Career Section

REAL ESTATE LAW PRIMER Real estate law encompasses a wide range of fundamental areas that are integral to property transactions and ownership. Land Use Law : Governs the utilization, development, and management of land. Acts and Regulations : Encompasses statutes and associated regulations pertaining to real estate. Title Insurance : Protects property owners and lenders against potential title defects or claims. Homeowners Insurance : Provides insurance coverage for residential properties against various risks. Seasonal Leases : Regulates tenancy relationships for seasonal properties. Organization, Rights, and Obligations : Addresses the legal framework governing co-ownership and associated remedies. Grants and Subsidies : Involves government assistance programs related to housing. Construction Permits and Developments : Covers regulatory approvals and planning for urban development. Land Contracts : Includes agreements such as sales contracts, leases, easements, and rights of way. Condo Law : Deals with legal matters specific to condominium ownership and management. Tenancy Law : Regulates the rights and responsibilities of landlords and tenants. Land Division : Addresses the subdivision of land for various purposes. In Canada, individuals undertaking land transactions often seek the services of either a lawyer or a notary public. Real estate law intersects with various other legal domains, including financing law, property taxes, homeowners insurance, environmental regulations, and construction law. Both individuals and businesses can avail themselves of a range of services to facilitate their real estate transactions: Financing : Assistance with securing financing for property purchases or developments. Negotiation of Acquisitions and Sales : Guidance and representation during purchase and sale negotiations. Title Examinations : Conducting due diligence on property titles to ensure legal validity. Project Management : Overseeing real estate development projects from inception to completion. Commercial and Residential Leases : Drafting and negotiating lease agreements for both commercial and residential properties. Real Estate Disputes : Resolving disputes related to property ownership, contracts, or other real estate matters. Assessment and Property Tax : Advising on property assessments and tax obligations. Expropriations : Handling legal matters related to government seizure of private property for public use. Real estate lawyers can specialize in various areas, including: Construction Law : Monitoring construction projects to ensure compliance with relevant laws and regulations. Litigation and Negotiation : Resolving disputes through litigation or negotiation. Corporate Representation : Advising corporations and other entities on real estate matters. Notarial Services : In Quebec, notaries can handle land transactions, wills, and other legal documents. Ultimately, real estate lawyers play a crucial role in advising individuals and entities on all aspects of real estate transactions, ensuring compliance with legal requirements and protecting their interests.

Navigating Canadian Criminal Law: An Overview Understanding the complexities of Canadian criminal procedure requires a comprehensive grasp of its legislative framework. Here's a primer on the major statutes governing criminal law in Canada: Criminal Code : Delve into the heart of Canadian criminal law through the Criminal Code, accessible at www.laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/C-46/ . Firearms Act : Explore regulations concerning firearms via the Firearms Act at www.laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/f-11.6/ . Young Offenders Act : Gain insights into the legal treatment of young offenders by referring to the Young Offenders Act at www.justice.gc.ca . Controlled Drugs and Substances Act : Understand the laws surrounding controlled substances through the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act at www.laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/c-38.8/ . Criminal Offences: A Spectrum From property crimes like theft and arson to grave offenses such as murder and assault, Canadian criminal law encompasses a diverse array of offenses. Other categories include corruption, terrorism, sexual offenses, and offenses related to firearms or drugs. Additionally, treason, spying, tax evasion, and various forms of conspiracy fall within its purview. Navigating the Legal Landscape Canada's legal system is intricate, with federal law holding paramount importance in the administration of justice. While provinces like Ontario may enact "quasi-criminal" legislation, federal law takes precedence. In certain cases, the accused may determine the appropriate court for adjudication, whether provincial or Supreme Court. Each of the ten provinces boasts its Court of Appeal, while the Supreme Court of Canada, situated in Ottawa, stands as the apex judicial body. Serving as the final court of appeal, the Supreme Court adjudicates matters of national significance and upholds the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Related Occupations in Criminal Justice Within the realm of criminal justice administration, various professionals play crucial roles: Criminal Defence Lawyer : Tasked with advising and defending individuals accused of crimes, a skilled criminal lawyer ensures the protection of their clients' rights and a fair trial. Crown Counsel : Representing the province, Crown Counsel prosecutes accused individuals in criminal cases. Legal Assistant, Paralegal, Justice of the Peace, Court Registrar, Court Clerk : These professionals contribute to the efficient functioning of the criminal justice system, each fulfilling specific responsibilities within court proceedings. Embark on a journey through Canadian criminal law, where legal intricacies meet the pursuit of justice.      

Legal Job Opportunities Await You! Discover the Best Legal Employment Websites Explore the world of legal careers through online job boards and listings. Whether you're seeking your next legal position or aiming to advertise a vacancy, navigating this intersection is key. Dive into the plethora of current openings available on various employment platforms. In recent years, legal job boards have witnessed substantial growth as professionals actively seek legal roles and law firms scout for talent. To streamline your job search, we've compiled a comprehensive list of resources: Workopolis.com : A premier Canadian job board boasting a dedicated legal section. Find opportunities ranging from legal assistant to law clerk roles. Additionally, access invaluable career advice and research materials tailored to in-house positions and law firms. Monster.com : Renowned for its extensive job listings, Monster.com offers a vast array of opportunities across industries, including the legal sector. Build your CV, explore career insights, and delve into international job markets and scholarship opportunities. LawJobs.com : Specializing in legal job placements, LawJobs.com features classifieds and nationwide ads catering to lawyers, law clerks, and legal assistants. Benefit from their career center, offering salary insights and professional guidance. CareerBuilder.com : A powerhouse in the realm of job searches, CareerBuilder.com provides a comprehensive platform for legal professionals. Utilize advanced search filters to pinpoint opportunities based on keywords, salary, location, and more. EmplawyerNet.com : Serving as a hub for legal professionals, EmplawyerNet.com offers tailored job search resources for legal assistants, lawyers, law students, and paralegals. Martindale-Hubbell Legal Careers : Your ultimate resource for legal employment needs, offering a searchable jobs database, salary surveys, career advice, and access to a recruiter’s directory. Findlaw.com : A highly trafficked legal website, Findlaw.com features job listings spanning various legal disciplines. Explore an extensive collection of legal resources, including case law and legal news. LawCrossing : With over 80,000 global legal job listings, LawCrossing.com continuously monitors the hiring needs of legal employers, ensuring you access the latest opportunities. Cartel Inc ( www.cartelinc.com ) : Canada's leading legal recruiting firm, dedicated to connecting legal professionals with top-tier opportunities. Explore their job database for current openings in Toronto tailored to your skills and career objectives. Law Match : Offering personalized services, Law Match matches your employment profile with online classifieds for lawyers, law students, and paralegals, including full-time, part-time, or contract positions. Simplylawjobs.com : Focuses exclusively on legal roles in England, providing a specialized platform for professionals in the UK legal industry. Mylawjob.com : A comprehensive legal job search engine featuring over 4,000 online listings, catering to diverse legal professions. Embark on your legal career journey today with these trusted resources!

    The legal job market for lawyers is advancing, according to a legal survey where 70 per cent of lawyers said their firm or legal department plan on hiring new legal staff in the next 8 months. The legal staffing consultancy company Cartel Inc conducted a legal survey, polled 300 lawyers in Canada over the last year. Each lawyer who provided a response had at least five years of experience, and had hiring responsibilities at their firm or company. They also either worked at law firms with 20 employees or more, or as part of an in-house legal department for companies with at least 1,000 employees. Lawyers who responded said they’ll be increasing their hiring. The findings show a 23 per cent jump in demand for new hires compared with the results from the 2018 survey, says Charles Volkert, senior district president of Robert Half Legal. The positive hiring forecast in Canada matches the legal industry abroad, he says. “The findings in Canada were very consistent, in particular, with what we're seeing throughout North America. There certainly is optimism for demand in hiring,” says Volkert, who is based in Toronto. The most promising practice area is corporate law, followed by litigation, then privacy, data security and information law, said the survey. The legal jobs being added in the coming months include legal assistants and law clerks as well, with 44 of survey respondents saying they are looking to hire legal assistants and 39 per cent saying they are looking to hire law clerks. Driving demand, says Volkert, is the continued growth of corporate legal departments and new, non-traditional legal roles. The findings are consistent with the growth Volkert has seen involving in-house legal departments in recent decades. “I've been in this business 19 years. And you just go back 10 years ago and a lot of companies just literally had one or two lawyers. Those companies today may have 20, 30, 40 lawyers on their team. Some companies that never had a lawyer because they outsourced it all to their outside counsel, [but] now have one, two, or three lawyers internally,” he says. Firms are hungry for lawyers with five to seven years of experience, who either “carry a book of business” or bring in business, Volkert says. “Besides just being book smart, you have to have the interpersonal skills. And so there's just fewer of those individuals out there in the marketplace,” he says. The demand is coming more from small to medium sized firms than from bigger firms, and aside from the continued growth in in-house legal departments, there is also major growth in temporary consultants, Volkert says. “Our consulting practice has continued to literally double in size each of the last couple of years. Because, in particular, corporations are looking for ways to manage their legal risk, manage compliance, bring in project management and to create efficiencies,” he says. “Along with that, bringing in contractors and consultants for short-term engagements. And when I say short-term, you're looking at two to maybe six months. That may be because of the large litigation, maybe because of an internal investigation, maybe because of the compliance related matter.” Businesses are also increasingly providing non-traditional legal roles to lawyers, says Volkert. An example of the burgeoning non-traditional legal roles is Robert Half’s own contracts department, he says. Six years ago, the company’s contracts were handled by their general counsel’s office and they began by hiring a lawyer to take over the task. “He now has 41 lawyers globally on his team that only handle contracts. He has an additional 12 paralegals that handle those vendor-related contracts for our company. And he reports directly to the chief operating officer of the company,” Volkert says. “It is totally independent, in most respects, from the general counsel's office. So that's just an example of what we're seeing a lot of companies do.” The most highly touted skillsets survey respondents desired, apart from legal knowledge, were practice-area expertise and technology skills. However, challenges still exist for those looking to hire. Forty per cent of respondents reported that a lack for qualified candidates was the greatest hiring challenge and 90 per cent said finding skilled lawyers was “somewhat or very challenging.” The challenge also stems from how legal recruiters entice candidates, says Volkert. He works with 150 full-time talent recruiters and often asks them for a 30-second elevator pitch for what their organization has to offer a prospect. “That's a very difficult question to answer for the hiring manager. They don't have it boiled down. And so they don't have a boil down for us, what are they saying to a highly sought-after candidate who may come and interview?” he says. The difficulty the legal industry is having in keeping lawyers is illustrated by the fact that 34 per cent of survey respondents said they were only staffing vacated positions. And money wasn’t the only factor identified as being important to prospective job candidates. Thirty-one per cent of respondents identified flexible work arrangements as the top incentives for preventing attrition. Professional development opportunities were also a key driver of interest for 26 per cent of those surveyed a challenging, variety of work assignments were identified as crucial for job seekers by 24 per cent of the lawyers surveyed. “Understanding your candidate, I think that's the other thing. Hiring managers don't always spend enough time listening and asking questions of the candidate, as far as what are their driving factors,” says. “It's not all about compensation,” he says.

As May Job Growth Lags Estimates, Legal Jobs See an Uptick The Canadian legal industry added 2,000 jobs in May as overall job board growth came in below expectations. While it was expected to add 5,000 legal jobs in May, the Canadian labor force was only able to muster less than half of that. But the legal industry, did see improvement from a disappointing March and April. As May Job Growth Lags Estimates, Legal Jobs See an Uptick The Canadian economy added roughly 75,000 jobs in May, a sharp contrast to the previous several months in which the count averaged 164,000 jobs and job boards. While not an imposing gain for the legal sector, which includes attorneys, paralegals, legal secretaries and other professional legal roles, a month-over-month increase of 2,000 jobs in May shows a change in direction from April, when the legal industry experienced a  net loss of 1,800 jobs . The 1,143,000 current total lawyer jobs in the legal sector represent a 3,000 job increase from the same period in 2018. The industry as a whole has hovered around the 1.14 million mark since December of 2016, with slight movement each month, but no significant change in either direction.

How Your Legal Skills Are Presented During Your Legal Job Search During your legal job hunt for your next great legal job at a law firm or in house position, you should definitely update your CV. Demonstrating your legal skills online definitely with assist your online legal job search efforts. In an interview with Dan Tomakin, who heads the Legal Division of Clearlegaljobs.com . , about online presence and legal recruiting? He says that LinkedIn is essential in the job search. Dan comments that Facebook isn’t the best platform to express your interest in a legal job. Twitter is ideal for targeting the correct audience during a legal search. 

There are some lawyers who get every single job that they apply for ... regardless of their qualifications as a law candidate.  They see a legal job ad and they apply for the lawyer job and get a call from a in house recruiter.  Most candidates do not even get an interview with the law firm for the lawyer position.  There are often hundreds of applicant lawyers submitting their CV for the legal role.  When you apply for your next legal job as a lawyer, law clerk or legal assistant you should remember that the interviewer will focus on 5 basic questions: Is it possible for you to do the legal work? Are you actually interested in the legal job? How will you fit with the law firm or in house culture? Will you be able to be managed by the partners? How long will you work at the legal job? If you are a lawyer, law clerk or legal assistant you should focus your answers on addressing these important legal considerations.  Most important is to review the law job positing and apply your job inquiry on these points. Most legal job candidates cannot effectively answer these questions.  

How to conduct a legal job search                            For many lawyers, locating a legal job in the legal profession is next to impossible following articling.  When conducting a legal job search it is important to keep the following considerations in practise . Create a custom CV. Often overlooked, but very important in the legal job search process.  It may seem obvious, but many lawyers, legal assistants, law clerks and legal staff when becoming a legal candidate often overlook this step.  “A well-polished CV is the first step,” says Dan Tomakin of Toronto Legal in Ontario. Your CV is your first impression when approaching a law firm in Canada. When you reach out to an employer during a legal job search, it is important to specifically target law and the legal job opening you are seeking to fill.  The legal field is not impressed by typos.    

If you are seeking a new legal job its best to find current job openings via online employment boards as well as legal job listings. For instance, career search engines assist job hunters identify opportunities with ever more job openings. Clearlegal promotes law and job openings in the legal field. Some websites have legal postings.