Legal Assistant

**Job Posting**The Legal Assistant is responsible for a wide variety of legal and administrative duties within the division. General duties include reception support, managing calendars, processing and preparing correspondence, responding to inquiries, interacting with internal clients, external parties, and the general public and opening, closing and processing files for archiving, as well as creating reports and processing invoices and expense claims. Broad and thorough knowledge of legal concepts, practices and principles is essential for this role. Legal Assistants may be required to work for several lawyers at the same time and also support the overall management of the department including duties such as library maintenance (including book updates) and supply ordering.

In the Team environment of Legal Services, in addition to general legal assistant duties, Legal Assistants may be required to have additional expertise in one or more of the following areas of law: Litigation, Prosecutions, Real Property, and Advisory Services (Advisory Services, Corporate/Commercial and/or Real Property). **One position is currently dedicated to the Prosecutions division, and one position is currently dedicated to the Litigation division.**

**DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES**:

- Manages and processes internal and external inquiries, appointments, calendar entries, court deadlines, and correspondence; ensures follow up where appropriate using tact and judgement ensuring a high level of confidentiality
- Opens and maintains files as set out in the Legal Services Handbook
- Accurately transcribes documents; drafts and prepares various types of correspondence, legal documents, council reports, general reports and presentations as required
- Prepares court documents and arranges for filing and service, as required
- Prepares background material for meetings, scheduled presentations, and makes any other necessary arrangements including attendance and recording of minutes, when required
- Receives and processes invoices
- Updates and maintains the division's file/document management systems
- Contributes to maintaining a document precedent and template system
- Maintains statistics and other data creating reports where required
- Coordinates arrangements for local and out of town travel/conferences and prepares expense reports, as required
- Collaborate with peers on tasks as needed, including mentoring when required
- Familiar with NS Civil Procedure Rules and maintains knowledge of litigation file timelines regarding statutory limitations and deadlines, providing reminders and updates to solicitor as needed
- Assists solicitor to coordinate witnesses, client contacts, and organization of discovery and/or arbitration meetings
- Prepares evidence, arbitration binders, and any reference documents required by solicitor for court or hearings- ** PROSECUTION DIVISION**- Provides overall administrative support to Crown Prosecutors including file maintenance, court scheduling, document preparation and assembly
- Prepares and reviews municipal prosecution and appeal files
- Process routine disclosure for all prosecution files
- Responds to inquiries from public, policing agencies, law firms and Provincial Court staff
- Provides back-up support for Coordinator, Municipal Prosecutions, when required
- Experience with JEIN considered an asset
- Reviews and approves insurance withdrawals and makes recommendation to prosecutor in this role, when required-
- **QUALIFICATIONS**:
**Education and Experience**:

- Certificate/diploma from a Legal Assistant or Paralegal program, Business Administration or other related program
- Minimum of three (3) years related experience in a legal, justice, or police setting with demonstrated performance capabilities
- Experience with general litigation, criminal law or prosecutions would be considered an asset
- Experience working with file/document management systems will be considered an asset
- Experience with police records or working in a police environment (HRP or RCMP) considered an asset-
- **Technical / Job Specific Knowledge and Abilities**:

- Excellent interpersonal and communications skills, both written and verbal
- Ability to work effectively both independently & as part of a team on a multitude of tasks in variable situations
- Strong customer service orientation, ability to deal with lawyers & public under stressful situations
- Excellent writing skills, including proper spelling, grammar, and punctuation for complex documentation & ability to independently draft correspondence at a professional skill level
- Excellent organizational & problem-solving skills
- High level of accuracy & attention to detail is required while working within strict timelines
- High level of sound & independent judgment, reasoning, & diplomacy
- Superior time management skills & the ability to prioritize tasks with mínimal supervision
- Proficiency and expertise in the use of current office technology and relate