The Team
The Justice, Health, and Revenue Group within the Legal Services Branch of the Ministry of Attorney General is seeking to fill a permanent Legal Counsel 2 position. 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 Role
The Legal Counsel will provide the Ministry of Health and other government clients with legal advice and litigation services through the advancement of government class action litigation. They will work independently and as part of a team of barristers, solicitors, paralegals, and support staff; appear before all levels of court; draft legal opinions and interpret case law and legislation; and support client Ministry staff. Legal Counsel are expected to negotiate and recommend settlements where appropriate and provide litigation-related advice to diverse government clients. The ideal candidate will have strong analytical abilities and legal judgment, including the ability to communicate complex issues to clients in a timely way. Applicants must be able to ascertain client objectives and provide relevant, creative, and pragmatic legal assistance. They must have strong 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 between six (6) and eleven (11) years of call or between six (6) and eleven (11) years of relevant practice experience as a lawyer, if called for more than eleven (11) years. To be considered for this position if you have more than 11 years of call, your materials must clearly explain how your relevant practice experience, as a lawyer, is less than your years of call.
- Demonstrated experience working effectively both independently and as a member of a team.
- Demonstrated experience applying a high level of organization to manage files with competing priorities to meet deadlines.
- Demonstrated experience applying strong analytical abilities and legal judgment, including by communicating complex issues to clients in a timely way.
- Demonstrated experience with ascertaining client objectives and providing relevant, creative, and pragmatic legal assistance, sometimes under very tight timelines.
Preference may be given to candidates with:
- Recent litigation experience as lead counsel (in the last 3 years)
- Recent class action litigation experience (in the last 3 years)
- Experience representing plaintiffs in personal injury litigation
- Experience with the Health Care Costs Recovery Act and/or other Government health care cost recovery legislation
- Experience advising Government decision makers
IMPORTANT: Where there is a difference between the qualifications reflected in the posting and the Job Profile, those stated on the job posting will be used for screening purposes.
For questions regarding this position, please contact Kelly.Millar@gov.bc.ca.
About this Position:
This position is based in Victoria.
Flexible work options are available; this position may be able to work up to 5 days at home per week subject to an approved telework agreement.
An eligibility list may be established to fill future temporary and/or permanent vacancies.
This position is subject to membership in the Professional Employees’ Association (PEA).
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 Indigenous (First Nations [status or non-status], Inuit or Métis) applicants originating from the land now known as Canada, seeking work or already employed in the BC Public Service. Indigenous applicants can contact this service for personalized guidance on the BC Public Service hiring process including job applications and interviews.
Working for BC Public Service offers a competitive salary, diverse work environment, a healthy work/life balance, and excellent benefits. In addition to the base salary for Professional Employee Association members, there is an allowance to cover professional fees, strong dental and medical plans and much more. Salary listed does not include the additional 7% Overtime Shift Standby (OSS) provision that can be taken as taken as time off or salary on an annual basis which is on top of four (4) weeks annual leave.
How to Apply:
Your resume and cover letter must clearly show that you meet the education and experience requirements. Highlight the required qualifications and support them with specific examples, such as your responsibilities, projects you've worked on, or accomplishments. Find more information on the recruitment process, including helpful tips and videos about the application process, visit the Your Job Application page of MyHR.
Cover Letter: YES - A cover letter is required as part of your application. The content and/or format of your cover letter may be evaluated as part of the assessment process.
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.
Questionnaire: YES - You will need to complete a standard questionnaire (current employment status, eligibility to apply, etc.).
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. 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.
