Counsel

Eligibility for this competition

Restricted to Step 1 candidates including OPS ALOC and OCAA lawyers living or working within 125 km of this location. Eligible lawyers from outside the area may apply but will not be entitled to relocation or travel expenses.

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.

About the job

• Representing MLITSD at hearings before the OLRB on appeals of decisions made under the ESA, the BOSTA, and the OHSA, and related judicial reviews;
• Conducting prosecutions under the CPA, the ESA, the OIA and the OHSA;
• Representing MPBSDP before the LAT;
• Appearing before Ontario courts on POA appeals;
• Attending Coroner's inquests on behalf of MLITSD;
• Providing litigation support, training and advice to the client ministries;
• Participating in committees and administrative duties, as needed;
• Participating in special projects, as needed;
• Travelling throughout the Province of Ontario.

Mandatory requirements

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

Knowledge and Skills

• Interest in, or litigation experience in, administrative law and procedure;
• Familiarity with the rules of civil procedure and civil litigation, including applications for judicial review;
• Interest in or litigation experience in, POA and/or criminal prosecutions;
• Familiarity with the rules of evidence and the Charter of Rights and Freedoms;
• Knowledge of the roles and responsibilities of Crown counsel;
• Ability and willingness to travel throughout Ontario as required;
• Proven judgment and analytical skills;
• Demonstrated communication skills;
• Demonstrated writing skills and computer literacy, including use of Word, Outlook, Excel and PowerPoint;
• A willingness to work collaboratively and cooperatively in a team environment, including with senior counsel.

Security checks

A criminal or other federal offence record does not automatically disqualify you from the position. We consider each situation based on the position's responsibilities. If a check is needed and you've lived outside of Canada in the past 5 years for 6 or more months in a row, or if you are not a Canadian resident, you'll need to provide an out-of-country police clearance certificate from the country you lived in. Employment screening checks are only reviewed and evaluated by the Transition and Security Office, which also maintains them and keeps them strictly confidential.

Language requirements and assessment

All external Ontario Public Service (OPS) job ads are posted in English and French. Check the "position(s) language" section at the top of each job ad for the language requirements. For all roles, candidates are assessed in English, the business language of the OPS. If the position is bilingual (English/French), you'll also need to pass a French-language proficiency test.