The Legal Services Department is responsible for providing legal advice and services with respect to all of the City's activities including conduct of real estate and corporate/commercial transactions, litigation and by-law prosecutions, claims/risk management, by-law drafting and statutory interpretation, contracts, constitutional, labour and employment law and other areas specific to municipal corporations.
Under the general direction of the Director of Legal Services and City Solicitor, as well as two Deputy Directors, the successful candidate will be responsible for providing legal advice, representation and mentorship with respect to all facets of civil litigation, representing the City before various courts and administrative tribunals in a professional, competent manner.
The successful candidate will be a subject matter expert in the area of practice and will mentor other lawyers in the practice group, as well as monitor and manage the distribution of work assigned to the lawyers within the practice group.
As the Solicitor IV (Litigation Lead), you will:
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Provide complex and (or) sensitive legal advice and other legal services to the municipal corporation, its departments, and committees of Council.
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Negotiate and advocate for the City at mediations, judicially assisted dispute resolutions, and arbitrations.
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Conduct or oversee litigation matters in Provincial Offences Court, Provincial Court, Small Claims Court, Court of King's Bench and the Court of Appeal in areas such as:
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By-law Prosecutions;
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Assessment and taxation appeals;
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Collections;
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Commercial and contract disputes;
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Construction, land development and property disputes;
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Constitutional claims;
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Inquests;
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Applications for judicial review, statutory appeals and other similar proceedings; and
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Personal injury and other tort claims.
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Provide representation before administrative tribunals including the Manitoba Municipal Board, Public Utilities Board and Land Valuation Appraisal Commission.
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Assign matters and provide mentorship to lawyers within the litigation practice group.
Your education and qualifications include:
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Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) degree, Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree, or equivalent.
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Minimum of 10 years of legal experience (may include articling and relevant non-practicing experience).
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Minimum of 5 years post-articling experience in the area of civil litigation.
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Experience with supervising or mentoring others.
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Experience assigning work and monitoring the workflow of assignments within a team.
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Excellent verbal communication skills, including the ability to persuasively advocate, and explain technical and legal information in plain language to all levels of the organization and external stakeholders.
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Superior written communication skills with the ability to author a variety of court documents, internal documents, policies, and correspondence.
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Excellent interpersonal skills including the ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with individuals at all levels of the municipal organization, external contacts, and the public.
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Excellent organizational and time management skills to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines.
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Ability to work independently and produce high-quality work, with minimal supervision.
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Excellent problem solving and decision-making skills.
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Strong negotiation skills, including using sound judgment, diplomacy and discretion when dealing with contentious issues.
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Knowledge of the Rules and Procedures of the Court of King's Bench, or similar rules.
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Knowledge of municipal law, rules of evidence and procedural fairness.
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Experience as in-house counsel is considered an asset.
- IMPORTANT: Applicants who have been educated outside of Canada must have education which is comparable to the minimum qualification in Canada. Applicants submitting foreign credentials require an official academic assessment report issued by a recognized Canadian assessment service https://www.canalliance.org/en/ at application.
Conditions of employment:
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The successful applicant must maintain legal eligibility to work in Canada. If the successful applicant possesses a work permit, it is their responsibility to ensure the permit remains valid.
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Member in good standing or eligible for membership with the Law Society of Manitoba.
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A Police Information Check satisfactory to the employer will be required from the applicant(s) or successful candidate(s), at their expense.
