Job Description

The Association of Professors of the University of Ottawa (APUO) is a certified union representing full-time faculty members, professional librarians, language teachers and Continuing Special Appointment Professors employed at the University of Ottawa. As a union, APUO's principal functions are to negotiate the Collective Agreement and to ensure that the rights of its members under the Collective Agreement and the law are protected on a day-to-day basis.We currently have an opening for a self-motivated, highly organized and capable individual to work as a Paralegal within our team.Temporary position, up to twelve (12) months (replacement of pregnancy leave). Reporting to Administrative Director and working closely with Legal Counsel and the Grievance Officers, the Paralegal will be responsible for collecting evidence, witness preparation, legal research, legal memoranda, and preparing/assembling/analyzing arbitration briefs. The incumbent may also be asked to contribute to other APUO tasks on an "as needed basis".All applicants must provide an up-to-date CV, and a cover letter that clearly indicate that they meet the required qualifications. Candidates are encouraged to include a statement about how they promote the principles of equity, diversity and inclusion in their work. Copies of degrees and certification, if applicable, must also be provided.PRIMARY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: The Paralegal will provide paralegal or legal assistant support to a team consisting of a legal counsel and grievance officers. Labour law research of various complexity will make up the majority of the daily responsibilities. The ideal candidate will have rigour, adaptability and flexibility, initiative, strong analytical skills and superior communication skills in both English and French. The candidate will engage in or manage a number of different projects at one time.

• Conducts research on collective agreements, legislation and regulations;
• Assists in collecting and organizing evidence;
• Assists with witness preparation;
• Keeps member files organized and up-to-date in paper and electronic format;
• Prepares legal memoranda legal summaries and reports for Legal Counsel (i.e motion materials and factum);
• Assists during mediation / arbitration sessions by taking notes and preparing exhibits;
• Files and submits documents/briefs with mediators / arbitrators and other parties;
• Arranges meetings and depositions with members, witnesses and other lawyers;
• Maintains the case indexing system;
• Closes files in preparation for archiving;
• Monitors and reports on health and safety issues;
• Performs clerical duties, including mailing, photocopying, faxing and emailing; phone;
• Any other task assigned by the Administrative Director.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Undergraduate degree and two (2) years of experience or College diploma and four (4) years of experience. Education must be in paralegal, legal assistant studies or a university law degree or in a law related field of study.
• Two (2) years of experience conducting legal research in labour law is an asset.
• Two (2) years of experience drafting legal memorandum is an asset.
• Excellent spoken and written English and French.
• Ability to work both as a team member and independently.
• Strong analytical and organizational skills.
• Detail-oriented.
• Ability to prioritize and coordinate projects and work within strict deadlines.
• Ability to work under pressure.
• Intermediate skills in MS Office Suite and both Windows and Mac systems.
• Availability to work flexible hours as needed.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• Status: 35hrs/week, thirteen-month contract (replacement of pregnancy leave).
• Starting compensation: $64,000$ per year with an excellent benefits package.
• Start Date: as soon as possible

We thank all applicants for their interest, but only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.We are supportive of workforce diversity and encourage applications from all qualified individuals. Workers of colour, women, Aboriginal workers, LGBTQ2+ workers and workers with disabilities are encouraged to apply.Job Types: Full-time, Fixed term contractSalary: From $64,000.00 per yearBenefits:

• Casual dress
• Company pension
• Dental care
• Disability insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Extended health care
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision care

Schedule:

• Monday to Friday

COVID-19 considerations:
The APUO offices are currently closed due to COVID-19. As such all work will need to be done remotely (emails, Zoom, MS Teams, phone) until we reopen. At this time, we do not expect to reopen the office before October 1, 2022.Application question(s):

• Do you have excellent spoken and written English skills?
• Do you have excellent spoken and written French skills?