Legal Assistant, Litigation

Dentons; Ottawa; On-site; CAD 65,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Extended health benefits

Mental health benefits

Paid time off

Retirement savings plan

Fitness subsidy

Parental leave top-up

Learning & development programs

Job summary

Dentons Canada Ottawa's Litigation and Dispute Resolution Group is seeking an experienced Legal Assistant with 3 to 4 years of relevant experience. This role is ideal for a confident, dependable, and business-minded professional who thrives in a collaborative environment, can effectively manage competing priorities, and adapts seamlessly to changing demands.

The successful candidate will be highly organized, discreet, detail-oriented, and committed to delivering exceptional client service.

Qualifications

• Post-secondary education in Business Administration or related discipline; a Legal Administration or Law Clerk diploma is a strong asset.
• 3 to 4 years of experience as a legal assistant, preferably within a litigation practice.
• Solid understanding of civil litigation procedures, including the Ontario Rules of Civil Procedure, forms, directions, and filing requirements.
• Proficiency with legal accounting, docketing, and document management systems.
• Exceptional interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills with a client-service mindset.

Responsibilities

• Draft, prepare, format, proofread, and revise litigation-related documents.
• Coordinate service and filing of court documents and manage external agents.
• Maintain bring-forward system; monitor key dates and deadlines.
• Conduct basic legal and business research under supervision.
• Manage electronic and physical client files per Firm policies and records standards.
• Prepare retainer agreements and open new client matters.
• Respond to inquiries from clients and stakeholders professionally and promptly.
• Enter and track lawyer dockets and maintain accuracy.
• Coordinate communications for lawyers, schedule meetings, and arrange travel logistics.
• Provide backup support to legal assistants and lawyers across the group.
• Assist with additional administrative and practice support tasks as needed.

Skills

Strong communication

Organizational skills

Multitasking under pressure

Discretion and confidentiality

Client service mindset

Team collaboration

Education

Post-secondary education in Business Administration or related

Legal Administration or Law Clerk diploma asset

Tools

Legal accounting software

Docketing systems

Document management systems

Job description

Dentons is designed to be different. Our Firm leads the way in a rapidly changing legal marketplace. We challenge the status quo and deliver consistent results as well as uncompromising quality and value to our clients. Our global presence is renowned as a Firm with over 21,000 individuals in more than 200 offices serving clients across 80+ countries.

Dentons Canada is committed to its people and communities. We are consistently recognized as an employer of choice having received numerous awards including being selected as one of Canada’s Top 100 Employers (2026). Canada’s Top Employers for Young People (2026), and Canada’s Best Diversity Employers (2026).

This role is an opportunity for you to join Canada’s Global Law Firm, a firm that offers opportunities to build your career while growing your skills and deepening your expertise.

POSITION SUMMARY

Dentons Ottawa's Litigation and Dispute Resolution Group is seeking an experienced Legal Assistant with 3 to 4 years of relevant experience. This role is ideal for a confident, dependable, and business-minded professional who thrives in a collaborative environment, can effectively manage competing priorities, and adapts seamlessly to changing demands.

The successful candidate will be highly organized, discreet, detail-oriented, and committed to delivering exceptional client service. With a proactive and client-focused mindset, they will take a genuine interest in understanding and anticipating the needs of both clients and legal professionals. In this role, they will contribute to maintaining the high standards of service and support that Dentons is known for, ensuring an outstanding experience for lawyers and clients alike.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Draft, prepare, format, proofread, and revise correspondence, pleadings, briefs, court forms, and other litigation-related documents.
• Coordinate the service and filing of court documents, including providing instructions to articling students, process servers, and external agents, and managing the acceptance of service as required.
• Maintain an effective bring-forward system and monitor key dates, including filing deadlines, court appearances, examinations for discovery, meetings, and appointments.
• Conduct basic legal and business intelligence research using online resources under the direction of legal professionals.
• Manage and maintain electronic and physical client files in accordance with Firm policies, procedures, and records management standards, including maintaining precedent databases.
• Prepare retainer agreements, open new client matters, and maintain accurate and up-to-date matter lists.
• Respond to inquiries from clients, court staff, and other stakeholders in a professional and timely manner, following up as required.
• Enter, track, and maintain lawyer dockets accurately and on a timely basis.
• Coordinate communications on behalf of lawyers, including scheduling meetings and appointments, booking meeting rooms, and arranging travel and related logistics.
• Provide proactive backup support to legal assistants and lawyers across the practice group, ensuring seamless service delivery and adherence to Firm standards and best practices.
• Assist with additional administrative and practice support responsibilities as required to support the Litigation and Dispute Resolution Group.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Post-secondary education in Business Administration or a related discipline; a Legal Administration or Law Clerk diploma is considered a strong asset.
• 3 to 4 years of experience in a legal assistant or comparable role, preferably within a litigation practice.
• Solid understanding of civil litigation procedures, including the Ontario Rules of Civil Procedure, court forms, practice directions, and filing requirements.
• Proficiency with legal accounting, docketing, and document management systems.
• Exceptional interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills, with a demonstrated ability to deliver outstanding client service and interact professionally with a diverse range of stakeholders.
• Superior organizational skills, strong attention to detail, and a commitment to producing accurate, high-quality work, including excellent proofreading and follow-up capabilities.
• Proven ability to manage multiple priorities, work effectively under pressure, and meet competing deadlines in a fast-paced environment while maintaining a positive, collaborative approach.
• Strong critical thinking and problem-solving skills, with the ability to exercise sound judgment and work independently with minimal supervision.
• Demonstrated discretion, professionalism, and commitment to maintaining confidentiality, privacy, and the highest standards of ethical conduct.

The target salary range for this position is $65,000.00 – $75,000.00, commensurate with the successful candidate’s skills, experience, and qualifications. Dentons is committed to equitable and competitive compensation. This target range falls within our internal salary ranges, which are based on comparable roles in the external market. We strive to hire, promote, and transfer individuals at the entry point of the range, with consideration given to prior experience, relevant skills, and market conditions.

We recognize that rewarding exceptional talent goes beyond salary. Our comprehensive total rewards package includes inclusive and flexible benefits that support the wellbeing and development of our people. This includes extended health and mental health benefits, paid time off, retirement savings plans, a fitness subsidy, parental leave top-up, and more.

In addition, our learning and development programs—such as mentorship opportunities, employee networks, and leadership development initiatives—are designed to support personal and professional growth.

At Dentons, all candidate screening, assessment, and hiring decisions are made by people. From time to time, we use AI-enabled tools to assist in enhancing our recruitment process and materials; however, these tools do not screen candidates or make hiring decisions.

Note: Availability of benefits and programs may vary depending on your location and employment type and may be subject to eligibility criteria. Dentons reserves the right to modify or discontinue offerings, in whole or in part, at its discretion and without prior notice.

Equal Opportunity Statement

At Dentons Canada, inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility (IDEA) are not just ancillary values, they are foundational to our business. We believe that IDEA is essential to the shared success of our team and our clients. Our forward-thinking and inclusive culture supports the professional development of all our people, enhances the leading services we offer to our clients, and informs our commitment to make a positive impact in the communities where we live and work. As a testament to our commitment to IDEA, we have been recognized as one of Canada’s Best Diversity Employer’s for 15 consecutive years (2011-2026), as well as one of Canada’s Top Employers for Young People (2026) for the eighth time.

Dentons Canada is an equal opportunity employer, and we welcome your application. All employment decisions, including hiring, will be made without regard to age, ancestry, citizenship, colour, creed, disability, ethnic origin, family status, gender identity, marital status, place of origin, race, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable human rights legislation.

We are committed to providing you with an inclusive, barrier-free, and accessible workplace to support your success. Should you require accommodation during the recruitment process, for example as a result of a disability, please contact us at [e-mail].

This role is a replacement role.