Lawyer 1-3 (Litigation)
Competition # : 46270
Department: Justice
Location: HALIFAX
Type of Employment: Permanent
Union Status: NSGLA
Closing Date: 26-Jun-25 (Applications are accepted until 11:59 PM Atlantic Time)
About Us
The Legal Services Division of the Department of Justice is the government’s law office, responsible for the provision of all legal services (excluding prosecutions) to the Province of Nova Scotia. The lawyers in the Legal Services Division provide legal advice and services on a broad range of matters to the Government and many of its agencies, boards and commissions. The Legal Services Division consists of Solicitor Services, Litigation Services and the Registry of Regulations.
For more information on the Department of Justice Legal Services please visit our website.
About Our Opportunity
We are recruiting a lawyer for one of our general litigation teams. The lawyer is responsible for providing effective and efficient legal counsel to the Government of Nova Scotia and its agencies, boards and commissions, to ensure that public affairs are administered in accordance with the law, and conducting the carriage of legal actions in the courts of Nova Scotia.
You will provide legal advice and opinions on matters of law and legal policy to senior government officials. You will conduct research, prepare and review legal documents, and interpret contracts, legislation, and regulations. As a member of the litigation team, the lawyer will be responsible for the effective and efficient representation of the Crown in the course of civil proceedings before trial and appeal courts, boards, and tribunals. Although this position is primarily based in Halifax the successful applicants will be required to travel to other parts of the province from time to time as required.
Primary Accountabilities
- Appear before administrative tribunals, the Supreme Court, Nova Scotia Court of Appeal, and the Supreme Court of Canada;
- Consult with client Deputy Ministers, Executive Directors, and other senior leaders on matters involving law, negotiation, tactics, or public policy;
- Serve on interdepartmental committees and 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 with a minimum of three (3) years of practice experience in general litigation, with experience in one or more of the following areas of law: administrative; constitutional; contracts; personal injury/torts; habeas corpus; creditor/debtor; privacy; and property.
The following are assets:
- Experience advsiing government departments or agencies;
- Experience in class actions;
- Experience advising clients on civil procedure and/or interpretation of legislation;
- Experience in applications for judicial review;
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: written examination, standardized tests, oral presentations, interview(s), and reference checks.
Benefits
Based on the employment status and union agreement, the Government of Nova Scotia offers its employees a wide range of benefits such as a Defined Benefit Pension Plan, Health, Dental, Life Insurance, General illness, Short and Long Term Disability, Vacation and Employee and Family Assistance Programs. For information on all our Benefit program offerings, click here: Benefits for government employees.
What We Offer
- Career development where you have access to career guidance, tools, resources, and ongoing training for every stage of your career.
- Engaging workplace: our employees feel valued, respected, connected, and tuned in, we have forward-thinking policies and strategies.
- Countless career paths.
- Department specific flexible working schedules.
Pay Grade: LAW I - LAW III
Salary Range: $3,297.75 - $6,084.28 Bi-Weekly
Employment Equity Statement:
Our goal is to be a diverse workforce that is representative, at all job levels, of the citizens we serve. The Government of Nova Scotia has an Employment Equity Policy, and we welcome applications from Indigenous People, African Nova Scotians and Other Racially Visible Persons, Persons with Disabilities and Women in occupations or positions where they are under-represented. If you are a member of one of these equity groups, you are encouraged to self-identify on your electronic application.
Accommodation Statement:
We are committed to providing an inclusive and accessible recruitment process. Candidates may request accommodations based on any grounds protected by the Human Rights Act. If you require an accommodation throughout the recruitment process, please contact us at competitions@novascotia.ca.
This is an Association position initially restricted to current Nova Scotia Government Lawyers Association employees. In accordance with the Agreement with the Nova Scotia Government Lawyers Association, the order of consideration will be eligible ‘Expression of Interest’ EOI applicants, eligible internal applicants then external applicants. PLEASE NOTE: Candidates will not be considered for an interview if applications are incomplete or are missing information.
Current government employees may access this posting through the link below:
Offer of employment is conditional upon the completion of all applicable background checks and confirmation of credentials, the results of which must be satisfactory to the employer. We thank all applicants for the interest, however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted. All questions and concerns may be directed to Competitions@novascotia.ca.
