Solicitor

Competition # : 27834 

Department: Justice

Location: HALIFAX

Type of Employment: Permanent

Union Status: Legal - NSPG 

Closing Date: 11/25/2020

The Legal Services Division of the Department of Justice is the government’s law office, responsible for the provision of all legal services (excluding prosecutions) to the Province of Nova Scotia.  The lawyers in the Legal Services Division provide legal advice and services on a broad range of matters to the Government and many of its agencies, boards and commissions. The Legal Services Division consists of Solicitor Services, Litigation Services and the Registry of Regulations.

For more information on the Department of Justice Legal Services please visit our website: https://novascotia.ca/just/Legal_Services/

We are recruiting for a lawyer for our labour, employment and human rights team. The lawyer is responsible for providing effective and efficient legal counsel to the Government of Nova Scotia and its agencies, and to ensure that public affairs are administered in accordance with the law.

In this role, you will conduct litigation on behalf of the Province of Nova Scotia. You will appear before Courts, as well as tribunals and other related administrative decision makers. You will also provide legal advice and opinions on matters of law and legal policy to senior government officials.

• Consult with client Deputy Ministers, Executive Directors, and other senior leaders on matters involving law, negotiation, tactics or public policy; may attend management committees of client departments or frequently attend the meetings
• Appear before administrative tribunals, the Supreme Court, and Nova Scotia Court of Appeal regularly and the Supreme Court of Canada occasionally
• Present information about government and law to the public generally or as part of a consultation process for public policy development
• Serve on interdepartmental committees and project teams with senior and intermediate staff of client departments

As our successful candidate, you will:
 

• Be a practicing member of the Nova Scotia Barristers Society (or eligible for practicing membership), in good standing, with a minimum three years experience in practice including experience in labour and employment law

The following are assets:
 

• Litigation experience before courts, boards and tribunals, in particular the Nova Scotia Labour Board and labour arbitrators
• Experience advising clients in one or more of the following areas:
  • labour and employment law
  • human rights law

Our successful candidate has excellent research, analytical and organizational skills.  You communicate effectively and persuasively, orally and in writing, and have the ability to function with minimal supervision in a team environment.  Our ideal candidate will demonstrate the ability to offer creative and innovative solutions to complex challenges and have the flexibility to adapt and thrive in a continuously changing and demanding environment. 

We will assess the above qualifications using one or more of the following tools: written examination, standardized tests, oral presentations, interview(s), and reference checks.

Based on the employment status and Union agreement, the Government of Nova Scotia offers its employees a wide range of benefits such as  Health, Dental, Life Insurance, Pension, General Illness (Short and Long Term), Vacation and Employee and Family Assistance Programs. Click here to learn more about our various benefits offering and eligibility criteria. 

• Physical effort includes:
  • Sitting at a computer for long periods of time
     
• Sensory attention includes:
  • Ability to review voluminous written material, to write, to think conceptually and to think strategically
  • Mental focus is required for long periods of time and very good memory is required
  • Ability to handle adversarial and hostile people in ways that de-escalate and build insights with others in frequently required.
     
• Mental pressure includes:
  • Ability to handle pressure situations, multiple deadlines and many competing demands.
  • Long periods of concentration are required at hearings and writing briefs
  • Must handle hostile situations in a way that allows one to glean the relevant information but not engage it personally and not react to it negatively.

• Career Development where you have access to career guidance, tools, resources, and ongoing training for every stage of your career.
• Engaging workplace. Our Employees feel valued, respected, connected, and tuned in. We have forward-thinking policies and strategies.
• Mentorship through iNSpire; a new formal, interdepartmental mentorship program that connects employees so they can gain knowledge and experience to support their career development.
• Countless Career Paths for Nova Scotians. 
• Department Specific Flexible working schedules.