Legal Administrative Assistant, Regulatory Services, Professional Regulation - 10-month contract/secondment (Hybrid, Toronto)
JOB PURPOSE:
As part of the Regulatory Services Department, the Legal Administrative Assistant ("the Assistant") plans, organizes and coordinates administrative practices and procedures, ensuring ongoing case management while handling multiple and competing deadlines relating to the functions of Trustee Services, Regulatory Compliance and the Compensation Fund. The Assistant supports the administrative activities of Regulatory Services under the general direction of the Team Manager, Consulting and Custodianship Services, by performing a wide range of administrative tasks such as triaging communications, answering practice disposition inquiries, inventory and records management, file management, legal searches, mail and courier responsibilities, and recording minutes of meetings. The Assistant supports hearings before the Superior Court of Justice, practice recoveries, and the administration of trusteeships and custodianships. The Assistant acts as legal administrative assistant to counsel, law clerks, and other administrative staff in Regulatory Services as assigned. Because Regulatory Services files often deal with confidential and sensitive matters as well as high-profile political and media issues, the Legal Administrative Assistant needs to exercise a high degree of discretion and judgment.
QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED:
- A college diploma with a legal administration specialization, or equivalent training and / or experience.
- Minimum 3 to 5 years' working experience providing legal administrative support in a confidential, legal or professional regulatory environment (preferably with some experience in litigation).
A solid knowledge of legal office practice, legal terminology and procedure relating to legal correspondence and legal documents.
Clear, concise and articulate communication skills to effectively respond to and transmit information to team members and others.
The ability to communicate in French, verbally and written would be an asset.
The Assistant may be required to travel throughout the GTA and Ontario, on very short notice, and occasionally overnight, to assist in recovering practices or other Trustee Services activities.
- A strong proficiency and sophisticated user level in word processing, spreadsheets, database applications, case management systems, Internet and intranet with strong word processing or keyboarding skills, with the ability to type 60 error free words per minute.
* for Licensed Paralegals: by submitting your application for employment, you agree to a clearance check of your regulatory history with the Law Society, and to the use of this information in assessing suitability for employment at the Law Society.
Client / Customer Service Delivery
- As a member of the Regulatory Services Department, the Assistant provides exceptional administrative assistance and support to their team. This includes opening and closing Regulatory Services files, keyboarding, drafting, proofreading, engaging in the review and organization of client documents and files, scanning files, screening and distributing mail, revising and formatting various correspondence and legal documents, issuing and arranging for service of originating processes and other documents in accordance with the Rules of Civil Procedure, and preparing materials for digital storage.
- Provides active support with the recovery of client property and other practice-related materials, including coordinating with suppliers and attending at off-site recoveries.
- Provides primary triage of communications. On direction, the Assistant responds to inquiries from the public, including clients, licensees, regarding licensees' practice dispositions, ensuring excellent customer service standards are maintained.
- Supports various Regulatory Services processes by performing a range of legal searches, including real property, corporate, motor vehicle, Court, case law, and internet directory searches.
- Schedules appointments and meetings, ensures room/virtual set up, required documents, and availability of attendees, and records minutes of meetings as required.
- Acts as legal assistant to counsel and law clerks and assists other administrative staff in Regulatory Services as assigned.
Financial Responsibility
- Assists with the monthly reconciliation of assigned Regulatory Services accounts, such as external storage and MTO accounts.
- Maintains office supplies for assigned work area and requisitions supplies as required.
- Prepares reports and statistics as required.
- Assists in tracking time and expenses for cost recovery.
Team Membership
- Promotes the sharing and transfer of knowledge and expertise amongst other team members and is a dedicated and proactive member of the Regulatory Services team.
- Works closely with other members of the administrative support team to ensure effective utilization of division and department resources.
- Engages in problem solving with other team members to continuously improve workflow and departmental effectiveness.
- Must be proactive when working with their teams, at times taking the lead to ensure that timelines are met.
- Follows specific instructions and established procedures, while being flexible and adaptive in response to changing priorities.
Performance Goals, Targets and Standards
- Meets established individual targets, including quality and time standards.
- Identifies gaps in the department's work processes and procedures.
- Monitors issues and trends related to legal topics and file management and identifies and forwards these issues to other staff in support of policy development or process change.
- Participates in development of specific department policies as assigned.
Manages and participates in developing solutions to optimize both individual and departmental performance and goals.
Special Projects and Initiatives
Assists Regulatory Services staff in the effective use of electronic support systems.
Participates in special projects and Regulatory Services working groups as assigned.
The Law Society has introduced a Distributed Workforce Model to leverage flexibility and agility, and to maximize employee productivity and engagement. Work arrangements will be determined by role and departmental requirements. The working arrangement for this position has been classified as hybrid, where the employee will regularly flex their work location between home and office. The specific application of this will be communicated to applicants contacted during the recruitment process.