Role Summary

We are currently recruiting a Litigation Legal Assistant to join our Commercial Litigation practice. This is an exciting opportunity for an individual who enjoys variety at a fast-paced busy desk that offers a broad range of litigation legal and executive assistant responsibilities and challenges. In this role you will be supporting three legal professionals.

The successful candidate must be able to confidently utilize one’s strong litigation and technical knowledge and practice management skills to execute in this role. You will be required to demonstrate initiative, strong communication (both verbal and written) and organizational skills and have a desire to work in a team environment to promote a client-first focused culture.

This is a full-time, permanent opportunity with core work hours of Monday to Friday – 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. We are currently operating a hybrid work model and the successful candidate will be required to work in the office (minimum 3 days/ week).

Responsibilities

• Drafting and/or preparing various legal documents (pleadings, notices of motion, notices of application, affidavit, facta, etc.), presentations and correspondence, and ensuring that they are in proper format and accurate.
• Compiling records and briefs as and when required.
• Arranging for service and filing of legal documents and related instructions to process servers/agents and filing with the appropriate courts.
• Managing and tracking deadlines, conditional dates, and appointments, including managing the lawyers’ calendars and scheduling appointments and court dates as needed.
• Typing general correspondence and various legal documents from handwritten notes, phone, or verbal instructions.
• Opening and closing files electronically and physically which also includes maintaining detailed matter/client list and maintaining the electronic filing system (iManage).
• Running monthly accounts; reviewing entries for accuracy and completeness.
• Entering dockets into accounting software (3E) as and when required.
• Managing internal and external communications which includes incoming calls, mail, faxes and e-mail, responding when needed and as appropriate.
• Dealing with and responding to client inquiries and conducting follow up as required.
• Entering and updating client contact lists in the CRM (InterAction) and working closely with the Marketing and BD department as and when required.
• General other administrative duties such as scheduling appointments and meetings, booking meeting rooms, making travel arrangements, etc.; working with other internal Departments to provide documents/other materials on time to meet client needs.
• Continually assessing and establishing work priorities as needed.
• Demonstrating a team approach; supporting and standing in for colleagues to cover absences.
• Other administrative duties as assigned.

Required Skills & Qualifications

• At least Three (3) to five (5) years of relevant litigation work experience is required.
• Post-secondary education with a Legal Assistant Diploma and/or Law Clerk certificate.
• Thorough understanding and knowledge of legal terminology, procedures and statutes.
• Strong working knowledge of the Rules of Civil Procedure and the steps and stages that arise in litigation.
• Proficient with legal software and MS Office 365 (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, Teams).
• Proficient with PDF software (Kofax Power PDF/ Adobe).
• Excellent time management, organizational and prioritization skills.
• Ability to work independently and within tight timelines.
• Eagerness to learn new technology/processes and further develop skills
• Familiarity with the scheduling and in-person and virtual filing processes for the Toronto and Ontario courts.
• Excellent attention to detail and diligent proofreading skills
• Strong interpersonal skills and an excellent team player.
• Passionate about providing quality service and work product to lawyers, clients and the court.
• Good judgement and ability to exercise discretion when dealing with confidential and sensitive matters.

Candidates who meet the above qualifications are asked to apply online with a copy of resume and cover letter attached. Please click here to apply online.

Role Summary

We are currently recruiting a Legal Assistant, Team Support to join our Wills, Trusts and Estates practice groups. This is a junior-level position and would be suitable for recent graduates of a Legal Assistant or Legal Administration program who have had at least one year of litigation work experience post their schooling.

This is an exciting opportunity for an individual who wants to kick start their legal career at a downtown Toronto law firm, enjoys fast paced environments and wants to learn and expand their litigation skill sets under the close mentorship of seasoned litigation assistants.

In this position, you  will be responsible for providing legal support to a team of Legal Assistants. The position offers a broad range of responsibilities and challenges that will utilize one’s litigation knowledge and also broaden your practice management skills. The successful candidate will need to demonstrate initiative, strong communication and organizational skills, with a desire to work in a team environment and promote a client first focused culture.

This is a full-time, permanent opportunity with core work hours of Monday to Friday – 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. We are currently operating a hybrid work model and the successful candidate will be required to work in the office (minimum 4 days/ week).

Responsibilities

• Preparing various legal documents with the guidance of legal assistants/ lawyers (pleadings, notices of motion, facta, etc.), presentations and correspondence, and ensuring that they are in proper format and accurate.
• Compiling records and briefs with the guidance of legal assistants in the practice group.
• Arranging for service of legal documents, filing with appropriate courts including using the online portal where appropriate and communicating with the courts as required.
• Typing general correspondence and various legal documents from handwritten notes, phone or verbal instructions.
• Opening, maintaining and closing files electronically in the document management system (iManage), and following file closing procedure per the Records Management Policies.
• Helping the assistants with monthly client billings, including reviewing entries for accuracy and completeness. This may include printing pre-bills, reviewing and making changes to pre-bills, drafting write-off forms or trust transfers.
• Entering dockets and/or expenses for the lawyers from time-to-time.
• New file openings; setting up files and preparing folders/labels as requested.
• Submitting cheque requisitions and working closely with the Finance team.
• Helping assistants to close files which might include scanning, boxing or indexing of files in preparation for destruction of physical material.
• Digital transcriptions.
• Entering and updating client contact lists in the CRM.
• Providing coverage support at various desks in the practice group when assistants are on vacation or there is an unplanned absence due to illness, etc.
• General other administrative duties such as scheduling appointments and meetings, booking meeting rooms, making travel arrangements, etc.; working with other related internal Departments to provide documents/other materials on time to meet client needs.
• Other duties or firm projects as assigned.

Qualifications, Skills & Experience

• At least one (1) year of prior litigation legal assistant experience. Experience in the Wills and Estates would be highly beneficial.
• Post-secondary education with a Legal Assistant or Legal Administration designation.
• Thorough understanding of legal terminology.
• Strong working knowledge of the Rules of Civil Procedure.
• Proficient with legal software and MS Office 365 (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint).
• Prior experience with CaseLines would be an asset.
• Excellent time management, prioritization and follow-up skills.
• Excellent attention to detail, accuracy and proofreading skills.
• Ability to work independently and within tight timelines.
• Ability to take initiative and be resourceful.

Candidates who meet the above qualifications are asked to apply online with a copy of your cover letter and resume (single attachment is preferred). Please click here to apply online.

The successful candidate will provide legal support and work in close collaboration with the Regulatory Law Practice Group lawyers working primarily in the areas of administrative and public law litigation, including discipline, fitness to practise, and registration proceedings for regulated professions.  The scope of work will include: organizing and managing files (responsible for ensuring deadlines are met); reviewing client documents; preparation of documents and briefs for various types of proceedings, including civil litigation, hearings, appeals, and judicial reviews; and providing support to other litigation team members when required.

Required Qualifications & Education

• Post-secondary education with a Law Clerk designation
• Knowledge of legal terminology, procedures and statutes
• At least three years of relevant experience would be preferred
• Strong computer related skills including legal software and Microsoft 365 (Word, Excel, Outlook)
• Knowledge of E-Discovery (experience with EverLaw would be an asset)

 Skills

• Excellent time management, organizational and prioritization skills
• Ability to work independently and within tight timelines
• Ability to multi-task and balance the priorities assigned
• Eagerness to learn and further develop skills as a Law Clerk
• Strong interpersonal skills and an excellent team player
• Strong communication skills (both verbal and written) including the ability to deal with clients
• Excellent attention to detail and diligent proofreading skills
• Able to handle sensitive and confidential information with discretion
• Passionate about providing quality service and work product to clients

Responsibilities

• Reviewing client documents and preparing affidavits of documents/disclosure briefs
• Preparing agreements and other legal documents with some direction, often from precedents
• Preparing hearing and appeal/judicial review materials in accordance with the various Rules of Procedures and Practice Directions (Ontario Superior Court of Justice, Court of Appeal for Ontario, Supreme Court of Canada and various quasi-judicial forums) 
• Trial preparation including preparing document briefs and compendiums
• Assisting in the preparation of both lawyers and clients for examinations and hearings
• Scheduling examinations for discovery and preparing notices of examination
• Reviewing and summarizing transcripts of examinations and preparing charts of undertakings, refusals, and under advisements. Reviewing and assembling answers to undertakings
• Assisting with scheduling of witnesses, conducting witness interviews, preparing witness statements and briefs and preparing and serving summonses
• Attending at hearings to assist counsel and clients, when required
• Preparing bills of cost and costs outlines
• Preparing draft default judgments or orders
• Preparing charts, chronologies and summaries of documentary evidence for use in hearings
• Preparing correspondence
• Acting as commissioner to take oaths
• Other duties as assigned

At WeirFoulds, we pride ourselves on providing the highest level of service to our clients. As such, it is essential for applicants to be self-starters, dedicated to entrepreneurialism including client service, client development and the building and strengthening of client relationships. If you would like to be part of this dynamic team, and enjoy working in a collegial environment, this is an excellent opportunity for you.

Please submit your application online, including a cover letter, resume and transcripts. Please click here to apply online.

WeirFoulds welcomes applications from all qualified candidates. We recognize the need to demonstrate equity, diversity and inclusion in everything we do, and are committed to providing an inclusive work environment composed of people with diverse perspectives, backgrounds, identities and cultures.

Accommodations in accordance with applicable laws are available for applicants with disabilities. If you require an accommodation at any time during the recruitment process, please contact our Human Resources Team at accommodations@weirfoulds.com.

We thank all candidates for their interest; however, only those selected for further consideration will be contacted.