Legal Assistant

Goddard Gamage LLP; Toronto; Hybrid; CAD 60,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Goddard Gamage LLP, a boutique law firm in downtown Toronto, is seeking a Legal Assistant who takes pride in their work and values excellent client service. You will support lawyers with a wide range of legal and administrative tasks in Estates, Elder Law, and Capacity matters.

Reporting to the Director of Operations, you will draft and assemble documents, manage calendars, coordinate signing meetings, perform file maintenance, and handle client intake, billing, and confidential communications

Qualifications

• Minimum of 5 years’ experience in a Wills & Estates law firm is preferred.
• Thorough understanding of the rules, procedures and conventions associated with solicitor’s and litigation estates work.
• Excellent organizational, interpersonal, and communication skills.
• Attention to detail.
• Takes ownership and responsibility for their quality of work.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite, NitroPro, CaseCentre, Soluno and ability to adapt to new technology.
• Ability to multi-task and managetime in a fast-paced environment.
• Maintain strict confidentiality.
• Works collaboratively and effectively with others to reach a common goal.
• Completion of a legal assistant or law clerk diploma is considered an asset

Responsibilities

• Preparing correspondence and legal documents according to precedents and/or instructions (including drafting letters, emails, wills, powers of attorney, and trusts, and performing complex editing, organizing, and formatting of legal documents, reports, applications, pleadings and court forms).
• Attending will and power of attorney signing meetings as a witness, preparing documents for signing in advance of such meetings, scanning documents after the meetings, and preparing affidavits of execution and reporting letters for the lawyers’ review.
• Supporting lawyers in managing their schedule, looking ahead at what the lawyer has coming up and taking initiative to ensure the lawyer has everything they need to succeed in their work for the clients (i.e., organized files, adequate supplies, copies of documents required during meetings, etc.).
• Assembling, drafting/proofreading, and filing legal documents.
• Assisting with the in-take of new clients by scheduling initial meetings, preparing and sending preliminary packages to new or returning clients, following up with new or returning clients to ensure monetary retainer, retainer agreement and other preliminary paperwork is completed and organized for the lawyer in advance of first meeting.
• Exercising initiative and judgement to relieve lawyers of administrative detail.
• General administrative support including organizing and maintaining files, photocopying, scanning and preparing documents for distribution, mailing, binding, and filing as required.
• Scheduling meetings, hearings and conference/virtual calls with clients, courts, tribunals and other legal agents.
• Arranging for the serving and filing of legal documents with courts, tribunals & opposing counsel.
• Performing conflict searches on Soluno and by firm-wide email inquiries; reviewing and saving search results properly and alerting lawyers of any potential conflict of interest.
• Opening and closing matters per firm’s protocols.
• Helping with reception duties when the receptionist is away.
• In cooperation with our lawyers, accounting manager, and Director of Operations, sending out the lawyers’ accounts to clients; noting any issues in retainer funds, outstanding A/R, or long-standing unbilled amounts for the lawyers; following up on A/R for the lawyer and assisting in collections of unpaid accounts.
• Presenting a positive and professional image of the firm when interacting with employees, clients, visitors, and other external stakeholders.

Skills

Organizational skills

Communication skills

Attention to detail

Ownership of quality

Time management

Confidentiality

Collaboration

Technology adaptability

Education

Legal assistant or law clerk diploma

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

NitroPro

CaseCentre

Soluno

Job description

Goddard Gamage LLP is a boutique law firm based in downtown Toronto and since our doors opened in 1999, we have been known for our expertise in Estates, Elder Law, and Capacity Law, having been chosen six times by Canadian Lawyer Magazine as a top Wills and Estates boutique law firm in Canada. We value the opportunity to do important legal work, both solicitor and litigation, for clients who are proactively doing their estate planning, administering the estate of a deceased person, or facing challenging times dealing with death, dying, disability, incapacity, and complex family dynamics in estates and guardianship matters. We value, respect, and support every member of our firm as we could not deliver such a high standard of service to our clients without their keen dedication. We are currently recruiting for a legal assistant who takes pride in their work, enjoys working together with passionate team members, and knows the importance of excellent client service. This opportunity is excellent for those who are keen to work in a fast-paced office environment with supportive and knowledgeable colleagues who enjoy being with each other.

Under the direction of our lawyers and reporting to the Director of Operations, the legal assistant will provide a wide range of legal and administrative practice support to lawyers.Following firm protocols and procedures, professional standards, and regulations, the Legal Assistant takes ownership and responsibility for the quality and timeliness of their work commitments, supports the lawyers in doing their best work, and exercises discretion and good judgment when dealing with confidential and sensitive matters.

Primary responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Preparing correspondence and legal documents according to precedents and/or instructions (including drafting letters, emails, wills, powers of attorney, and trusts, and performing complex editing, organizing, and formatting of legal documents, reports, applications, pleadings and court forms).

Attending will and power of attorney signing meetings as a witness, preparing documents for signing in advance of such meetings, scanning documents after the meetings, and preparing affidavits of execution and reporting letters for the lawyers’ review.

Supporting lawyers in managing their schedule, looking ahead at what the lawyer has coming up and taking initiative to ensure the lawyer has everything they need to succeed in their work for the clients (i.e., organized files, adequate supplies, copies of documents required during meetings, etc.).

Assembling, drafting/proofreading, and filing legal documents.

Assisting with the in-take of new clients by scheduling initial meetings, preparing and sending preliminary packages to new or returning clients, following up with new or returning clients to ensure monetary retainer, retainer agreement and other preliminary paperwork is completed and organized for the lawyer in advance of first meeting.

Exercising initiative and judgement to relieve lawyers of administrative detail.

General administrative support including organizing and maintaining files, photocopying, scanning and preparing documents for distribution, mailing, binding, and filing as required.

Scheduling meetings, hearings and conference/virtual calls with clients, courts, tribunals and other legal agents.

Arranging for the serving and filing of legal documents with courts, tribunals & opposing counsel.

Performing conflict searches on Soluno and by firm-wide email inquiries; reviewing and saving search results properly and alerting lawyers of any potential conflict of interest.

Opening and closing matters per firm’s protocols.

Helping with reception duties when the receptionist is away.

In cooperation with our lawyers, accounting manager, and Director of Operations, sending out the lawyers’ accounts to clients; noting any issues in retainer funds, outstanding A/R, or long-standing unbilled amounts for the lawyers; following up on A/R for the lawyer and assisting in collections of unpaid accounts.

Presenting a positive and professional image of the firm when interacting with employees, clients, visitors, and other external stakeholders.

• Minimum of 5 years’ experience in a Wills & Estates law firm is preferred
• Thorough understanding of the rules, procedures and conventions associated with solicitor’s and litigation estates work
• Excellent organizational, interpersonal, and communication skills
• Attention to detail
• Takes ownership and responsibility for their quality of work
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite, NitroPro, CaseCentre, Soluno and ability to adapt to new technology
• Ability to multi-task and managetime in a fast-paced environment
• Maintain strict confidentiality
• Works collaboratively and effectively with others to reach a common goal
• Completion of a legal assistant or law clerk diploma is considered an asset