Staff lawyer (Employment) position

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 following areas of law: housing, immigration and refugee, employment and human rights, and income maintenance.

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 junior to mid-level lawyer to join our Employment Team of two other staff lawyers on a full-time, permanent basis. The candidate will provide legal advice and representation to tenants 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 occur as well: the Tax Court of Canada, Superior Court of Justice, the Canadian Industrial Relations Board, the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal, and the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board and Workplace Safety and Insurance Appeals Tribunal.

The candidate will also collaborate with DVCLS’s community partners to provide public legal education seminars and workshops, participate in law reform initiatives and drafting policy submissions, community development projects for our community, and work on periodic inten/entions to the Supreme Court of Canada.

The anticipated start date is August or September 2021.

Qualifications:

A lawyer in good standing with the Law Society of Ontario
1-5 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 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
Ability to work both remotely or in the office

Assets:

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 appellate level
Familiarity with the Legal Aid Ontario (“LAO”) Clinic Information Management System (a.k.a. CIMS)
Familiarity with resources and agencies in DVCLS’s community
Fluency in French or a second language pertinent to serving DVCLS’s catchment area
Experience in labour or community organizing, media relations, outreach, lobbying, networking, event organizing or stakeholder engagement

Remuneration:

Salary Range: $75,000.00 to $82,500.00, based on year of call, experience and qualifications
Participation in LAO’s group RRSP plan
Participation in DVCLS’s group health and dental plan

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, Director of Legal Services, at bilimorb@lao.on.ca, by fax to 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 July 5, 2021. Interviews will be conducted on July 8 and 9, 2021.

Questions or inquiries about the position can be directed to Andrew Langille, Coordinating Staff Lawyer, at langilla@lao.on.ca and will be kept in confidence.

We thank all applicants for their interest but only those selected for an interview will be contacted. 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 applications from individuals from diverse, marginalized and racialized communities and backgrounds. 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.