Legal Counsel

Government of Alberta; Calgary; Hybrid; CAD 194,000 - 216,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Positive workplace culture

Leadership and mentorship programs

Job summary

The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) seeks a senior Legal Counsel to advise investigators and executives on criminal law matters affecting police oversight. You will review investigations, draft opinions, and guide lawful processes under the Police Act and Criminal Code, with independence for 24/7 operations.

Reporting to the Assistant Executive Director, you will collaborate with ACPS, police services, and external counsel to ensure legally sound outcomes and maintain public

Qualifications

• A Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) or Juris Doctor (JD) with at least eight years of criminal-law experience.
• Active membership or immediate eligibility for full membership with the Law Society of Alberta.
• Advanced knowledge of the Police Act, Criminal Code, Canada Evidence Act, and related legislation.

Responsibilities

• Provide specialized legal advice on investigative processes and policy development.
• Research legal trends in civilian oversight and advise ASIRT.
• Support investigations with timely legal assistance and admissibility of evidence.
• Assist with drafting and reviewing judicial authorizations and warrants.
• Educate investigators and staff on current legal principles.
• Review completed investigations and offer opinions on grounds for offences.
• Support presenting matters to the ACPS and advise on arrest and release matters.
• Draft and review final investigative reports and letters ensuring clarity.
• Maintain relationships with ACPS, police services, and partners.

Education

LL.B. or JD

Job description

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Job Information

• Job Title: Legal Counsel - ASIRT
• Job Requisition ID: 87310
• Ministry: Public Safety and Emergency Services
• Location: Calgary or Edmonton
• Full or Part-Time: Full Time
• Hours of Work: 36.25 hours per week
• Permanent/Temporary: Permanent Full-time
• Scope: Open Competition
• Closing Date: September 8, 2026
• Classification: NJLC3 - Non-Justice Legal Counsel 3
• Salary: $7,450.08 to $8,260.75 biweekly ($194,447 to $215,605 annually)

The Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT), a branch of the Police Review Commission (PRC), is Alberta's civilian-led police oversight body. ASIRT independently investigates police officers where allegations of criminal or statutory conduct arise and investigates Level 1 peace officer matters involving serious injury, death, or other significant incidents. Matters under ASIRT's investigative, review, or oversight authority are designated as serious or sensitive by the PRC's Chief Executive Officer or delegate under the Police Act.

Reporting to ASIRT's Assistant Executive Director, the Legal Counsel is a senior legal and operational resource who provides specialized advice and support to the Assistant Executive Director, investigators, and staff. The position works with significant independence in a highly specialized area of criminal law involving police use of force, police powers, evidence, lawful access, and the responsibilities established under the Criminal Code and Police Act.

The Legal Counsel supports investigations throughout their lifecycle. This includes advising on investigative methods and judicial authorizations, reviewing completed investigations, providing opinions on whether reasonable grounds exist to believe an offence may have been committed, and supporting matters referred to the Alberta Crown Prosecution Service (ACPS). The position also represents and protects ASIRT's legal interests in information access, litigation, inquiries, court proceedings, disclosure applications, policy development, and intergovernmental agreements.

The Legal Counsel develops and maintains effective working relationships with the ACPS, police services, police associations, legal counsel, affected persons, next of kin, and other partners. As a senior civilian member of ASIRT, the position supports the integrity, independence, and public credibility of the organization and may assume acting duties for the Assistant Executive Director when required.

For more information regarding ASIRT, please visit: https://www.albertaprc.ca/about/asirt/

Key Job Duties

• Provide specialized legal advice on investigative processes, statutory interpretation, evidentiary issues, and the development and application of policy in support of ASIRT's mandate.
• Research and assess legal trends and emerging issues in Canadian and international jurisdictions relating to civilian oversight, investigations, criminal law, and policy, and advise on their implications for ASIRT.
• Support active investigations by providing timely legal assistance to investigators, including advice on investigative methods and the admissibility of evidence.
• Assist with the preparation and review of judicial authorizations, including search warrants, production orders, sealing and unsealing orders, and wiretap authorizations, ensuring they are legally sound and defensible.
• Provide legal education, updates, and guidance to investigators and other staff to support consistent application of current legal principles and high investigative standards.
• Independently review completed investigations to assess legal sufficiency, identify any outstanding investigative steps, and provide opinions to the Assistant Executive Director and Executive Director on whether reasonable grounds exist to believe an offence has been committed.
• Support the presentation of matters to the ACPS in accordance with the Police Act, review ACPS legal opinions, and advise on arrest and release matters where charges result.
• Assist in drafting and reviewing final investigative reports and reporting letters to police services, subject officers, affected persons, and next of kin, ensuring conclusions are factually accurate, legally sound, and communicated clearly.
• Support the Assistant Executive Director in stakeholder and community meetings and in maintaining legal oversight of media communications related to ASIRT investigations.
• Develop and maintain effective working relationships with the ACPS, police services, police associations, the Law Enforcement Society of Alberta, and legal counsel for affected persons and subject officers.
• Manage applications for disclosure arising in criminal proceedings unrelated to the subject matter under investigation, in conjunction with Legal Services.
• Provide legal advice and recommendations concerning legislative amendments, policy development, administrative procedures, information access requests under the Access to Information Act, fatality inquiries, public inquiries, records management, information security, and disclosure to other agencies.
• Work with the Police Review Commission to develop and maintain lawful, sustainable policies and processes, and support the negotiation, drafting, and updating of ASIRT's memoranda of understanding and intergovernmental agreements.
• The position is expected to act independently because guidance and advice are not always available given the 24-hour, 365-day nature of ASIRT operations and the volume of ASIRT files. Decisions may need to be made quickly and without immediate consultation.

As a member of ASIRT and the Police Review Commission, you will foster and maintain the investigative excellence, independence, and reputation of the organization.

Competencies

Drive for Results - You exercise sound professional judgment, address complex issues directly, and provide timely, accurate, and defensible legal advice that supports the quality and completion of serious and sensitive investigations.

Develop Networks - You build trusted, effective relationships with police services, the ACPS, police associations, legal counsel, community partners, and colleagues across ASIRT and the PRC. You understand that these relationships directly affect ASIRT's effectiveness and public confidence in police oversight.

Develop Self and Others - You monitor emerging law and practice, translate complex developments into practical guidance, and create learning opportunities that strengthen investigators, disclosure staff, leaders, and the organization as a whole.

Systems Thinking - You consider how legal, investigative, operational, policy, and public-interest factors interact. You recognize the broader consequences of legal advice and investigative decisions for affected individuals, ASIRT, the PRC, the justice system, and public confidence.

Qualifications

• A Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) or Juris Doctor (JD) along with minimum of eight years of progressively responsible experience practicing criminal law.
• Active membership, or immediate eligibility for full membership, with the Law Society of Alberta in good standing.
• Advanced knowledge of the Police Act, Criminal Code, Canada Evidence Act, and other applicable federal and provincial legislation.

Equivalency

• Related experience or education may be considered as an equivalency on a one-for-one basis, in accordance with the applicable minimum recruitment standard.
• Assets for this role include:
• Extensive experience practicing criminal law, including specialized knowledge of police law, police use of force, criminal procedure, evidence, and lawful access.
• Experience advising complex investigative processes and techniques, supported by knowledge of police tactics, training, and policy.
• Experience preparing or reviewing search warrants, production orders, sealing orders, wiretap authorizations, or other judicial authorizations.
• Experience reviewing complex investigations and preparing legal opinions, concluding reports, charges, or other legally significant documents.
• Experience appearing in court, at fatality or public inquiries, or on disclosure and other applications arising from investigations.
• Superior legal writing and communication skills, including the ability to communicate complex legal conclusions clearly to legal, operational, public, and media audiences.
• Demonstrated knowledge of the roles, policies, and decision-making responsibilities of police and Crown prosecutors.
• Experience working in a politically sensitive, high-profile, or public-interest environment requiring discretion, integrity, independence, and mature judgment.

This competition may be used to fill future vacancies at the same or lower classification across the Government of Alberta.

• Positive workplace culture and work-life balance
• Leadership and mentorship programs

Any costs associated with obtaining the required documents/checks as noted or interview travel expenses will be the responsibility of the candidate. Out-of-province applicants can obtain the required documents/checks from the province they currently reside in.

If you require any further information on this job posting or require an accommodation during the recruitment process, please contact Marie Mar Bolaron at [e-mail] .