Crown Counsel – Justice and Special Prosecutions

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

Benefits offered by this job

Pension plan

Health & dental

Paid vacation

Employee assistance

Job summary

Ontario Public Service in Toronto seeks Crown Counsel for the Crown Law Office – Criminal. The role involves leading prosecutions in Ontario courts, handling high-profile and complex cases, and providing legal opinions to police and ministry staff.

Mandatory membership in good standing with the Law Society of Ontario, deep knowledge of criminal/conventional law, and strong writing and advocacy skills are required. One permanent and one temporary position are available.

Qualifications

• Membership in good standing with the Law Society of Ontario.
• Thorough knowledge of criminal and constitutional law.
• Strong writing and trial advocacy experience.
• Experience with large case management.

Responsibilities

• Conduct prosecutions in Ontario and Superior Courts of Justice (primarily justice system participants, financial crimes and corruption offences).
• Assist with research, case preparation and courtroom advocacy.
• Provide legal opinions to police and ministry officials.
• Advise Crown colleagues and other justice stakeholders.

Skills

Criminal law knowledge

Constitutional law knowledge

Research skills

Writing skills

Trial advocacy

Case management

Judgment and legal analysis

Organizational skills

Communication skills

Education

Law degree / admitted to Ontario bar

Job description

Crown Counsel – Justice and Special Prosecutions

Criminal Law Division - Crown Law Office - Criminal (CLOC)

Toronto

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

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.

Ensure public safety, through the effective and efficient prosecution of crime.

The Ministry of the Attorney General, Criminal Law Division is need of one (1) permanent and one (1) temporary (12 months with possibility of extension) Counsel for the Crown Law Office - Criminal.

Counsel with the Justice Prosecution Unit (JPU) and Special Prosecutions Unit (SPU) at the Crown Law Office – Criminal conduct high profile, complex trials across Ontario. Our counsel are responsible for “justice prosecutions” involving serious offences committed by people involved in the administration of justice, including police officers and lawyers. Counsel also conduct “special prosecutions” such as significant commercial crime offences, stock market manipulations, organized crime enterprises, and a wide variety of offences against the public at large, such as health frauds, telemarketing schemes and the wilful promotion of hatred.

About the job

Duties will include:

• Conducting prosecutions in the Ontario and Superior Courts of Justice (primarily in relation to justice system participants, financial crimes and corruption offences) throughout Ontario; although many prosecutions are within the Greater Toronto Area, out of town travel will sometimes be required
• Assisting with research, case preparation and courtroom advocacy in relation to justice system participants charged with criminal offences and financial crimes and corruption offences
• Providing legal opinions and advice to the police, the Director of the Crown Law Office – Criminal, and other ministry officials and other government departments and agencies.
• Providing advice and education to Crown colleagues, police and other justice system stakeholders

What you bring to the team

Mandatory requirements

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

Knowledge and Skills

• Thorough knowledge of criminal and constitutional law, including statute and case law regarding the prosecution of criminal and quasi-criminal offences at all levels
• Proven research skills and analytical ability to organize a principled approach to cases and issues
• Demonstrated writing skills and trial advocacy experience
• Experience with large case management
• Proven judgment and ability to apply appropriate legal analysis and determine appropriate remedies
• Demonstrated organizational skills
• Knowledge and understanding of the role and function of prosecutor
• Integrity and demonstrated interpersonal 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:

• 1 English Permanent, 720 Bay St, Toronto, Toronto Region, Criminal Record and Judicial Matters Check, Intelligence, Local Police Databases Search, PIP/NICHE/RMS
• 1 English Temporary, duration up to 12 months, 720 Bay St, 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.