French Bilingual Legal Aid Worker - Floater (12 months)

Perfdrive; London; On-site; CAD 48,000 - 58,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health & dental

Paid vacation & holidays

OPSEU Pension Plan

Job summary

Legal Aid Ontario in London, Ontario seeks a West District Legal Aid Worker to support criminal and family law matters, handling intake, eligibility assessments, and referrals. The role may involve in-person or remote support, with travel within the district as needed.

The position reports to the Supervisor, West District Office and requires strong interpersonal skills, knowledge of LAO policies, and ability to work with diverse clients. Bilingual French/English is preferred.

Qualifications

• Knowledge of Legal Aid Services Act, 2020 and LAO policies.
• Familiarity with criminal and family law procedures.
• Understanding of court processes and duty counsel practices.
• Excellent interpersonal and interview skills.
• Ability to travel within the district may be required.
• Proficiency in French and English is tested.

Responsibilities

• Determine legal and financial eligibility for certificate and duty counsel services.
• Triage and interview clients to assess needs and suitable LAO service.
• Provide basic information about the law, forms and court processes.
• Provide referrals to internal and external programs and resources.
• Prepare reports and assist with file management and admin tasks.
• Support training, onboarding and participation in initiatives.

Skills

Legal aid knowledge

Interviewing & triage

Communication skills

Public service mindset

Bilingual English/French

Tools

PeopleSoft

Service Integration (SI)

Legal Files

Divorcemate

Case Center

Job description

Union:

OPSEU - District

Job Number: J1026-0208

Job Type: Contract

Contract Duration (months): 12

Job Location: London

Job Category: Customer Service / Customer Associates

Open Positions: 1

Posting Date: October 20, 2026

Closing Date: November 1, 2026

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.

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 systemic 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.

Primary function

This position is responsible for supporting the West District in person and remotely by advancing a client’s legal matter. The Legal Aid Worker will be responsible for the initial assessment and intake of criminal and family law clients to assist in determining the appropriate service for clients, providing legal information, making referrals to services and resources, and other duties as assigned. The role may be focused on supporting criminal court, family court, or both, depending on operational needs of the location. The role may also require the successful candidate to attend various court locations and institutions within the district. Travel to secondary location is paid in accordance with LAO’s Travel Policy.

Home location: London District Office

Secondary location(s): locations within West District (to be determined)

Reports to: Supervisor, West District Office

Key accountabilities

Legal Aid Workers assist lawyers and paralegals with criminal and family law court proceedings with an emphasis on resolving matters as set out below.

General

• Determine legal and financial eligibility for certificate and duty counsel services based on LAO eligibility criteria.
• Triage and interview clients to: Gather information about the client's case; assess client need, including the early identification of vulnerable clients, to determine the appropriate LAO service for the client; prepare them to have a productive meeting with duty counsel; and assist in case management procedures.
• Provide basic information about the law, forms, and court process
• Provide referrals to other internal and external programs and resources
• Perform searches and commission affidavits of clients, as appropriate
• Prepare reports and submit accounts/dockets, as required, in accordance with LAO policies
• Assist with training/onboarding colleagues and per diems
• Participate in working groups, pilots and LAO initiatives
• Stakeholder engagement and public legal education
• Other duties and administrative tasks as assigned i.e. covering District office admin as needed

Criminal Law

• Speak to routine administrative matters in court (e.g. adjournments in Case Management Court and Video Remand Court)
• Assist with bail planning, including by interviewing potential sureties and making referrals to bail programs and other supports
• Assist with file management, and record keeping, including requesting and organizing disclosure and timely creation and maintenance of electronic duty counsel worksheets in Service Integration (SI)
• Assist with scheduling and filing materials for court
• Other duties as assigned

Family Law

• Prepare and draft documents for family law and child protection proceedings under the supervision of a lawyer
• Assist with file management, conflict checks, and record keeping, including requesting and organizing documents and updating Case Center
• Assist with scheduling, service of documents, and filing materials for court
• Other duties as assigned

Required skills & experience

• Knowledge of Legal Aid Services Act, 2020 and Legal Aid Services Rules, and a strong understanding of LAO as a public service agency
• Familiarity with basic criminal and family law procedure and legislation
• Knowledge of criminal and family court processes and practice directions for courts serviced by duty counsel
• Prior legal worker experience in criminal and/or family law is an asset
• Excellent interpersonal, communication and interview skills, and sound judgment for dealing with clients, colleagues and external stakeholders
• Understanding of solicitor-client privilege and duty to maintain client confidentiality
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills
• Excellent word processing skills
• Intermediate proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook), Adobe, Zoom and Teams
• Familiarity and competence with client and file management systems, including PeopleSoft, Service Integration (SI), Legal Files, Divorcemate, and Case Center is an asset
• Ability to perform office administration tasks such as data input, ordering supplies, organizing materials
• Dedication to serving vulnerable populations and promoting equity, diversity and inclusion in the workplace and in the deliver of client service
• Experience working with marginalized communities and addressing systemic barriers within the justice system
• Ability to travel within the district to other court locations and institutions may be required.
• Demonstrated Proficiency in oral and written French (as well as English), selected candidates will be tested

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 this commitment and is designed to enhance both professional and personal well-being.

We have a comprehensive health and wellness program that include dental, health and life insurance along with Basic Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D) Insurance, Short-Term Disability (STD), and Long-Term Disability (LTD) coverage.

Employees at Legal Aid Ontario also enjoy generous paid time-off policy including vacation days, illness days, discretionary days and statutory holidays.

Employees are eligible to be enrolled to OPSEU Pension Plan, administered by OPSEU Pension Plan Trust Fund (OPTrust).

Legal Aid Ontario (LAO), an independent but publicly funded and publicly accountable non-profit corporation. None of this material may be commercially reproduced, but copying for other purposes, with credit, is encouraged.