Duty Counsel - Criminal and Family

Legal Aid Ontario; St. Catharines; On-site; CAD 75,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Pension plan

Generous vacation

Job summary

Legal Aid Ontario is seeking Duty Counsel for criminal and family matters in St. Catharines and the Niagara Region. The role provides both in-person and remote legal services, including intake, advice, drafting, negotiations, and court representation.

Applicants must be a licensed Ontario lawyer with a strong grasp of family and criminal law, and a proven ability to work with vulnerable clients. Per diem staff mentorship may be assigned, with travel across the region as needed.

Qualifications

• Licensed lawyer in Ontario in good standing.
• Demonstrated knowledge of family law legislation including child protection.
• Strong understanding of Criminal Code, Charter and related acts.
• Ability to draft legal documents without supervision.
• Proven commitment to serving vulnerable populations with empathy.

Responsibilities

• Provide Family and Criminal Duty Counsel services in St. Catharines and Niagara Region.
• Assess client needs and determine appropriate LAO service channels.
• Handle intake, advice, document drafting and in-court representation.
• Mentor staff and per diem lawyers when assigned.
• Maintain records and comply with LAO procedures.

Skills

Bar admission

Family law

Criminal law

Drafting

Client service

Communication

Advocacy

Vulnerable groups

Video conferencing

Job description

Duty Counsel - Criminal and Family

Company Bio

Legal Aid Ontario employees are committed to making a difference in the lives of our clients.

As an integral partner in the Justice system, working at Legal Aid Ontario is more than just a job. It's an opportunity to help people who need it the most; to ensure each client receives the access to justice afforded to them under the law.

If you are looking for a new challenge in your already meaningful career with a team dedicated to justice, and innovation in a flexible and supportive work environment consider this opportunity below.

Primary function

To provide family and criminal duty counsel services in St. Catharines and throughout the Niagara Region, including Welland.

In Family Law: Duty Counsel is responsible for providing client service for family law matters at court and through the Family Law Service Centre ("FLSC"), both virtually and in person. Family Law Duty Counsel is responsible for the intake and assessment of family law clients to determine the appropriate service channel; providing legal services including legal advice, drafting and reviewing family court documents, negotiation, in-court representation at various stages of a family court and/or child protection proceeding; supporting per diem duty counsel; maintaining records, and other duties as assigned.

In Criminal Law: Duty Counsel is responsible for providing client service for criminal law matters, both virtually and in person at the courthouse. Duty Counsel is responsible for providing services including intake and triage, referral to appropriate legal services, assisting with legal aid applications, providing legal advice, reviewing and drafting criminal court documents, negotiating resolutions with the prosecutor, in-court representation at various stages of criminal court proceedings, supporting per diem duty counsel lawyers, maintaining records, and other duties as assigned.

Experienced candidates may also be assigned to mentor other staff and per diem lawyers, and to represent Duty Counsel/LAO at stakeholder meetings.

Home location: St. Catharines

Secondary/Tertiary locations can include: Welland, other locations in the Niagara Region

Reporting to: Manager, Legal Services

Key accountabilities

• Act as Family and Criminal Duty Counsel, both in person and remotely;
• Ensure a high quality of legal work in a cost effective manner;
• Assess clients’ needs, including the early identification of vulnerable clients, to facilitate referrals to appropriate services, including Legal Aid services and community services;
• File management as per LAO requirements including use of computer technology; data input for statistics measurements in a timely manner;
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of relevant legislation, case law and court procedure, and facilitating knowledge-sharing and best practices among court locations and staff offices;
• Perform other duties and administrative tasks as assigned and remaining adaptable and flexible in a changing environment.

FAMILY

• Advocate for clients in court and on court forms;
• Provide advice and representation in the Superior Court of Justice (Unified Family Court) at first appearances, conferences, motions, negotiations, Family Responsibility Office (FRO) matters, Children’s Aid Societies matters and other court hearings and services as required;
• Review court documents and statements and provide legal advice;
• Provide instructions to Legal Aid Workers and students in preparation of court documents;
• Maintain client files and conflict lists.

CRIMINAL

• Assist unrepresented clients who have been charged with criminal offences;
• Represent clients at bail hearings, guilty pleas, case management appearances and pre-trials;
• Provide summary legal advice to clients in or out of custody;
• Assist colleagues in preparation of bail hearings, guilty pleas and other forms of resolutions;
• Conduct disclosure review, provide legal advice and represent clients in Crown pre-trial (CPTs) negotiations for purposes of resolution;
• Provide assistance and representation in relation to specialized courts, including Mental Health and Drug Treatment Court (MHDTC), and Indigenous Peoples’ Court;
• Assist clients with applications to the MHDTC and various diversion programs, including Extra Judicial Sanctions and Early Intervention Program for youth.

Required Skills & Experience

• Lawyer in good standing with the Law Society of Ontario;
• Practical understanding of the Rules of Professional Conduct;
• Demonstrated knowledge of relevant family law legislation, including child protection law and experience in family and/or child protection matters;
• Ability to draft legal documents without need for review;
• Sound knowledge of the Criminal Code of Canada, Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, Youth Criminal Justice Act, Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, criminal law procedures, rules of evidence and case law;
• Proven experience in providing excellent client service to vulnerable populations such as racialized communities, Indigenous peoples, youth, victims of domestic violence, and those experiencing disabilities, addictions, mental health challenges and/or homelessness;
• Proven judgment and analytical ability to determine appropriate legal remedies;
• Proven communication, interpersonal, negotiation and advocacy skills;
• Demonstrated patience and compassion;
• Ability to prioritize and complete tasks and manage time wisely with minimal supervision;
• Ability to collaborate and communicate well with colleagues and stakeholders;
• Demonstrated ability to use latest communication technologies and video conferencing platforms in order to deliver services virtually (including Zoom, Teams);
• Ability and willingness to travel/access to transportation.

Preferred Skills & Experience

• Knowledge and appreciation of the impact of court proceedings on immigration, criminal, family and other poverty law issues; and the integrated nature of legal issues faced by LAO clients;
• Ability to communicate in French and/or other languages.

What do we Offer?

At Legal Aid Ontario, we are committed to fostering a supportive and rewarding work environment for our employees. Our comprehensive benefits package reflects our commitment to enhance employees’ professional and personal well-being, reflecting our values of equity, inclusion, diversity and belonging.

Your health and wellness

Our Health And Wellness Program Includes

• Dental, health and life insurance
• Short-Term Disability and accidental death & dismemberment insurance
• Permanent employees are eligible for long-term disability insurance
• An employee assistance program (EAP) that offers professional, confidential counselling services to employees and members of their immediate families. The EAP operates programs that address common life issues such as childcare, smoking, financial difficulty, and more.
• Legal Aid Ontario offers a Health Spending Account (HSA) which is an allotment of funds provided by LAO for health and dental expenses, above what the regular plan provides.

Employees Enjoy Generous Paid Time-off Including

• 17 vacation days at hire,
• Sick days
• Discretionary days
• Three paid days for religious or cultural observances
• Statutory holidays and The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, Remembrance Day and Easter Monday

Your career

LAO supports your career development by offering professional development and networking through several programs, including training to support a positive culture of equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging (EDIB), and lunch and learns to build client service skills.

• Informal Employee Networks for staff with shared identities to connect, support each other and build professional networks
• Law Society of Ontario (LSO) accredited training to support learning and professional development for all employees
• EDIB-focused training
• Mentorship programs, including an Indigenous-focused mentorship program

Your future

Employees are eligible to enrol in the defined benefit Public Service Pension Plan which provides financial security during retirement.

Equity Statement

Building a diverse workforce that represents the communities we serve while promoting a safe culture and work environment that dismantles systemic barriers, welcomes fresh perspectives and embraces differences as a priority is a core value at LAO. LAO encourages applicants from equity-seeking groups, including but not limited to individuals who are First Nations, Inuit or Métis, Black and racialized, as well as persons with disabilities, women and members of the 2SLGBTQ+ community.

We recognize the value of equity, diversity and inclusion and are committed to addressing systematic barriers, and prioritizing, attracting and retaining diverse staff. All interested and eligible people will be considered, with due consideration to all protected grounds under the Ontario Human Rights Code.

Legal Aid Ontario values integrity, respect, responsiveness, excellence, independence, accountability, openness and consistency. Our recruitment process reflects our commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion. Accommodations are available throughout the recruitment process as well as during employment at LAO. Please direct any accommodation requests to our recruitment team.