Legal Administrative Assistant and Clinic Administrator

Location: Ottawa

Office Requirement: hybrid - 2 days/week in office

Hours: 35 Weekly

Salary: $63,672.25 Year

Reports to: Managing Lawyer - Atlantic Region

Timeline: application closes November 13th

About Us

As Canada's largest environmental law charity, our mission is using the law to defend nature, combat the climate crisis, and fight for a healthy environment for all. To achieve this, Ecojustice does three things:

We go to court-Our lawyers represent citizens, environmental organizations, Indigenous leaders, organizations, and communities, sustainable businesses, labour organizations, and any other groups that share our mission.

We push for better laws- Our experts testify in front of committees and make recommendations to strengthen environmental legislation.

We engage the public- Our work highlights environmental issues and changes the conversation, forcing our leaders to sit up and listen.

Our team recognizes that this planet is our most treasured inheritance, and it is our imperative to be good stewards for the generations who follow us. We believe in protecting the environment while having enough time off to enjoy it.

About the Role

Supporting the Managing Lawyer, the Legal Administrative Assistant and Clinic Administrator will support our litigators in Ottawa, collaborating across Canada when needed. This role will provide specific guidance and carry out a variety of day-to-day functions to assist staff lawyers and other team members with their everyday practice management.

Ecojustice also has a partnership with the University of Ottawa, jointly running the University of Ottawa-Ecojustice Environmental Law Clinic. This role will provide administrative support to the functions of the Environmental Law Clinic and the Ottawa Office.

Responsibilities

The Legal Administrative Assistant and Clinic Administrator will provide legal administrative support to the Managing Lawyer and our litigation team in Ottawa, collaborating across Canada when needed. They will provide specific guidance and carry out a variety of day-to-day functions to assist staff lawyers and other team members with their everyday practice management.

In addition, Ecojustice has a partnership with the University of Ottawa, jointly running the University of Ottawa-Ecojustice Environmental Law Clinic. This role will provide administrative support to the functions of the Environmental Law Clinic and the Ottawa Office.

Responsibilities

As a key member of our Ottawa team, you will be responsible for:

• Litigation support including drafting legal documents, serving, filing, and submitting court and tribunal filings
• Record keeping including maintaining litigation records, library and filing systems.
• Coordinate people and projects including summer and articling students, program and office communications
• Administration for classes at the University of Ottawa – Ecojustice Environmental Law Clinic, including online course work administration, communication, coordination with students, booking guest speakers, etc.
• Ensuring smooth operations of the Ottawa office including management of facilities, mail, equipment, and office supplies

Role Success

Typically, we find that people who succeed in this role bring:

• Legal Administrative Assistant Certificate or an equivalent combination of training, education, and experience.
• 5 years of direct experience in administration preferably as a Clerk or Legal Administrative Assistant, including experience in drafting court documents and assisting with court procedures (serving, filing).
• 1 year of litigation support experience
• Experience with Outlook email and calendar management
• Experience with Adobe and Microsoft Office Suite – Word and Excel
• Direct experience supporting an office, preferably in a legal/law office; general office administration experience.
• Professional written and verbal communication in English
• Bilingual in French and English is an asset but not a requirement

Our Commitment To Justice, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (JEDI-R)

We are committed to embedding our commitment to justice, equity, diversity, inclusion, and reconciliation into all aspects of our organization. We value candidates who enjoy building meaningful, collaborative partnerships with equity-deserving groups and operationalizing JEDI-R values in day-to-day practices and operations.

We encourage applications from people with relevant job-related skills and who come from communities that have been structurally marginalized based on race, religion, nationality, social or ethnic origin, sex, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression.

Members belonging to equity deserving communities can self-identify during the application process if they choose to do so.

Great Reasons To Join Us

• Recognized as one of Canada’s Top 100 charities by Charity Intelligence.
• Hybrid, remote, or full office setup including a $125 stipend for green transportation if you select hybrid.
• 3 weeks of vacation increasing every two years of service up to 6 weeks
• Annual winter break
• 5% salary RRSP contribution after 1 year
• 13 public holidays (including National Day for Truth and Reconciliation) and two additional floater days
• 4 hours per month of paid personal life organization time
• Additional flexible leave policies that accommodate physical and mental health leave, caregiving responsibilities, volunteering, and other life events.
• 100% employer-paid extended health benefits package, including up to $1500 per year of mental health coverage and employee and family assistance program
• $500 per year wellness spending account
• Parental leave top-up for birthing and non-birthing parents.
• Colleagues dedicated to environmental impact through their work at Ecojustice (99% mission alignment rating from internal surveys).
• A culture of collaboration where employees are fostered by their managers (97% manager relationship rating from internal surveys). Learning opportunities to further our strategic commitment towards justice, equity, diversity, inclusion, and reconciliation.

Our Commitment to Transparency and Workplace Accessibility

As a charity, our value proposition is that of a mission-based organization, offering high-value benefits and perks. We are consistently benchmarking base pay to the non-profit industry and relevant areas of expertise to ensure we are both competitive and fair. Transparency, as well as diversity, equity, and inclusion are important to us. We post predetermined salaries to ensure that the hiring process and compensation are equitable for all.

Ecojustice strives to ensure that our online application system and recruitment process are accessible to individuals with different abilities and encourages candidates to contact careers@ecojustice.ca for any accommodation requests.