Counsel

Fonction publique de l'Ontario; Toronto; On-site; CAD 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Ontario Public Service (OPS) in Toronto seeks intermediate/experienced Crown Counsel to support MCCSS in social services, child welfare, and related areas. Provide strategic, risk-based legal advice, draft and negotiate agreements, and contribute to policy and regulatory projects, under tight timelines.

Membership in good standing with the Law Society of Ontario is required. This role emphasizes client service, cross-ministry collaboration, and an inclusive workplace.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated ability to provide risk-based, strategic legal advice
• Experience advising on policy, legislation and regulations
• Experience advising on, negotiating and drafting agreements
• Familiarity with MCCSS legislation and general acts such as FOIPOP and Financial Administration Act
• Able to work in a fast-paced environment with changing priorities

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic and risk-based legal advice to support ministry programs
• Draft, review and negotiate legal documents including agreements and MOUs
• Advise on funding issues and procurement agreements
• Prepare briefing materials and brief at MCCSS/MAG/government levels
• Collaborate with clients and colleagues on cross-ministry issues
• Support a diverse and inclusive workplace

Skills

Client service

Risk-based advice

Policy development

Negotiation

Drafting agreements

FOI/Privacy law

Oral and written communication

Team collaboration

Diversity & inclusion

Job description

Apply By:Friday, September 25, 2026 11:59 pm EDT

Civil Law Division – Legal Services Branch - Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services

City:

Toronto

Position(s) language:

Job term:

1 Temporary (up to 12 months secondment/contract with possibility of extension)

Job code:

ALOC - 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.

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 Legal Services Branch for the Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services (MCCSS) seeks an immediate opportunity for intermediate / experienced legal counsel to support various program areas in this large and busy ministry. Practice areas include social assistance, child welfare and protection, community services for adults, youth justice, and work relating to privacy, funding, agreements and procurement. All areas may involve providing legal support and Aboriginal law advice with respect to services for, or agreements involving, First Nation, Inuit or Métis peoples.

About the job

Working in a fast-paced and dynamic environment, you will provide strategic and risk-based legal advice and services, including:

• Providing program advice and advising on operational/delivery issues
• Providing legal advice, including written and oral legal opinions, to support requirements of the ministry clients
• Supporting client policy development and providing drafting support on legislative and regulatory projects
• Advising on funding issues and corporate/commercial matters, including transfer payment agreements and procurement agreements
• Drafting, reviewing and negotiating various legal documents, including agreements, memoranda of understanding, orders in council
• Drafting briefing materials and briefing at all levels of MCCSS/MAG/government as required
• Working collaboratively with clients and with branch and MAG colleagues on cross-ministry issues
• Contributing to an inclusive, respectful and supportive workplace

Mandatory requirements

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

Knowledge and Skills

• Demonstrated experience providing excellent client service as well as risk-based, strategic and solution-focused legal advice
• Demonstrated experience advising on the development of policy, legislation, and regulations
• Demonstrated experience advising on, negotiating and drafting agreements
• Familiarity with MCCSS legislation and programs and with legislation of general application such as the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act and the Financial Administration Act
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively and efficiently in a fast-paced environment with competing demands and changing priorities

Demonstrated ability to achieve effective outcomes through individual work and as part of a team

• Excellent judgement, organization, analytical, and oral and written communication skills
• Demonstrated ability to build effective working relationships with clients and colleagues
• Demonstrated ability to identify, evaluate, and assesses legal risks and implications of proposed and existing programs and initiatives and providing innovative, strategic, risk-based and solutions-oriented legal advice on time-sensitive issues
• Experience briefing senior government officials on complex legal principles and concepts
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity and inclusion

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

• 1 English Temporary, duration up to 12 months, 56 Wellesley St, Toronto, Toronto Region, Criminal Record Check

Association of Law Officers of the Crown

• 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.
• For issues with submitting applications, or questions, please contact [e-mail].
• Customize your cover letter and resume to the qualifications listed on the job ad. Using concrete examples, you must show how you demonstrated the requirements forthis job. We rely on the information you provide to us.
• OPS employees are required to quote their WIN EMPLOYEE ID number when applying.
• If you require a disability related accommodation in order to participate in the recruitment process, please ContactUs to provide your contact information. Recruitment services team willcontact you within 48 hours.

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.