Crown Counsel

Environment, Conservation and Parks | Environnement, Protection de la nature et Parcs; Toronto; On-site; CAD 100,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Defined-benefit pension

Health, dental, life and disability

Vacation and leave options

Employee Assistance Program

Job summary

The Ontario Public Service invites applications for a temporary Counsel to the Director of Crown Operations for the Toronto Region. The role supports prosecution and regional operations within Criminal Law Division, delivering legal analysis, strategic advice, and advocacy across regional matters.

The successful candidate will be a lawyer in good standing with the Law Society of Ontario, with experience in Criminal Code, Charter rights, and prosecution procedures.

Qualifications

• Membership in good standing with the Law Society of Ontario.
• Experience with the Criminal Code of Canada and Charter rights.
• Strong research and advocacy skills.
• Ability to manage case files and Jordan timelines.
• Excellent written and oral communication.

Responsibilities

• Provide legal and strategic advice on regional matters.
• Ensure effective case management and Jordan timeline strategies.
• Prepare correspondence and briefing notes for senior leadership.
• Respond to public inquiries and requests.
• Maintain professional relationships within the justice system and partner agencies.

Skills

Legal analysis

Advocacy

Research

Communication

Teamwork

Education

Law degree

Tools

Legal research databases

Job description

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

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, offers a challenging opportunity for an experienced lawyer to act as Counsel to the Director of Crown Operations for the Toronto Region.

The Criminal Law Division is a large geographically dispersed operation with approximately 1900 staff that helps protect community and personal safety through prosecution of offences across the province. The division's vision is to be the foremost prosecution service in Canada, and this vision is supported through the divisional mission, values, and key strategies.

Our Values: Integrity, Judgment, Commitment, Justice, Accountability, Courage, Collaboration.

About the job

Duties Will Include:

• Providing legal and strategic analysis and advice, information and related services (i.e. research, opinions, Attorney General Consents, Dangerous Offender Applications, Freedom Of Information requests, etc.) on matters affecting the region
• Ensuring effective case Management and Jordan timeline strategies are carried out in the region
• Preparing correspondence/briefing notes on behalf of the Regional Director/Deputy Director, Assistant Deputy Minister and Deputy Minister and Attorney General
• Responding to requests from the public
• Establishing and maintaining professional relationships with all members of the organization and other participants in the justice system to support regional, divisional and ministry goals and to support the administration of justice

Mandatory requirements

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

Legal Experience

• Working knowledge of the Criminal Code of Canada, Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, criminal law procedures, rules of evidence and case law
• Knowledge and understanding of the role and function of Regional office, ministry/divisional policies, programs and current priorities to deal with all levels of staff including Minister/Deputy Minister's offices
• Working knowledge and understanding of the role and function of a prosecutor in the criminal justice system in Ontario

Interpersonal and Communication Skills

• Demonstrated judgment and analytical ability to determine appropriate legal remedies
• Proven research and analytical ability to organize a principled approach to cases and issues
• Demonstrated writing and advocacy skills
• Demonstrated interpersonal, presentation and communication skills
• Ability to work as part of a team within the criminal justice system and with community stakeholders

Other Essential Skills

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

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:

• 1 English Temporary, duration up to 12 months, 700 Bay St, Toronto, Toronto Region, Criminal Record and Judicial Matters Check, Intelligence, Local Police Databases Search, PIP/NICHE/RMS

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.