Legal Assistant

Base Pay Range

CA $28.00/hr - CA $33.00/hr

Legal Assistant for large community services agency client, Hamilton office.

Job Type: Temporary.

Initial Term: ASAP for approximately 3 months, with possibility of extension.

Compensation: From $28 per hour to $33 per hour, according to experience.

Regular

Work Hours:

7 hours per day not including 1 hour unpaid lunch break, to be worked during regular business hours, Monday to Friday (35 work hours per week).

Work Location: 100% onsite at client's Hamilton office.

Provide legal support services to an in‑house legal team serving a vulnerable population within a diverse range of practice areas including litigation, family law, criminal law, contract law, real estate and wills and estates.

• Schedule and coordinate examinations for discovery, hearings, cross‑examinations, motions and meetings.
• Organize and coordinate meetings, proceedings, court appearances, appointments, conferences and courses as required. Assemble background material, prepare and distribute agendas, arrange travel, accommodation and prepare travel claims.
• Receive, log, forward and track incoming requests and inquiries to appropriate parties, escalating as necessary. Handle incoming telephone calls and electronic and mail correspondence, communicating with staff, legal professionals, court administration and the general public. Open mail, sort and prioritize incoming correspondence, draft correspondence for approval and signature, and maintain a correspondence bring forward and filing system. Respond directly to standard inquiries.
• As directed, obtain background information on requests or decisions pertinent to case histories and relay instructions, explanations or other supporting information as required, while adhering to organization policies and guidelines.
• As directed, conduct research for relevant references, citations and statutes, and liaise with other professionals, staff, or agencies to obtain additional information as required.
• Prepare and process legal documents from research, precedents or information provided by lawyers, e.g., pleadings, factums, notices of motion, compendia, consents, statements of claim, notices of defense, legislation and regulations, orders‑in‑council.
• Prepare letters, memoranda, reports, opinions, briefing notes and legal documents from handwritten or electronic notes, verbal instruction, or dicta phone tapes. Ensuring adherence to legal style, format, terminology and proofread for accuracy. Photocopy and bind legal documents.
• Use computerized case management system to log and upload legal documents and correspondence; track court information; prepare month end reports; and conduct database searches.
• Maintain hard‑copy records and arrange transfer to archives as required.
• Additional legal administration responsibilities as required.

• Education: Post Secondary Degree or Diploma in Legal Administration.
• Preferred
  
  Work Experience:
  
  3+ years of legal administration experience supporting a team of lawyers, paralegals and law clerks.
• Preferred Sector
  
  Experience:
  
  Public law and/or general law practice (litigation, family, criminal, contracts, real estate, wills and estates) experience preferred.
• Technical and Language
  
  Skills:
  
  

• Demonstrated knowledge of Rules of Civil procedure (will be tested).
• Advanced MSWord and Outlook (will be tested).
• General strong proficiency with MSExcel and Teams (may be tested).
• Expert level typing speed and accuracy (will be tested).
• Superior attention to detail and clerical accuracy (will be tested).
• Experience with dicta transcription preferred.
• General strong proficiency and comfort within a technical environment including online meetings and teleconferences, electronic case management software applications and electronic records management applications.
• Advanced English communication skills, both written and verbal, including advanced level business writing and reading comprehension skills, excellent spelling, grammar, proofreading and syntax, and professional telephone manners.
• Excellent research and note taking abilities.

• Thor…