Crown Counsel

ELIGIBILITY FOR THIS COMPETITION IS RESTRICTED TO STEP 1 CANDIDATES INCLUDING OPS ALOC AND OCAA LAWYERS living or working within 125 km of this location. Note: Eligible lawyers from outside the Area of Search may apply but will not be entitled to relocation or travel expenses for the transfer as set out below.
 Step 1: All regular/fixed-term OCAA and ALOC lawyers on staff, current Redeployment List Members and current Articling Student Hireback Pool Members. 
Step 2: In the absence of qualified applicants at Step 1 the competition may be reposted so that external applicants or non-members of the above-mentioned groups would then be eligible to apply.
The Ministry of the Attorney General, Legal Services Branch, Ministry of the Solicitor General, has an immediate challenging opportunity for an intermediate or senior counsel to provide legal advice and opinions to ministry clients.
Our Values: Integrity, Judgment, Commitment, Justice, Accountability, Courage, Collaboration
The Legal Services branch welcomes applications from candidates who can contribute to the goal of promoting a diverse, respectful and supportive workplace.

OPS Commitment to Diversity, Inclusion, Accessibility, and Anti-Racism:

We are committed to build a workforce that reflects the communities we serve and to promote a diverse, anti-racist, inclusive, accessible, merit-based, respectful and equitable workplace.
We invite all interested individuals to apply and encourage applications from people with disabilities, Indigenous, Black, and racialized individuals, as well as people from a diversity of ethnic and cultural origins, sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions.
Visit the OPS Anti-Racism Policy and the OPS Diversity and Inclusion Blueprint pages to learn more about the OPS commitment to advance racial equity, accessibility, diversity, and inclusion in the public service.
We offer employment accommodation across the recruitment process and all aspects of employment consistent with the requirements of Ontario's Human Rights Code. Refer to the "How to apply" section if you require a disability-related accommodation.

What can I expect to do in this role?

This role requires counsel to provide legal services to ministry clients including: Correctional Services, Public Safety Division, the Ontario Provincial Police, the Office of the Chief Coroner, the Office of the Centre of Forensic Sciences, Animal Welfare Services and the ministry's Strategic Policy, Research and Innovation Division as well as other corporate divisions and ministry agencies.
Duties may include:
• Work on the development of legislation and regulations as well as on ministerial directions and Orders in Council;
• Negotiate, draft, review and advise on a variety of legal documents and instruments including memoranda of understanding, appointments, and contracts including matters that may pertain to transfer payments, complex procurements in the areas of IT, ASD, and goods and services of all kinds, intellectual property, privacy, digital or IT products and services, duty to consult obligations or crown agencies;
• Providing written and oral legal opinions and advice to the divisions and branches of a diverse client ministry to support the operational, policy and legislative requirements of the ministry including addressing a wide range of legislative and regulatory issues, agency administration and oversight, funding and lending matters, planning matters, corporate governance and corporate financing and conflict of interest issues.

How do I qualify?

Mandatory

Membership in good standing as a lawyer with the Law Society of Ontario

Knowledge and Skills

• Experience in drafting and advising on documents related to public law (appointments, crown agencies, orders-in-council) and corporate/commercial law, including complex contracts that may pertain to transfer payments, procurements, intellectual property, privacy, and digital or IT products and services or the duty to consult;
• Demonstrated experience in negotiating, drafting and reviewing corporate and commercial documents including secured lending documents, procurement documents, grant agreements, and other commercial legal documents with varying levels of complexity;
• Ability to recognize and assess legal implications in proposed and existing programs and initiatives and able to provide innovative, strategic, risk-based and solutions-oriented legal advice on complex, time-sensitive and high-profile issues that arise;
• Demonstrated analytical skills, political acuity and judgment including ability to identify and assess legal and risk implications in client practices, policies and programs;
• Demonstrated ability to handle a high-volume practice involving senior clients with short turnaround times, and able to work both independently and as part of a team with effective outcomes;
• Demonstrated commitment to providing excellent client service and ability to produce high-quality work under tight deadlines with changing and competing demands;
• Demonstrated knowledge of applicable Ontario Public Service Directives and Policies;
• Knowledge of thePolice Services Act, Ministry of Correctional Services Act, Provincial Animal Welfare Services Act, Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, theStatutory Powers andProcedure Act, theHuman Rights Code
• Demonstrated interpersonal skills and experience leading legal support with ability to be a collegial team player and a commitment to diversity, inclusion and accessibility