of legal advice and services to support government operations and help government achieve its corporate priorities. With a staff of more than 160 lawyers, paralegals, researchers and administrative professionals, the Division is one of the largest law offices in the Province.

For more information on the Department of Justice Legal Services please visit our website:

About Our Opportunity

Under general supervision from the Legal Services Supervisor, as the Legal Assistant you will provide high quality, specialized legal administrative assistance, and file management support under the direction of two or more lawyers. You will utilize strong secretarial/administrative skills, knowledge of legal terminology and specialized procedures pertaining to certain areas of law. You will perform effectively under the pressures and strain of inflexible deadlines in a highly confidential office setting under minimal supervision.

You will be responsible for creating, tracking, and managing litigation files. The opportunity requires you to be able to adapt to shifting priorities, balance your efforts between providing legal assistance and administrative support, respond in a timely and appropriate manner to inquiries and to be organized in your day to day file management.

Primary Accountabilities

Legal Assistance / Support to Lawyers

• Provide specialized legal assistance for lawyers who provide legal advice/litigation services to government departments and various agencies, boards, and commissions
• Ensure documents assigned by a lawyer are prepared, filed, and/or served within prescribed or assigned deadlines
• Query and retrieve legal case law, precedent materials/documents, or other relevant information as identified by a lawyer

Secretarial / Administrative Support

• Prepare correspondence, presentations, and documents of a legal and non-legal matter
• Prepares specialized court and tribunal documents
• Respond to inquiries from internal and external clients and the public
• Schedule appointments and maintains lawyers\' calendar and schedule and book rooms, court reporters, travel, discoveries, witnesses, interpreters, case conferences
• Books travel and related accommodations when necessary
• Works in a team environment, providing coverage to assistants on their team and other teams as assigned by the Legal Services Supervisor

Responding to Inquiries and File Management

• Acts as a point of contact to ensure clients have the appropriate information including file updates, process or procedural changes, Division updates and other general matters
• Manages files in the Central Registry filing system, electronic shared directory and in the file/document management databases
• Organize all hard copy and electronic files including filing of documents, data entry and the use of the STAR/STOR classification system
• Ensures that files/filing is up to date and brought forward for review by lawyers as required

Qualifications and Experience

As our successful candidate, you will possess a certificate/diploma from a Legal Assistant or Paralegal program and 3 years of experience in a legal practice or an acceptable combination of education/training and experience.

You have experience and competency in an automated environment, with proficient and accurate typing, dicta typing, MS Word, and data entry skills. You have knowledge of legal terminology, procedures, and documentation, as well as excellent research, analytical and organizational skills. Your excellent communication skills, both written and oral, give you the ability to deal with clients, lawyers and co-workers in a fair, caring, and impartial manner communicating in a clear and concise manner while maintaining confidentiality and impartiality.

Assets include:

• Knowledge of the various levels of Court
• Knowledge of Civil Procedure Rules
• Knowledge of provincial government departments and agencies
• Experience utilizing STAR/STOR record classification system, or other file management systems

We will assess the above qualifications using one or more of the following tools: written examination, standardized tests, oral presentations, interview(s), and reference checks.

Equivalency

Include, but not limited to-

- at least 5 years of legal support experience.

Applicants relying on education and experience equivalencies must demonstrate such equivalencies in their application.

Benefits

Based on the employment status and union agreement, the Government of Nova Scotia offers its employees a wide range of benefits such as Health, Dental, Life Insurance, Pension, General Illness (Short and Long Term), Vacation and Employee and Family Assistance Programs. Click to learn more about our various benefits offerings and eligibility criteria.

Working Conditions

• Relief employees fill gaps in the schedule and replace full time employees when operational requirements demand as determined by the Employer, while there is no shift work associated with this position, there is potential for travel, overtime and disruptions to personal and family life due to position responsibilities, workload, and other unplanned activities (typically the hours are between 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM, this may vary depending on operational needs)
• You will be exposed to emotional and sensitive issues, dealing with difficult or distraught individuals creates a stressful environment
• There is a high demand for accuracy and attention to detail while working in a high volume and complex service area
• Regardless of the situation you must be able to display a completely impartial attitude at all times
• A relief employee is an employee who is not regularly scheduled by the Employer, but who works relief assignments on an as-needed basis as operational requirements demand. As such, a relief employee does not have guaranteed hours of work.

Additional Information

This competition is to fill Term Relief employment opportunities based in Halifax, Sydney, and Truro. We have opportunities available in each of our practice areas Family Services, Litigation Services & Solicitor Services.

Candidates that have a certificate/diploma from a Paralegal program or Legal Assistant program (with less than 3 years experience) are encouraged to apply and will be considered if these opportunities are not filled by candidates with a certificate/diploma and three years experience. The bi-weekly salary for candidates that do not meet the 3 years experience requirement is $1,626.82 (at the CL 18 level). Candidates appointed at the CL 18 level as Associate Legal Assistants will be term appointments with an end date of March 31, 2024.

What We Offer

• Career Development where you have access to career guidance, tools, resources, and ongoing training for every stage of your career.
• Engaging workplace. Our Employees feel valued, respected, connected, and tuned in. We have forward-thinking policies and strategies.
• countless career paths.
• Department Specific Flexible working schedules.

Pay Grade: CL 21 Hourly

Salary Range: $1,824.96 - $2,034.28 Hourly

Employment Equity Statement:

Our goal is to be a diverse workforce that is representative, at all job levels, of the citizens we serve. The Government of Nova Scotia has an Employment Equity Policy, and we welcome applications from Indigenous People, African Nova Scotians and Other Racially Visible Persons, Persons with Disabilities and Women in occupations or positions where they are under-represented. If you are a member of one of these equity groups, you are encouraged to self-identify on your electronic application.

A relief employee is an employee who is not regularly scheduled by the Employer, but who works relief assignments on an as-needed basis as operational requirements demand. As such, a relief employee does not have guaranteed hours of work. PLEASE NOTE: Candidates will not be considered for an interview if applications are incomplete or are missing information.

Please note: when competing for vacancies, a successful Temporary, Term or Permanent Relief Employee who is currently employed with the Province will maintain their bargaining unit status, seniority and benefit level at the new workplace.

Current government employees may access this posting through the link below:

Offer of employment is conditional upon the completion of all applicable background checks and confirmation of credentials, the results of which must be satisfactory to the employer. We thank all applicants for the interest, however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted. All questions and concerns may be directed to Competitions@novascotia.ca.

Government of Nova Scotia