Legal Services Technician in Halifax

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.

Under general supervision from the Legal Services Supervisor, as the Legal Services Technician 1-2 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.
  • Respond to inquiries from internal and external clients and the public.
  • Schedule appointments and maintain lawyers' calendar and schedule and book rooms, court reporters, travel, discoveries, witnesses, interpreters, case conferences.
  • Book travel and related accommodations when necessary.
  • Work 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
  • Act 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.
  • Manage 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.
  • Ensure 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. 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.

This is a permanent employment opportunity, located in Halifax, NS. This position offers an option for flexible work arrangements.

Working Conditions

• Normal work week is 35 hours/week, 7 hours/day.
• May be required to work overtime on occasion.
• Typically located in comfortable office environment.
• Considerable periods of time sitting at desk interspersed with movement to and from printers, file storage areas or to deposit/retrieve mail.
• At times required to bend and lift file boxes from storage shelving and transport to review area.
• Regular need to read and analyze information and significant time focusing on a computer monitor.
• Must balance multiple priorities and the demand for accuracy and attention to detail in the preparation of legal documents requires acute concentration and may increase physical and mental stress.
• The nature of the work environment may bring staff into contact with individuals who are verbally abusive and physically threatening, exposure to disturbing images or content in some files may occur.

Additional Information

We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted. All questions and concerns may be directed to Competitions@novascotia.ca.