Community Legal Worker

COMMUNITY LEGAL WORKER/PARALEGAL

Part time, contract

We are looking for an enthusiastic community legal worker to join our social assistance team until May 30, 2025. The position is part time at three days a week.

Duties and Responsibilities
Legal Work

Provide summary advice, brief services, and casework in social assistance matters, particularly Ontario Disability Support Program eligibility related issues
Provide summary advice, brief services, and casework in other areas of clinic law, as required
Collaborate with teams on the management and conduct of cases through informal discussions and/or formal case conferences

Law Reform, Community Organizing & Public Legal Education

Support Law Reform, Public Legal Education, and Community Organizing initiatives on poverty law issues in collaboration with the Executive Director and the legal team
When required, represent the clinic to community groups by providing resources and expertise in poverty law issues
Speak to community agencies and community members on poverty law issues, clinic services and other topics within expertise
Write, edit and review clinic produced PLE materials

Qualifications and Experience

You must be a paralegal with 1 to 5 years’ experience in good standing of the Law Society of Ontario.
You have a sound knowledge of the legislative scheme governing social assistance in Ontario, including the Ontario Works Act and ODSP Act.
You have strong advocacy skills and the ability to evaluate legal issues and exercise sound judgment.
You have a demonstrated commitment to social justice and working for positive social change on issues that affect low-income individuals and groups, particularly in the area of social assistance.
You have the strong communication and interpersonal skills that are needed to address the needs of people from a variety of social and cultural backgrounds.
You have a collaborative work approach and the ability to work well in a team-based
environment.
Experience appearing before the Social Benefits Tribunal and/or other administrative tribunals or courts is an asset.
Knowledge in other areas of clinic law and the ability to speak a second language are assets.

Terms of Employment

This is contract position ending on May 30, 2025. The annual salary range is $62,500 to $65,000, prorated to 3 days per week (o.6 FTE).

How to Apply
All applicants are asked to submit the following documents in PDF format:

a cover letter,
resume; and
contact information for two references

You can submit your application on our FactorialHR Careers Portal: scls.factorialhr.com The deadline for applications is 30 August 2024.

Additional Information

We thank all applicants for their interest however only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

SCLS welcomes applications from diverse individuals who self-identify on the basis of any of the protected grounds under the Human Rights Code. Lived experience and intersectional identities are merit factors for hiring for this position. We are committed to full compliance with the Human Rights Code, the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, the Occupational Health and Safety Act, and all other applicable legislation. We will provide accommodation during the hiring process upon request. Information received relating to accommodation measures will be addressed confidentially.

We encourage candidates to learn more about the land on which we live and the nations who have been the stewards of this place since time immemorial, including the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation and the Chippewa, the Wendat, and the Haudenosaunee Confederacy. Please see scarboroughcommunitylegal.ca/thisland for more from which to learn.