Lawyer (Casual Roster)

About Us

This is an opportunity to join the government’s law firm – the Legal Services Division of the Department of Justice. Legal Services lawyers advise and represent the provincial government on the most pressing legal and public policy issues of the day. 

We are the legal counsel for the Government of Nova Scotia, Crown corporations, agencies, boards, and commissions. We help ensure that public affairs are administered effectively, efficiently and in accordance with the law.

For more information on the Department of Justice Legal Services please visit our website: https://novascotia.ca/just/LegalServices
 

About Our Opportunity

If you are interested in a casual opportunity with government and have experience in legal matters such as administrative law, employment law, contracts, regulations, child protection and/or litigation and have flexibility to accept a short-term assignment, please forward your resume as described below.
 

Primary Accountabilities

• Advising Ministers, Deputy/Associate Deputy Ministers, Executive Directors, and other senior government leaders on matters involving law, negotiation, strategy, and public policy;
• Drafting and interpreting statutes and regulations;
• Drafting and interpreting contracts;
• Assisting with submissions to Cabinet;
• Presenting information about government and law to the public generally or as part of a consultation process for public policy development; and
• Serving on project teams with senior and intermediate staff of client departments.
   

Qualifications and Experience

As our successful candidate, you will:

• Be a practicing member of the Nova Scotia Barristers Society (or eligible for practicing membership), in good standing; 

The following are assets, but not required:

• Experience advising government departments, Crown corporations, agencies, boards, and commissions and other public sector entities; and
• Experience with civil litigation
• Experience with commercial transactions.

Our successful candidate will have excellent research, analytical, and organizational skills.  You communicate effectively and persuasively, orally and in writing, and have the ability to function with minimal supervision in a team environment.  Our ideal candidate will demonstrate the ability to offer creative and innovative solutions to complex challenges and have the flexibility to adapt and thrive in a continuously changing and demanding environment.

We will assess the above qualifications using one or more of the following tools: oral presentations, interview(s), and reference checks.
 

Working Conditions

Physical effort includes:
 

• Sitting at a computer for long periods of time

Sensory attention includes:
 

• Ability to review voluminous written material, to write, to think conceptually and to think strategically
• Mental focus is required for long periods of time and very good memory is required
• Ability to handle adversarial people in ways that de-escalate and build insights with others in frequently required.

Mental pressure includes:
 

• Ability to handle pressure situations, multiple deadlines and many competing demands.
• Long periods of concentration are required at hearings and writing briefs
• Must handle stressful situations in a way that allows one to glean the relevant information but not engage it personally and not react to it negatively.
• May be required to work overtime on occasion
   

Additional Information

This posting is a call for resumes to be considered for casual opportunities that arise within the Legal Services Division. Casual positions are filled from a roster of pre-screened candidates.

This competition will be open until May 31, 2025, and candidates may apply until that date. Resumes will be kept on file until the closing of the competition on May 31, 2025. At that time a new call for resumes will be issued and any candidates with a continued interest in casual positions will be asked to re-apply.