LG CNSL 3 - Legal Counsel

The Team
The Ministry of Attorney General, as represented by the Attorney General, is the legal advisor to the government of British Columbia and is charged with ensuring that the administration of public affairs is carried out in accordance with the law. Legal Services Branch (LSB) supports the Attorney General in fulfilling this mandate by serving as legal advisor to government in civil law matters. LSB provides legal advice to government and ensures that legal risks associated with government operations are reduced. LSB assists all ministries of the government, Cabinet and certain public bodies.

The Justice, Health, and Revenue Group (JHR) within the Legal Services Branch of the Ministry of Attorney General is seeking to fill one full-time auxiliary Legal Counsel level 3 position for a 12 month term, commencing on or about November 2024. It is possible that this auxiliary position may become permanent. The successful applicant will serve as a solicitor on a team providing legal advice as needed by BC Corrections (Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General, Specialized Intervention) and Youth Justice (Ministry of Children and Families). This includes providing advice to correctional centres and to the youth custody centre and to probation offices throughout British Columbia, as well as other government clients of JHR, in all areas of their respective regulatory mandates. From time to time, the successful candidate should expect to be tasked with assisting government clients with legislative projects.

The Role
The successful applicant will have strong analytical abilities and legal judgment, including the ability to communicate complex issues to clients under significant time pressure. Applicants must be able to ascertain client objectives and provide relevant, creative and pragmatic legal assistance. Barrister experience may be helpful since many requests by client are to assist in providing responses to requests from Crown, Defense counsel, judiciary and police. In addition, this position also entails assisting LSB barristers on urgent court matters, requiring review of submissions and affidavits.

The successful applicant will work as part of team of lawyers and legal support staff and must have strong interpersonal and organizational skills and the ability to manage competing priorities while handling a significant volume of work.

Qualifications:
Education and Experience Requirements

• Must be a member of the Law Society of British Columbia in good standing OR immediately eligible for call to the Law Society of British Columbia with legal experience corresponding to one of the following years of call:
  • Legal Counsel level 3: 12 or more years of call.

Preference may be given to candidates with:

• Experience practicing as a barrister
• Experience as legal counsel in a government setting working with (or responding to) others in the criminal justice sector
• Experience working with one or more of the following statutes and their associated regulations:
  • Correction Act (British Columbia),
  • Criminal Code (Canada) or
  • Youth Criminal Justice Act (Canada)
• Candidates with experience providing legal advice to statutory decision-makers
• Candidates with experience providing legal advice on legislative drafting projects
• Candidates with more years of experience in any of the above preferences

For questions regarding this position, please contact Cindy.Cheuk@gov.bc.ca.

About this Position:
This position is subject to membership in the Professional Employees Association.
This is a temporary opportunity for a one year term. This position may be extended or become permanent.
Flexible work options are available; this position may be able to work from home up to 5 days per week subject to an approved telework agreement. The locations listed above are to assist applicants in searching for this opportunity and are not a complete list of locations.
An eligibility list may be established to fill future temporary and/or permanent opportunities.
A Criminal Record Check (CRC) will be required.
Employees of the BC Public Service must be located in BC at the time of employment.

Working for the BC Public Service:
The BC Public Service is committed to creating a diverse workplace to represent the population we serve and to better meet the needs of our citizens. Consider joining our team and being part of an innovative, inclusive and rewarding workplace.

We are committed to ensuring that reasonable accommodations are available throughout the hiring process, including the assessment and selection stages. Please email the individual or contact listed on the posting if you require an accommodation to fully participate in the hiring process.

The Indigenous Applicant Advisory Service is available to Canadian Indigenous (First Nations [status or non-status], Métis, or Inuit) applicants. Indigenous applicants can contact this service for personalized guidance on the BC Public Service hiring process including job applications and interviews.

The BC Public Service is an award-winning employer and offers employees competitive benefits, amazing learning opportunities and a chance to engage in rewarding work with exciting career development opportunities. For more information, please see What We Offer.

How to Apply:
Your application must clearly demonstrate how you meet the job requirements listed above. Applicants who are selected to move forward in the hiring process may be assessed on their knowledge, skills, abilities, competencies and other position related requirements as outlined in the Job Profile at the bottom of the posting.

Cover Letter: NO - Please do not submit a cover letter as it will not be reviewed.

Resume: YES - Ensure your resume includes your educational accomplishments, employment history including start and end dates (month and year) of your employment, and any relevant information that relates to the job to which you are applying. A resume is required as part of your application, however, it may not be used for initial shortlisting purposes.

Questionnaire: YES - You will need to complete a comprehensive questionnaire to demonstrate how you meet the job requirements. Include all relevant information about your educational accomplishments and employment history including job titles, start and end dates (month and year) of your employment, and how you obtained your relevant experience. The questionnaire will take approximately 60 minutes to complete.

Find more information on the recruitment process, including helpful tips and videos about the application process, visit the Your Job Application page of MyHR. Gain insights into the hiring journey by joining a Career Conversation. Applications will be accepted until 11:00 pm Pacific Time on the closing date of the competition. If you are experiencing technical difficulty applying, visit the Technical Assistance page of MyHR.