Duty Counsel

**Company Bio**

Legal Aid Ontario employees are committed to making a difference in the lives of our clients.

As an integral partner in the Justice system, working at Legal Aid Ontario is more than just a job. It's an opportunity to help people who need it the most; to ensure each client receives the access to justice afforded to them under the law.

If you are looking for a new challenge in your already meaningful career with a team dedicated to justice, and innovation in a flexible and supportive work environment consider this opportunity below.

**Primary function**

This Duty Counsel will be required provide family and criminal duty counsel services in Orangeville and at satellite locations in the region. This role may require travel throughout the district on occasion. As such, applicants with readily available transportation or an ability to rent a vehicle are preferred.

Criminal Duty Counsel is responsible for providing client service for criminal law matters in the courthouse, both virtually and in person once in person services resume. Criminal Duty Counsel will be responsible for the intake and assessment of criminal law clients to determine the appropriate service for those charged with criminal offences, including but not limited to providing procedural and summary legal advice; drafting and reviewing criminal court documents; in court representation at various stages of criminal court proceedings; supervision of per diem duty counsels and other duties as assigned.

Family Duty Counsel is responsible for providing client service for family law matters in the courthouse, both virtually and in person once in person services resume. Family Duty Counsel will be responsible for the intake and assessment of family law clients to determine the appropriate service for the clients, including but not limited to providing procedural and summary legal advice; drafting, reviewing and commissioning of family court documents and pleadings such as Applications, Answers, Motions, Affidavits and Financial Statements; in court representation at various stages of a family court and/or child protection proceeding; supervision of per diem duty counsels and other duties as assigned.

Home Location: Orangeville
Secondary Location: n/a

Reports to: Lawyer Manager, Peel Family Law Service Centre

**Key accountabilities**
- Act as Family and Criminal Duty Counsel
- Representing clients both in-person and remotely
- Ensure high quality of legal work in a cost effective manner
- File management as per LAO requirements including use of computer technology; data input for statistics measurements in a timely manner

Family:

- Advocate for clients in court and on court forms
- Provide family law duty counsel services, including providing instructions to Legal Aid Workers (and students), preparation of court documents for eligible clients as well as providing representation in the Ontario Court of Justice (OCJ) at First Appearances, case conferences, simple motions, negotiations, Family Responsibilities Office (FRO) matters, Children’s Aid Societies matters and other court hearings and services as required
- Ability to provide advice lawyer services at the Family Law Information Centre (FLIC)
- Demonstrated ability to provide sensitive and compassionate client service to those who may be victims of intimate partner violence

Criminal
- Assisting unrepresented clients who have been charged with criminal or quasi-criminal matters
- Representing clients at bail hearings, guilty pleas and remands both in-person and remotely
- Assessing clients’ needs, including the early identification of vulnerable clients, to facilitate referrals to appropriate services.
- Provide criminal law services as defense counsel in the Ontario Court of Justice
- Providing assistance and representation at federal, provincial, and youth, remand, bail and plea courts, including specialty courts (Drug Treatment Court / Mental Health Court / Gladue Court)
- Providing summary legal advice(SLA)
- Interviewing clients, sureties, and witnesses
- Disclosure review and Crown pre-trials meetings
- Assisting with various motions and hearings (may include trials), including judicial pre-trials
- Preparing and arguing bail hearings

**Required skills & experience**
- Member in good standing with the Law Society of Ontario

Family:

- Demonstrated experience dealing with complex family law matter and of strong knowledge of relevant family law legislation and in particular child protection law, including in court experience. Experience being lead on family and CYFSA files.
- Ability to work independently in a busy environment and provide sound advice/support to colleagues when required
- Ability to draft legal documents without need for review
- Ability to assist others with reviewing drafted documents.

Criminal:

- Experience acting as Criminal Duty Counsel on behalf of LAO’s vulnerable clients
- Demonstrated experience in representing clients with complex leg