Crown Counsel

ELIGIBILITY FOR THIS COMPETITION IS RESTRICTED TO STEP 1 CANDIDATES INCLUDING OPS ALOC AND OCAA LAWYERS living or working within 125 km of this location. Note: Eligible lawyers from outside the Area of Search may apply but will not be entitled to relocation or travel expenses for the transfer as set out below.

Step 1: All regular/fixed-term OCAA and ALOC lawyers on staff, current Redeployment List Members and current Articling Student Hireback Pool Members.
Step 2: In the absence of qualified applicants at Step 1 the competition may be reposted so that external applicants or non-members of the above-mentioned groups would then be eligible to apply.

The Ministry of the Attorney General (MAG), Criminal Law Division offers an exciting opportunity on the Drugs and Driving Team as the Crown Law Office Criminal (CLOC) regional representative. The Criminal Law Division is a large geographically dispersed operation with approximately 1900 staff who help protect community and personal safety through prosecution of offences across the province.

The Ministry of the Attorney General's vision is to create an innovative, sustainable and responsive justice system that inspires public confidence and upholds the Rule of Law; a necessary precondition for a just society. The Criminal Law Division has a responsibility to ensure public safety, through the effective and efficient prosecution of crime. The prosecution of crime is the core business of the division and is a non-discretionary essential service required to guarantee basic public safety and security.

Our values: Integrity, Judgment, Commitment, Justice, Accountability, Courage, Collaboration

OPS Commitment to Diversity, Inclusion, Accessibility, and Anti-Racism:

We are committed to build a workforce that reflects the communities we serve and to promote a diverse, anti-racist, inclusive, accessible, merit-based, respectful and equitable workplace.

We invite all interested individuals to apply and encourage applications from people with disabilities, Indigenous, Black, and racialized individuals, as well as people from a diversity of ethnic and cultural origins, sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions.

Visit the OPS Anti-Racism Policy and the OPS Diversity and Inclusion Blueprint pages to learn more about the OPS commitment to advance racial equity, accessibility, diversity, and inclusion in the public service.

We offer employment accommodation across the recruitment process and all aspects of employment consistent with the requirements of Ontario's Human Rights Code. Refer to the "How to apply" section if you require a disability-related accommodation.

What can I expect to do in this role?

You will take a senior, specialized role to assist in the training and prosecution of Drugs and Driving cases.

Duties will include:

• Providing training and education to Crowns, police, Victim Services and Justice Partners on the investigation and prosecution of drug and alcohol driving cases
• Participate in projects and initiatives that enhance the efficient prosecution of drug and alcohol driving cases
• Providing related search and other litigation advice to police and Crowns
• Preparing resources and best practices to support Crowns dealing with drug and alcohol driving cases
• Providing strategic and policy advice to the Division on how to better enhance our prosecution of these cases
• Providing in court assistance on, and conducting prosecutions of, drug and alcohol driving cases and other cases as assigned
• Participating in inter-Ministerial and multidisciplinary teams on related issues as assigned
• Preparing written correspondence, briefing materials and legal advice for the Criminal Law Division and MAG
• Conduct appeals involving driving offences before the Court of Appeal for Ontario and Supreme Court of Canada

In this position, you will work as part of a provincial team, however the position reports to the Director of the Crown Law Office Criminal.

How do I qualify?

Mandatory

Membership in good standing as a lawyer with the Law Society of Ontario

Legal Experience

• Excellent working knowledge of the Criminal Code of Canada, Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, criminal law procedures, rules of evidence and case law
• Demonstrated understanding, awareness, and litigation experience in the prosecution of drug and alcohol driving cases
• Experience conducting summary conviction appeals in drug and alcohol driving cases
• Experience working on major/lengthy cases involving forensic/scientific evidence, voluminous amounts of disclosure, and complex legal and factual issues
• Experience providing legal advice and training on legal issues to the police and Crowns
• Knowledge and understanding of the role and function of a prosecutor in the criminal justice system in Ontario

Interpersonal and Communication Skills

• Proven interpersonal, presentation and communications skills
• Excellent writing skills
• Proven judgment and analytical ability to determine appropriate key issues and set priorities accordingly
• Proven ability to research, analyze and organize a principled approach to cases and issues
• Ability to work as part of a team within the criminal justice system and with community stakeholders

Other Essential Skills

• Technical skills to work effectively with computer technology and databases made available to professional staff