Legal Counsel

JOB SUMMARY

Legal Services provides a comprehensive and complex range of legal services to elected officials, all City of Ottawa departments, and various boards and commissions (i.e. Ottawa Police Services Board, Ottawa Community Land Development Corporation and the Ottawa Public Library), in the areas of civil litigation, labour and employment law, prosecutions, and corporate, municipal, planning, development, environmental, and commercial law.  

Under the guidance of a Senior Legal Counsel, you are responsible for providing a wide range of legal services to City Council, Committees, Departments, local boards and agencies, in the following area: 
Civil litigation and claims/prosecutions focusing on claims made by and against the City, its boards, commissions and agencies, including the Police Services Board, conducting litigation/prosecutions before courts, boards and tribunals, and negotiation of litigation settlements.

You provide expert legal opinions and policy advice and coordinate projects and legal teams.  You are responsible for protecting/advancing the legal interests of the City, advocating and defending corporate positions before the courts and external decision-making bodies, and ensuring that corporate actions, policies, programs and regulations are legally enforceable, and functional within the existing political/legal system.  You also provide mentoring, training, coaching, monitoring and oversight to other Legal Counsel, Articling Law Students and Paralegals/Law Clerks in the respective practice area. 

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

Completion of Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) or Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree (3 year program after first degree). 

Minimum of 5 years of broad legal experience in the practice of municipal law, as outlined in the Job Summary, which may include experience before civil courts, administrative boards and tribunals, or specific experience directly related to the assigned area of practice. 

CERTIFICATIONS AND LICENCES

KNOWLEDGE

• Knowledge of the Municipal Act 2001 
• Knowledge of the Code of Professional Conduct of the Law Society of Upper Canada
• In-depth knowledge of municipal operations, City organizational structures, and departmental business requirements, complexities, and inter-relationships 
• Detailed knowledge of the specific legislation, regulations, policies/guidelines and methods/procedures relating to the assigned area of practice
• Detailed knowledge of the law, and of civil procedures and practice before the courts, and or administrative boards or tribunals
• In-depth knowledge of the principles, practices, and procedures  relating to interviewing, facilitation, negotiation, dispute resolution, and mediation
• Protocols for developing submissions, briefings, major reports
• Protocols for responding to senior management/Councillor inquiries, conducting public consultation and preparing reports, briefing notes and other communiqués 
• Knowledge of Employee Code of Conduct as well as applicable health and safety legislation, including the rights and duties of workers.

COMPETENCIES, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

• Able to work independently, with minimal direction, and collaboratively with all staff as part of a team
• Able to professionally represent the City before the courts and or administrative tribunals, and at meetings involving multiple shareholders and the general public
• Possess leadership and human relations skills to provide ongoing mentoring, training, coaching, monitoring and oversight to more junior Legal Counsels, Articling Law Students, Paralegals and Law Clerks  
• Possess organizational skills and flexibility to plan, initiate, organize and prioritize own work and that of others, to manage multiple projects, and to deal effectively with multiple demands, conflicting priorities, pressures and timelines
• Able to consult with internal corporate clients and provide expert problem solving advice, opinion and guidance on legal matters 
• Able to undertake and direct research,  investigate/define issues, isolate key components of complex/diverse issues, analyze/evaluate/interpret information, present findings and make recommendations 
• Possess articulate and persuasive communication skills and strong influencing/negotiating skills/abilities in order to handle the advisory, adversarial and administrative nature of the work
• Able to describe complex concepts in readily understandable terms, and provide timely, constructive professional advice/information to all clients to assist in the decision-making process 
• Skilled in composing and writing complex and technical pleadings, opinions, reports and summaries and other documents for council, committees, and senior staff
• Able to write highly technical and complex contract language, memoranda, settlement documents, reports and proposals 
• Highly skilled in public speaking and in preparing/delivering presentations
• Possess computer literacy in MS Office Suite and the ability to utilize specialized software and internet resources for legal research
• Able to maintain and secure detailed documentation, records and files
• Self directed in applying judgement, initiative and creativity to address unique situations
• Demonstrates leadership capabilities
• Demonstrates strong interpersonal skills
• Thorough and attentive to detail
• Demonstrates tact , diplomacy, political awareness, sound judgement and discretion in protecting the privacy, confidentiality, and security of information
• Resilient, and able to deal with difficult individuals and situations