Litigation Legal Assistant

BC Legal Management Association; Vancouver; On-site; CAD 62,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading law firm in Vancouver is seeking a Litigation Legal Assistant with at least 3 years of experience. The role involves preparing legal documents, assisting in court proceedings, and managing files. The ideal candidate will have a Legal Assistant Diploma and strong organizational skills, contributing to a collaborative and inclusive work environment.

Benefits

Outstanding benefits from day one

Competitive compensation and paid overtime

Generous time off including a volunteer day

Professional development opportunities

Strong community involvement

Qualifications

• Minimum 3 years of experience as a litigation legal assistant.
• In-depth knowledge of legal terminology and court rules.
• Strong proofreading and editing skills.

Responsibilities

• Prepare and manage litigation documents and court pleadings.
• Assist lawyers with trial preparation and court appearances.
• Manage files and maintain an orderly filing system.

Skills

Attention to detail

Time management

Organizational skills

Confidentiality

Multi-tasking

Education

Legal Assistant Diploma

Job description

At McCarthy Tétrault, we offer challenging and rewarding career opportunities and are delighted to have been selected for the eleventh consecutive year in 2023 as one ofCanada’s Top 100 Employersand one ofCanada’s Best Diversity Employers. Our culture is built on professional excellence, collaboration, innovation, thought leadership and entrepreneurialism. We embrace inclusion in all its forms and we provide the tools and opportunities to help our people develop to their full potential.

We are recruiting for aLitigation Legal Assistantto join our team in ourVancouveroffice. The successful candidate must have a minimum of 3 years of experience as a Litigation Legal Assistant, and will be responsible for providing legal document support, file management, and general administrative support.

Salary range(Vancouver Only): $62,000 - $75,000 annually

The offered salary may vary based on the candidate’s job-specific knowledge, skills, and experience.

As a Legal Assistant (Litigation), you will be:

Documents

• Preparing, editing, formatting, printing, scanning and revising correspondence, memoranda, litigation 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.

Litigation

• Assisting lawyers in the preparation and coordination of hearings and trials; recording and monitoring court appearance dates, pleadings and filing requirements.
• Preparing court pleadings or other courtroom visuals.
• Drafting, preparing, filing and serving documents in all levels of court - Small Claims, Supreme Court of BC, Court of Appeal, Federal Court, Federal Court of Appeal, and the Supreme Court of Canada.
• Preparing arbitration materials and the delivery of same, including but not limited to memorials (witness statements, arguments and authorities), applications, submissions, etc.
• Arrange and coordinate externally with Court Reporters (North America), and internally with IT to set up prep meetings/discoveries/depositions and cross-examinations.
• Coordinating service and filing of proceedings with agencies and courts.
• Scheduling and coordinating discoveries, expert witnesses or other court-designated hearings. Monitoring evidence gathering.
• Maintaining an in-depth knowledge of legal terminology, court rules and procedures as well as medical terminology where applicable.

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.
• File transfers - handle all logistics for files coming into the firm and files being transferred out of the firm., including paper and electronic files.
• Working with Records Management and Administrative Clerks to create, maintain and store client files as appropriate.
• Managing key dates including physical bring forward system and 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.
• Managing calendars for a team of lawyers and looking and preparing ahead to coordinate and anticipate their needs.

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.

As our ideal candidate, you will distinguish yourself by the following profile:

• Legal Assistant Diploma or equivalent.
• Minimum 3 years of experience as a litigation legal assistant.
• In-depth knowledge of legal terminology, court rules and procedures.
• 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.

As a member of the McCarthy team, you will have access to:

• Outstanding benefits from day one, including insurance premiums paid by the Firm and wellness and technology reimbursements.
• Competitive compensation, paid overtime and generous time off, including a day off to volunteer and a day off for your birthday.
• A commitment to professional development and growth opportunities for our people at all levels, supported by a culture that fully embraces and encourages two-way feedback.
• Strong community involvement and a commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion.
• A collaborative, cohesive culture that connects lawyers and business teams through collective purpose.

How to Apply:

We encourage external candidates to apply online following this link: Legal Assistant (Litigation) in Vancouver, British Columbia | Careers at Vancouver. We look forward to receiving your application.

We thank all applicants for their interest in McCarthy Tétrault; however, only chosen applicants will be contacted. We regret that we are unable to respond to individual inquiries about application status. 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.