Legal Assistant/Paralegal – Chester Law

Nova Scotia Barristers' Society; Chester; Hybrid; CAD 41,000 - 50,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health and dental benefits

Paid vacation and personal/sick days

A professional but friendly enviroment

Regular firm events and opportunities

Job summary

Chester Law in Chester, Nova Scotia is seeking a Legal Assistant / Paralegal to join our team and work directly with our lawyers. This is a full-time, in-office role that offers the opportunity to gain exposure to a wide range of practice areas.

You do not need prior legal assistant experience; we value strong administrative and organizational skills, reliability and the ability to learn quickly. If you take ownership of your work and communicate well, we want to hear from you.

Qualifications

• Highly organized and able to keep track of multiple tasks and deadlines.
• Excellent attention to detail.
• Takes ownership of work and follows tasks through to completion.
• Accounts for confidential and sensitive information appropriately.
• Communicates clearly, both verbally and in writing.
• Comfortable learning new software and systems.
• Strong computer skills, including Word and Outlook.

Responsibilities

• Drafting documents for meetings, hearings, transactions and other legal matters.
• Preparing, formatting and proofreading correspondence, legal documents and other materials.
• Managing calendars, appointments, deadlines and follow-up tasks.
• Communicating with clients, other lawyers, courts and other professionals by phone and email.
• Opening, maintaining and closing client files.
• Organizing and maintaining electronic and paper files.
• Assisting with billing, accounts and other file administration.
• Managing incoming and outgoing correspondence and documents.
• Using Microsoft 365, including Word and Outlook, and our practice management software.
• Providing general administrative support to lawyers and assisting with day-to-day management.

Skills

highly organized

attention to detail

ownership of work

clear communication

confidential information handling

learning new software

Microsoft Word

Outlook

client-facing

Tools

Microsoft Word

Outlook

Job description

Chester Law | Chester, Nova Scotia
Full-time | In-office | $45,000+ per year, depending on experience

Chester Law is looking for a Legal Assistant / Paralegal to join our team and work directly with our lawyers.
We’re a small, full-service law firm in Chester, Nova Scotia, and we’re looking for someone who is organized, capable, dependable, and takes pride in doing their work well.

You do not need to have previous legal assistant experience to be successful in this role. Legal experience is certainly an asset, but we are equally interested in people who have developed strong administrative and organizational skills in other professional settings. If you are someone who learns quickly, pays attention to the details, communicates well, and takes ownership of your work, we want to hear from you.

What you’ll do

You will provide day-to-day support to a lawyer, helping to keep files, deadlines, appointments and client communications organized and moving forward. Your responsibilities will include:

• Drafting documents for meetings, hearings, transactions and other legal matters;
• Preparing, formatting and proofreading correspondence, legal documents and other materials;
• Managing calendars, appointments, deadlines and follow-up tasks;
• Communicating with clients, other lawyers, courts and other professionals by phone and email;
• Opening, maintaining and closing client files;
• Organizing and maintaining electronic and paper files;
• Assisting with billing, accounts and other file administration;
• Managing incoming and outgoing correspondence and documents;
• Using Microsoft 365, including Word and Outlook, and our practice management software;
• Providing general administrative support to lawyers and assisting us with the day-to-day management of our practice; and
• Taking on other tasks as they arise — no two days are exactly the same.

One of the things that makes working at a small general-practice firm interesting is that no two files — or days — are quite the same. Our lawyers work across a broad range of areas, including:

• Family law – helping clients navigate some of the most important and challenging transitions in their lives;
• Civil litigation – from disputes and negotiations through to court proceedings;
• Corporate law – including incorporations, business purchases and sales, reorganizations and other corporate transactions;
• Property transactions – helping clients buy, sell, finance and develop property;
• Wills and estate planning – helping clients put plans in place for their families and their futures; and
• Estate administration – helping families navigate the legal and practical work that follows a death.

What we’re looking for

The most important thing to us is how you work. We’re looking for someone who:

• Is highly organized and able to keep track of multiple tasks and deadlines;
• Has excellent attention to detail;
• Takes ownership of their work and follows tasks through to completion;
• Is accountable and comfortable asking questions when something is unclear;
• Can work independently without needing constant direction;
• Has good judgment and knows when something needs to be brought to the lawyer’s attention;
• Communicates clearly and professionally, both verbally and in writing;
• Is comfortable working with confidential and sensitive information;
• Is personable and comfortable dealing with clients and other professionals;
• Is calm and practical when things get busy;
• Is comfortable learning new software and systems; and
• Takes pride in being someone their lawyer and colleagues can rely on.

Experience

Previous legal assistant or paralegal experience is an asset, but not required.
We would also welcome applicants with experience in roles such as:

• Executive or administrative assistant;
• Medical or professional office administration;
• Other client-facing administrative roles; or
• Other positions where strong organization, attention to detail, written communication and independent responsibility were important.
• Strong computer skills, including Microsoft Word and Outlook, are required. Experience with Clio or other legal/practice management software is an asset, but we can teach you our systems.

What we offer

• Full-time, in-office position, Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (35 hours per week), with the opportunity for overtime;
• Starting salary of $45,000+, depending on experience and qualifications;
• Health and dental benefits;
• Paid vacation and personal/sick days;
• A professional but friendly environment;
• A varied role where you can develop new skills and take on meaningful responsibility; and
• Regular firm events and opportunities to get to know and enjoy working with your colleagues.

About Chester Law

We’re a small local firm, nestled in the heart of beautiful Chester.

You’ll know the people you work with, you’ll have a direct relationship with the lawyers you support, and the work you do will have a visible impact in your local community. You won’t get lost in a large organization or feel like just another number.

We take our work seriously, but we’re also a friendly, down-to-earth group of people. We value professionalism, good judgment, teamwork and treating people well — both our clients and each other.

We’re serious about doing good work for our clients, but we also believe that work should be a place where people enjoy the people they work with. We value professionalism, good judgment, teamwork, accountability and treating people well.