Executive Legal Assistant

Overview:
**Term: 1 year**

Reporting to the General Counsel (GC), the Executive Legal Assistant represents the Mission and Values of Legal & Immigration Services (LIS) and supports the GC. The incumbent is responsible for providing support for administrative tasks, file management, organization, drafting, research support, and a range of administrative tasks that contribute to the smooth and efficient operations of the office by providing support to the GC and to the LIS team.

This position assists with overall efficiency by assisting with the day-to-day operations and co-ordination of administrative operations of LIS.

**Responsibilities**:
Support and Administration
- Supports the Senior Legal Administrator with the coordination and scheduling and management of the GC’s calendar that could include multiple internal and/or external stakeholders
- Support GC and/or Legal Counsel with electronic filing and file tracking systems and ensuring the accuracy and completeness of files and information
- Provides advice, options, and recommendations and decisions regarding the GC’s calendar based on LIS’s priorities, timelines, and objectives, to ensure that the GC’s time is being used effectively
- Exercises judgment in determining appropriate responses to requests for meetings, including setting urgent and non-urgent meetings, balancing competing priorities and referring inquiries to other responsible parties as necessary. Brings matters of priority to the attention of the GC
- Keeps the GC well informed of sensitive issues related to meetings or events
- Ensures the GC is fully prepared and supported for meetings, events, and other engagements by means of briefing notes, documents, speaking notes, attendee listing, and agenda items, etc
- Prepares and organizes support materials required by the GC by researching, analyzing, composing, and/or synthesizing, and formatting documents
- Must have broad knowledge of the various matters and responsibilities of the GC in order to prepare materials required for effective participation in or chairing of meetings
- Proactively offers advice regarding meetings and events that should be initiated by the GC
- Acts as a point of contact between the GC and senior leaders within the University to ensure the effective flow of information and follow up
- Interacts frequently with the Senior Legal Administrator and Legal Assistant in LIS to ensure the effective flow of information and follow up
- Collaborates and could receive requests for support from internal LIS colleagues who work inter-dependently
- Supports LIS in preparing for guests
- Serving as a legal resource for informed legal decision-making and creative problem-solving to facilitate the University's pursuit of its mission of teaching, research, and service
- Providing excellent and timely legal support to University faculty and staff to ensure excellence in fulfilling the University’s legal and ethical obligations
- Facilitating all aspects of legal matters at the University as necessary or appropriate
- Serving as a point of contact for interactions with external counsel, who may be retained by the General Counsel to support LIS from time to time, as circumstances warrant

Strategic Legal Support and Leadership
- Prepares various legal documents, forms and materials for legal counsel review and approval (e.g. film releases and placement and affiliation agreements), and copies, collates, and prepares materials for signature/distribution to internal/external stakeholders
Drafts responses or responds directly where appropriate, and reviews and proofreads Department documents and correspondence
- Performs research and legal searches using CanLii (i.e. researching case law)
- Provides administrative support with in-depth knowledge and management of a high volume of legal files and various matters and the overall day-to-day operations of LIS
- Drafting and preparation of internal and external correspondence, various confidential legal documents, and forms to assist in the progression of legal procedures, as required
- With the assistance of electronic data management systems, manages legal filing for files handled by GC and/or Legal Counsel, in accordance with LIS processes, legal requirements, and University Policy, ensuring effective management of confidential and sensitive information. Ensures the effective management of confidential and highly sensitive information
- Monitors LIS processes and provides proactive recommendations to support the ongoing refinement of LIS procedures to ensure quality of service
- Liaises with external counsel, government agencies, courts, and tribunals for various matters
- Serves as a point of contact for visitors, staff, faculty members, or students contacting the office regarding sensitive or highly confidential matters, answering or re-directing inquiries as appropriate
- Identifies urgent issues that require immediate attention and facilitates a resolution, escalating issue