Job description
January 1, 2023
- Full-time, Permanent
Located in the heart of Ottawa’s Glebe neighborhood, Emond Harnden is a progressive and exciting place to begin or enhance your career. As a boutique labor and employment law firm, we have been representing the interests of management in both official languages since 1987.
Emond Harnden fosters a spirit of respect and collegiality between Partners, Associates, and staff, and we recognize that in order to provide the level of service our clients expect and deserve, lawyers and staff must be passionate about what they do. We are seeking candidates who are aligned with our entrepreneurial spirit, who care and see the value of their work, and who share our drive for delivering high-caliber client service.
Job Summary
Reporting to the HR and Operations Manager, the Legal Assistant (LA) will be responsible for providing administrative support to multiple lawyers in terms of scheduling, drafting, corresponding, and other general administrative tasks. The successful candidate will be a key player in client service delivery.
Responsibilities
The primary responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
Schedule Maintenance
- Organize the flow of work through the lawyer’s office and initiate follow-up action in a timely manner to meet multiple deadlines.
- Maintain and monitor calendars, including but not limited to scheduling appointments, hearings, travel, and conferences, as directed.
- Manage the bring-forward systems on a daily basis to ensure important deadlines are met.
Drafting and Correspondence
- Liaise between the lawyers, contacts, and clients.
- Prepare legal documents, including (but not limited to) affidavits, briefs, motions, subpoenas, appearance sheets, minutes of settlement, release agreements, etc.
- Review and proofread outgoing documents and correspondence, verifying text for accuracy and syntax.
- Maintain and update current client and arbitrator contact lists.
- Respond to routine correspondence by mail, email, and telephone calls.
General Administration
- Perform conflict searches, create, and maintain files, and close files as instructed.
- Open new client files and matters.
- Arrange and prepare courier services and pickups.
- Mail sorting and scanning.
- Support case preparation by assembling materials required during hearings.
- Maintain electronic copies of all documentation in Emond Harnden’s database to supplement available precedents.
- Input and validate lawyers’ time dockets; coordinate lawyers’ monthly/yearly docket totals as requested.
- Track lawyers’ Law Society of Ontario (LSO) Continuing Professional Development hours, and input into the LSO portal.
- Prepare or make changes to lawyers’ conference and/or seminar presentations.
- Conduct legal research by using WestlawNext and LexisNexis.
- Prepare cheque requisitions and trust deposit instructions.
Qualifications and Requirements
- Post-secondary degree or diploma in a related field.
- 3-5 years of working experience in administration, preferably in a legal or professional services environment.
- Bilingualism is an asset.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Strong attention to detail and accuracy.
- Ability to produce a high volume of high-quality work under tight deadlines while managing competing priorities.
- Ability to provide excellent customer service and ensure professionalism.
- Proficiency in MS Office & Adobe Pro.
How to Apply
To apply for this position, please submit your resume to [email protected].
We thank all applicants in advance for their interest; however, only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.
EH is committed to a diverse and inclusive environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, colour, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status. For individuals with disabilities who would like to request an accommodation, please contact our Human Resources Department at [email protected].
About Emond Harnden
Revenue: $5 to $25 million (USD)
Size: 51 to 200 Employees
Type: Private Practice / Firm
Website: www.ehlaw.ca
Year Founded: 1987