Legal Counsel

Family Connexions; Central Ontario; On-site; CAD 89,000 - 122,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous benefits

Vacation and leave provisions

Job summary

Family Connexions in Simcoe Muskoka, Ontario, is seeking a permanent Legal Counsel to represent the Society in child protection matters under the direction of Senior Legal Counsel, including case preparation and presentation in court.

The role covers litigation through to appeals and providing legal consultation to agency staff on protection work, with a non-unionized, full-time employment arrangement.

Qualifications

• Must be a member in good standing of the Law Society of Ontario.
• Strong knowledge of Child, Youth and Family Services Act.
• Sound knowledge of litigation processes.
• Bilingualism (French/English) is a highly desired asset.
• Effective interpersonal, listening, verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong time management and ability to work under pressure with competing priorities.

Responsibilities

• Represent the Society in child protection matters in Superior Court and Family Court through to completion of appeals.
• Provide legal consultations to Agency staff on protection case work.

Job description

Salary Range: $89,097.00 To $121,574.00 Annually

Legal Counsel

Permanent

The Agency

We are a Child Welfare and Child & Youth Mental Health agency committed to service excellence, teamwork and participation in decision‑making. We respect and value diversity and operate from an anti‑oppression framework. Located in the prime recreational area of Simcoe County and the District of Muskoka, we provide the opportunity to combine a career with a lifestyle of your choice.

Simcoe Muskoka Family Connexions (SMFC) strives to be a reflection of the diverse communities it serves. As a result, we encourage applications from traditionally underrepresented communities such as people living with a disability, racialized people, Indigenous peoples, people of different faiths and people from diverse gender, gender expression and 2SLGBTQ2SIA+ identities. If you are of the aforementioned identities, and feel comfortable making it known, please feel free to do so with the knowledge it will be kept confidential and used in a safe manner to inform our recruitment process towards being an equal opportunity employer. Accommodation will be provided in accordance with the Ontario Human Rights Code throughout the recruitment process.

The Job
This posting is for a permanent Legal Counsel position. The incumbent will have primary responsibilities of representing the Society in all legal matters pertaining to children in need of protection under the general direction of Senior Legal Counsel, including the preparation and presentation of cases in Superior Court of Justice, Family Court through to completion of appeals and provide legal consultation with Agency staff on matters relevant to protection case work. This is a non‑unionized position.

Qualifications

• Must be a member in good standing of the Law Society of Ontario.
• Sound knowledge of the legislation dealing with children and families, and in particular the Child, Youth and Family Services Act.
• Sound knowledge of the processes and procedures involved in litigation.
• Strong skill set in mediation with other parties regarding what is in the best interests of the child and the Society.
• Effective interpersonal skills including the ability to work cooperatively and collaboratively with internal and external resources.
• Effective listening, verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong time management and organizational skills & ability to work effectively under the pressure of tight timelines, competing priorities and emergent issues.
• Demonstrated competence and skill in working with individuals from broad backgrounds, races, ethnicities, religions, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, etc.
• A thorough understanding of anti‑oppression values and principles
• An appreciation of and ability to work with a diverse community.
• Bilingualism (French/English) is a highly desired asset.

Compensation

The salary range is $89,097 to $121,574 commensurate with experience, with a generous benefits package, vacation and leave provisions.