Staff Lawyer (Employment)

Don Valley Community Legal Services

Don Valley Community Legal Services (“DVCLS”) is a community legal clinic funded by Legal Aid Ontario. DVCLS provides free, clinic law services to persons of modest income in the areas of housing, immigration and refugee, employment law and income supports. We are located in Toronto, and our catchment area is bounded by Lake Ontario on the South to York Mills/401 on the North, and from Yonge Street/Don River on the West to Victoria Park Avenue on the East.

DVCLS is seeking a mid-level lawyer to join our Employment Team on a full-time, permanent basis. The candidate will be an employee of DVCLS, but will provide legal services in employment law through Toronto East Employment and Immigration Legal Services (“TEEILS”), which is a partnership of five general service clinics located east of Yonge Street. In particular, the candidate will provide employment law services to those clients living in the physical catchment areas of Willowdale Community Legal Services (“WCLS”) and Neighbourhood Legal Services (“NLS”).

More specifically, the candidate will provide legal advice and representation through TEEILS to clients primarily at the Ontario Labour Relations Board, the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario, the Social Security Tribunal and Small Claims Court. Periodic work at the following bodies may also occur: the Superior Court of Justice, the Canadian Industrial Relations Board and the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal.

The candidate will also collaborate with the community partners of both DVCLS and TEEILS to provide public legal education seminars and workshops, participate in law reform initiatives and drafting policy submissions, community development projects and periodic interventions to the Supreme Court of Canada.

In accordance with DVCLS’s hybrid workplace model, the successful candidate will be expected to work both remotely and on-site at the offices of DVCLS, and possibly WCLS and NLS.

The anticipated start date is May or June 2023.

Qualifications:

A lawyer in good standing with the Law Society of Ontario
3 – 5 years of demonstrated legal experience representing clients in matters related to employment, labour, and human rights law
General knowledge of precarious work, social determinants of health, labour migration, and social welfare policy at provincial and federal levels
Working to expert knowledge of the Employment Standards Act, 2000, Human Rights Code, Occupational Health and Safety Act, Canada Labour Code, Canadian Human Rights Act, Employment Insurance Act, and other ameliorative statutes pertaining to employment law
Strong legal and advocacy skills, written and oral communication skills
Excellent Word, Excel, Microsoft Outlook and internet research skills
Ability to collaborate and work as a team with other lawyers, paralegals and support staff
Ability to handle a full caseload, meet tight deadlines, maintain accuracy and attention to detail with minimal supervision
Demonstrated commitment to working from frameworks such as anti-oppression, social justice, equity, critical race theory, etc.
Experience working with a diverse range of clients from low-income and marginalized groups, including and in particular clients with mental health challenges
Ability to diffuse tense situations and to assist people in crisis in a calming and helpful manner
Ability to prepare and present public legal education seminars and workshops to the community using plain English
Proof of full COVID-19 vaccination, subject to medical or Ontario Human Rights Code based exemptions

Assets:

Prior experience working at a community legal clinic and with the Clinic Information Management System
Clerking experience or a graduate degree with a focus on the regulation of employment or aligned field, such as an M.I.R., LL.M., or M.A.
Experience litigating at the Tax Court of Canada, the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board, the Workplace Safety and Insurance Appeals Tribunal or at the appellate level
Familiarity with resources and agencies in the communities serviced by DVCLS, WCLS or NLS
Fluency in French or a second language pertinent to serving the catchment areas of DVCLS, WCLS or NLS
Experience in labour or community organizing, media relations, outreach, lobbying, networking, event organizing or stakeholder engagement

Remuneration:

Salary Range: $82,000.00 to $115,000.00 based on year of call, experience and qualifications. The expectation is that the salary would be in the low to middle of the previously stated range.

Participation in DVCLS’s group benefits plan
Participation in DVCLS’s defined benefit pension plan
Payment of the LSO annual dues invoice (as per commencement of employment)

Applications:

Applications must include a resume, cover letter, contact information for two references and a writing sample of up to five pages (opinion letter, research memo, factum etc.).

Applications should be addressed to the Hiring Committee and may be submitted by email to bhavin.bilimoria@dvcls.clcj.ca, by fax at 416-441-0269, or by mail to 1 Leaside Park Drive, Unit 1, Toronto, ON M4H 1R1.

The deadline for applications is 5:00 PM on Friday, April 21, 2023.

We thank all applicants for their interest but we will only be contacting those selected for an interview.

As an employer, DVCLS is dedicated to building an organization that reflects the diversity of our clients and the communities we serve. This includes diversity in languages spoken, culture, race, sexual orientation and gender identity. We encourage individuals from diverse, marginalized and racialized communities and backgrounds to submit their application.

DVCLS promotes the principles of anti-oppression and adheres to the tenets of Ontario’s Human Rights Code. Please let us know if you have any accommodation needs regarding the submission of your application.