Legal Assistant, Tax

Davies Ward Phlips Vneberg LLP; Toronto; On-site; CAD 45,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a dedicated Legal Assistant to join their Tax group in Toronto. This role offers the opportunity to work in a collaborative environment, providing essential support to a team of legal professionals. The ideal candidate will possess excellent communication skills, strong technical abilities, and a keen attention to detail. You will be responsible for preparing legal documents, managing calendars, and ensuring smooth communication within the team. If you thrive in a fast-paced setting and are passionate about delivering exceptional client service, this position is perfect for you.

Qualifications

• 3-5 years of experience as a litigation assistant or equivalent.
• Community college certificate in a Legal Assistant program or equivalent.

Responsibilities

• Support a Tax partner and associates with legal documents and correspondence.
• Manage calendars, travel arrangements, and client billing matters.
• Coordinate communication and maintain client files efficiently.

Skills

Communication Skills

Attention to Detail

Client Service Skills

Organizational Skills

Initiative

Discretion and Good Judgement

Time Management

Education

Community College Certificate in Legal Assistant Program

Tools

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft PowerPoint

Adobe Acrobat

Case Center

Automated Civil Litigation (ACL5)

Chrome River

InterAction Database

Meeting Room Booking Software

Job description

Davies is a top-tier Canadian law firm focused on high-stakes matters. With offices in Montréal, Toronto and New York, we are consistently at the centre of the most challenging deals and cases in Canada and abroad.

A position at Davies is more than just a job. When you join the firm, you will be welcomed by a team that places as much emphasis on supporting its people as it does on serving its prestigious clients. As such, we have created a collaborative environment where team members of all backgrounds feel appreciated and are encouraged to share their ideas while working alongside some of the brightest legal and business professionals who are eager to share their knowledge and experience.

About the Position

We are currently seeking a Legal Assistant to join our Tax group in our Toronto office, working in a share of 5:1. The successful candidate will work Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

This position requires excellent communication skills, both verbal and written, along with strong technical skills. The successful candidate demonstrates initiative, pays high attention to detail and is able to work independently in a fast-paced environment. Strong client service skills, organizational skills and practice management abilities are also required.

Primary Responsibilities

• Provide dedicated support to a group of 1 Tax/Litigation partner and 4 Tax associates
• Prepare and process correspondence, memoranda and legal documents according to the firm’s standards, using the firm’s word processing and document management software
• Prepare documentation for court proceedings and court documentation, such as documents pertaining to originating process (statement of claim), motions, discoveries, mediations, affidavits and briefs, exhibits, pre-trial documents (conference briefs), and trial documents (trial book/record)
• File court documentation with Canada Revenue Agency and different levels of courts such as Tax Court of Canada, Court of Appeal and Federal Court
• Compose and draft routine cover letters and documents
• Proofread documents and check for appropriate formatting, spelling and grammar; prepare revisions and blackline documents as directed
• Assist lawyers and students with the establishment and maintenance of online tools (Deal Room/ShareFile) for the purpose of facilitating legal transactions for the firm
• Review and route incoming mail and fax communications; prepare and process outgoing mail and faxes; arrange specialized mail or messenger services, as required
• At the direction of the lawyer, ensure email correspondence is filed to the appropriate client matter
• Manage key dates and update calendars for assigned lawyers, including their meetings, appointments, due dates and client-related activities
• Coordinate lawyer travel arrangements and travel expense reports using the firm’s Chrome River database
• Update contact names and addresses in the firm's InterAction database on a regular basis
• Coordinate client meetings, including scheduling rooms and arranging for catering and/or audio-visual equipment using the firm's Meeting Room booking software
• Receive, handle, screen and/or direct incoming calls as directed by lawyer; respond to routine inquiries and requests from clients; take messages
• Coordinate docket entry and submission according to the firm’s timelines for docket submissions
• Prepare expense reimbursements and disbursement requests
• Prepare client accounts and coordinate client billing matters with the accounting department
• Work with the lawyer to enter new client and matter opening requests using the firm's database
• Coordinate and disperse tasks to be performed by various resource groups such as document specialists, billing specialists, etc., while ensuring tasks are completed in a timely manner
• Manage files, including opening new files and maintaining precedent files
• Work with the records department to create, maintain and store client files as appropriate
• Demonstrate teamwork and provide support to other litigation assistants, as time permits
• Provide support to other lawyers, clerks and/or students within the team structure in the absence of the regularly assigned assistant when dedicated support is not available
• Work cooperatively with other departments and individuals in the firm

Qualifications

• Community college certificate in a Legal Assistant program or equivalent
• Minimum of three (3) to five (5) years of experience as a litigation assistant or an equivalent combination of education, training and experience
• Exceptional communication skills, both verbal and written
• A high level of professionalism
• Team player with a positive attitude
• Takes initiative while using discretion and good judgement in decision-making
• Excellent technical knowledge of Microsoft applications, especially Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Adobe Acrobat
• Basic knowledge of Case Center, Automated Civil Litigation (ACL5) software and their respective filing requirements
• Excellent knowledge of Rules of Civil Procedure and Rules of Civil Procedure forms
• Highly organized with the ability to handle administrative tasks and produce documents in a timely and accurate manner
• Excellent time management and prioritization skills
• Strong attention to detail

To Apply

For more information or to submit your application, please email [e-mail].

We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only those selected for further consideration will be contacted.

Davies is committed to providing a diverse, inclusive and accessible workplace for candidates and firm members with disabilities. Please let us know of any accommodations you may require at any time during the recruitment process.