Assistant Crown Attorney

Environment, Conservation and Parks | Environnement, Protection de la nature et Parcs; Toronto; On-site; CAD 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

The Ontario Ministry of the Attorney General, Criminal Law Division, Guns and Gangs Unit, seeks experienced lawyers to join a dedicated team handling major cases related to organized crime and firearms in Toronto. You will prosecute, advise police, draft key documents, and manage complex investigations while upholding the rule of law.

Applicants must be in good standing with the Law Society of Ontario and bring extensive criminal litigation experience, including trials and wiretap work.

Qualifications

• Membership in good standing as a lawyer with the Law Society of Ontario.
• Knowledge of the Criminal Code of Canada, CDAO, Charter, rules of evidence and case law.
• Demonstrated criminal and drug litigation experience including inquiries and trials with juries.

Responsibilities

• Leading or working as a member of a team preparing cases and conducting prosecutions in Ontario courts.
• Providing legal advice to police and related agencies on firearm and gang matters.
• Drafting and reviewing legal documents including wiretap applications and search warrants.
• Reviewing confidential source materials and providing legal advice on forfeiture of assets.
• Prosecuting charges under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act.

Skills

Legal analysis

Criminal law

Trial experience

Communication skills

Education

Law degree / Lawyer in Ontario

Job description

Apply By: Wednesday, October 14, 2026 11:59 pm EDT

Criminal Law Division - Guns and Gangs Unit

City:

Toronto

Position(s) language:

Job term:

6 Permanent

Job code:

OCAA - Crown Counsel

Salary commensurate with legal experience

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, Criminal Law Division, Guns and Gangs Unit is seeking experienced lawyers to become part of a dedicated team of Assistant Crown Attorneys working on major cases as part of the Ministry initiative to combat organized crime and the illegal use of firearms.

About the job

• Leading or working as a member of a team preparing cases and conducting prosecutions in the Ontario Court of Justice and the Superior Court of Justice related to criminal organizations, gang violence and illegal use of firearms
• Providing legal advice to police and related agencies on firearm and gang related matters
• Drafting and reviewing legal documents, including wiretap applications, search warrants and other related materials
• Reviewing and vetting materials related to, and providing legal advice regarding, confidential source information
• Providing advice regarding, and conducting hearings with respect to, forfeiture of criminal assets
• Prosecuting charges under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act

Mandatory requirements

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

Technical Legal Experience

• Demonstrated knowledge of the Criminal Code of Canada and Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, criminal procedure, rules of evidence and case law
• Knowledge and familiarity with the Crown Prosecution Manual
• Demonstrated criminal and drug litigation experience, including conducting preliminary inquiries and trials in the Ontario Court of Justice and trials, including with juries, in the Ontario Superior Court
• Demonstrated experience with confidential informants and s. 37 C.E.A. applications
• Demonstrated experience with wiretap applications and litigation
• Demonstrated experience with search warrant law and litigation
• Major-Case management experience and the ability to work on major cases related to organized crime, gang violence and illegal use of firearms
• Knowledge and understanding of the role and function of a prosecutor in the criminal justice system in Ontario

Other Essential Skills

• Judgment and the analytical ability to determine appropriate prosecution strategies and legal remedies
• Demonstrated interpersonal, presentation and communication skills

How we support diversity, inclusion and accessibility

We are building an inclusive workforce that reflects the communities we serve. We encourage everyone interested in working with us to apply, including people with disabilities, Indigenous, Black and racialized individuals, as well as people from all ethnicities, cultures, sexual orientations, gender identities and gender expressions.

Our hiring process is accessible, consistent with Ontario's Human Rights Code and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005. We are working to prevent and remove barriers in our hiring processes and can offer accommodation to address specific needs related to Code-protected grounds such as disability, family status and religion. For more information about accommodation during the hiring process please contact us.

Learn more about the work the OPS is doing to create an inclusive, anti-racist, accessible and diverse workplace:

• diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives
• accessibility
• Anti-Racism Policy

What we offer

Who we are

The Ministry of the Attorney General is committed to a responsive, innovative justice system that upholds the Rule of Law. The Criminal Law Division, with approximately 2,200 staff (1,400 legal and 800 business professionals):

• Prosecutes offences under the Criminal Code, Youth Criminal Justice Act, and Provincial Offences Act.
• Conducts criminal appeals at all court levels.
• Provides specialized services (e.g., wiretaps, extraditions, search warrants).
• Advises police and government officials on criminal law.
• Sets prosecution policy across Ontario.
• Develops justice system efficiencies with stakeholders.
• Offers world-class education for prosecutors.

Additional information can be found here .

This role comes with a comprehensive compensation and benefits package that includes:

• a defined-benefit lifetime pension plan (guaranteed, ongoing inflation-protected income after retirement)
• group health, dental, life and disability benefits
• a range of vacation and leave options
• an Employee and Family Assistance Program, which provides confidential counseling services

Additional information:

Apply by:

• 6 English Permanent, 361 University Ave, Toronto, Toronto Region, Criminal Record and Judicial Matters Check, Intelligence, Local Police Databases Search, PIP/NICHE/RMS
• About 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.