Law Clerk/Paralegal - Estate Litigation

Gowling WLG; Toronto; Hybrid; CAD 80,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading global law firm is seeking a dedicated Senior Estate Litigation Law Clerk for their Toronto office. The role involves substantial client interaction and responsibility for managing complex estate litigation tasks. Candidates must have a law clerk designation and significant experience, along with strong organizational and communication skills. The firm emphasizes a diverse and inclusive work environment and offers hybrid working options.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience as a Law Clerk in a law firm environment.
• Strong understanding of legal procedures and estate litigation principles.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills required.

Responsibilities

• Draft and prepare legal documents including pleadings and briefs.
• Communicate with clients and manage court schedules.
• Assist with trial preparation and organize exhibits.

Skills

Organizational skills

Attention to detail

Communication skills

Ability to handle pressure

Technical skills

Education

Completion of recognized law clerk program

Law Clerk designation

Tools

eDiscovery platforms

Microsoft 365

Relativity

iManage

DocuSign

Job description

ABOUT GOWLING WLG

At Gowling WLG, our dedication to excellence and quality service begins with our people. As a global law firm with offices across Canada, the U.K., Europe, the Middle East and Asia, we pride ourselves on sourcing and retaining top talent who bring energy, passion and commitment to the delivery of outstanding client service.

When it comes to diversity, we not only accept it — we celebrate it, support it and thrive on it. To create an engaging and rewarding place to work, we seek to attract talented people from a diverse range of backgrounds and cultures. Our aim is to help everyone reach their full potential and achieve their personal and professional goals.

Employee satisfaction is important to us. We work hard to ensure that our people are motivated, engaged and empowered. Our diverse group of legal professionals, law students, law clerks/paralegals, legal administrative assistants and business support staff work together as a team, and are respected and valued for their individual contributions.

PROFILE

We are seeking a full-time Senior Estate Litigation Law Clerk to join our Advocacy team in the Toronto office. This position involves extensive direct dealings with the Firm’s clients and legal professionals and requires a strong working knowledge of Estate Litigation. Assisting in handling complex litigation matters related to wills, estates and trusts.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Drafting and preparing legal documents, including pleadings, motions, briefs and correspondence
• Researching legal issues, statutes as needed
• Communicating with clients, and other parties involved in legal proceedings
• Preparing and filing documents with the court, managing court schedules
• Assisting with trial preparation, trial briefs and organizing exhibits
• Preparing applications for probate
• Reviewing and coding documents within eDiscovery platforms like Relativity for legal purposes
• Assist with all matters concerning guardianships, power of attorney issues
• Organizing and maintaining all documents related to an estate, from beginning to end

QUALIFICATIONS

• Must have completed a recognized law clerk program and hold a Law Clerk designation.
• Minimum of 8 years of experience as a Law Clerk in a law firm environment is required
• Ability to handle more than one professional and undertake additional responsibilities as required
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail are crucial for managing complex files
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, including a strong knowledge of grammar and exceptional spelling and proofreading abilities
• ability to work under pressure, deal with changing priorities and meet strict deadlines
• Strong understanding of legal procedures, terminology and estate litigation principles
• Capacity to work independently as well as in a team environment
• Strong technical skills, with proficiency with Microsoft 365, Outlook, Teams, Word, PowerPoint, Excel, CaseLines/CaseCenter, Knowledge of iManage, InterAction, Estatably, eDiscovery, Realtivity, Wind Up, ACL, DocuSign would be an asset

Gowling WLG employees benefit from a hybrid work environment.

Not sure if you meet all the requirements? If you are excited about this opportunity but your experience does not align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.

Gowling WLG is dedicated to building a diverse and inclusive workplace. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation at any time during the recruitment process, please let us know.

While we appreciate all applications received, only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.