Legal Assistant (Real Property and Planning)

McCarthy Tétrault; Toronto; On-site; CAD 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Outstanding benefits from day one

Wellness and technology reimbursements

Generous time off

Professional development opportunities

Community involvement and commitment to diversity

Job summary

McCarthy Tétrault is seeking a Legal Assistant for their Toronto office. The ideal candidate will have a Legal Assistant diploma and at least 3 years of relevant experience. This role involves supporting lawyers with document preparation, managing files, coordinating travel, and providing general client support. The salary range is between $60,000 and $80,000 annually. The position comes with outstanding benefits, including wellness programs, competitive compensation, and professional development opportunities.

Qualifications

• Minimum 3 years of experience as a legal assistant.
• In-depth knowledge of business and legal terminology.
• Flexibility to occasionally work overtime.

Responsibilities

• Preparing, editing, and formatting legal documents.
• Managing files and updating calendars for lawyers.
• Coordinating lawyer travel arrangements.

Skills

Attention to detail

Time management

Organizational skills

Proficiency in legal terminology

Word processing

Education

Legal Assistant diploma or college certificate

Job description

About McCarthy Tétrault

McCarthy Tétrault is a leading Canadian law firm offering a full suite of legal and business solutions to clients in Canada and around the world. With offices in Toronto, Montréal, Québec City, Calgary and Vancouver, we provide challenging and rewarding career opportunities across the country. Recognized as one of Canada’s Top 100 Employers for eleven consecutive years and one of Canada’s Best Diversity Employers for fourteenth consecutive years, our culture is guided by The McCarthy Way—our shared approach to working with clients and with each other. The McCarthy Way is built on four core elements: Excellence, Collaboration, Inclusion, and Innovation.

Legal Assistant – Real Property & Planning

We are recruiting for a Legal Assistant in Real Property and Planning to join our team in our Toronto office. The successful candidate must have a minimum of 3 years of relevant experience and will be responsible for supporting lawyers with documents, travel and calendar management, and client support. This position is to fill an existing vacancy. Salary range: $60,000 - $80,000 annually (Toronto Only).

Responsibilities

Documents

• Preparing, editing, formatting, printing, scanning and revising correspondence, memoranda, large transaction documents, reports, forms, labels and other printed material through dictation, copy typing or other instructions, in accordance with the requirements set by the practice group.
• Coordinating and dispersing tasks to be performed by various resource groups such as the Document Specialists, Administrative Clerks, Billing Assistants, etc. where appropriate while ensuring tasks are completed in a timely manner.
• Proofreading documents and checking for appropriate formatting, spelling, grammar and clarity.

File and Time Management

• Managing files including: opening new files, maintaining large and complex files, developing, maintaining and utilizing an orderly filing and retrieval system to ensure ease of reference to historical paper or electronic records, organizing law and precedent files.
• Working with Records Management and Administrative Clerks to create, maintain and store client files as appropriate.
• Updating calendars for assigned lawyers, including their meetings, appointments, due dates and client-related activities.

Lawyer / Client Support

• Coordinating lawyer travel arrangements, including preparing itineraries and travel expense reports. Updating contact names and addresses in the client database on a regular basis.
• Coordinating client meetings, including scheduling rooms and arranging for needed catering or audio-visual equipment.

Mail, Fax and Phone Reception Functions

• Reviewing and routing incoming mail and fax communications; preparing and processing outgoing mail and faxes; and arranging for specialized mail or messenger services as required.
• Receiving, handling, screening and/or directing incoming calls as directed by lawyers; responding to routine inquiries and requests from clients; and taking messages as required.

Financial and Administrative Functions

• Assisting with the preparation and finalization of time entry on a daily basis according to firm standards in preparation for Billing Assistant to process. Working with Finance to coordinate new Client and Matter openings (KYC).
• Coordinating activities with functional area staff (Office Services, Marketing, etc.), as needed. Providing consistent backup support when assistants are absent; providing support to assistants who may be managing multiple tasks and/or difficult deadlines; and working proactively as a positive and productive member of the team.

Other

• Maintaining and updating job knowledge and technical skills by identifying and participating in education opportunities.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Legal Assistant diploma or college certificate in office administration or Information & Communications Technologies or equivalent.
• Minimum 3 years of experience as a legal assistant or as an assistant with experience ideally acquired in a professional services environment.
• In-depth knowledge of business and legal terminology.
• Strong attention to detail and superior word processing, spelling, proofreading and editing skills.
• Capacity to perform duties with speed and accuracy.
• Strong time management, organizational and multi-tasking skills and ability to work under pressure to meet important deadlines.
• Ability to follow-up on files and delays with minimal supervision.
• High level of discretion and confidentiality.
• Flexibility to occasionally work overtime.

Benefits

• Outstanding benefits from day one, including insurance premiums paid by the Firm and wellness and technology reimbursements.
• Comprehensive wellbeing support, including access to Dialogue for confidential mental health support, virtual healthcare assistance, and proactive wellness resources for you.
• Competitive compensation, paid overtime and generous time off, including a day off to volunteer and a day off for your birthday.
• Commitment to learning and growth, with ongoing professional development opportunities for people at all levels.
• Strong community involvement and a commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion.
• A supportive, collaborative culture that values contribution, accountability and shared success across legal and business teams.

McCarthy Tétrault is an equal opportunity employer that fosters an inclusive, equitable, and accessible environment. Please notify us if you require accommodation at any time during the recruitment process.