Legal Assistant

OKT Law•Toronto, ON

10d•CA$80,000 - CA$90,000•Onsite

About The Position

OKT is seeking a Legal Assistant to provide high-level legal and administrative support to a senior Partner with an Aboriginal and Treaty Rights litigation and negotiation practice. This is a trust-based role that requires practice management experience, executive-level organizational capability, and the ability to manage complex, long-running, multi-jurisdictional files with minimal direction. The Partner’s practice spans major Aboriginal title claims before provincial courts, Peace and Friendship Treaty litigation and negotiation, Indigenous consultation and regulatory matters, federal environmental assessment proceedings, and significant academic and public engagement. The successful candidate will be a skilled legal professional who is equally comfortable managing a demanding calendar, coordinating multi-party file logistics, and producing polished legal documents in a fast-moving, high-stakes environment.

Requirements

Minimum 8 years of experience as a legal assistant or an executive assistant in a law firm environment
Demonstrated experience supporting complex, multi-party, or long-running litigation files
Familiarity with court procedures across multiple jurisdictions
Executive-level organizational and calendar management skills with the ability to manage competing deadlines across a demanding and varied practice
Experience coordinating or managing complex files or projects across multiple parties, timelines, and jurisdictions with minimal supervision
Proficiency in Microsoft Office 365 and iManage or equivalent document management system
Exceptional written and verbal communication skills
High attention to detail and ability to produce polished legal documents under time pressure
Discretion, professionalism, and sound judgment in handling sensitive, privileged, and community-specific information

Nice To Haves

Experience in Aboriginal law, constitutional law, public law, or treaty/land claims
Experience working with or in support of Indigenous Nations, communities, governments, or organizations
Familiarity with federal environmental assessment processes, regulatory proceedings, or consultation frameworks
Experience supporting academic, public engagement, or policy work
Completion of a legal assistant, law clerk, paralegal diploma or university degree program

Responsibilities

Support the preparation of complex legal documents, including agreements, pleadings, motions, factums, affidavits, records, and correspondence for Aboriginal and Treaty rights litigation and negotiation.
Manage all court filing deadlines and ensure accurate, timely filing with trial and appellate courts and administrative tribunals across multiple jurisdictions, including Ontario and New Brunswick.
Prepare and organize trial and hearing materials, including exhibit binders, authorities, and counsel materials for complex, multi-week proceedings.
Liaise with court registries, opposing counsel, co-counsel, expert witnesses, and Indigenous community contacts across jurisdictions.
Conduct conflict checks and manage file opening, organization, and closing procedures.
Maintain and organize extensive electronic and physical case files using iManage and related legal databases across long-running, multi-party matters.
Manage a complex, high-volume calendar including court dates, negotiation sessions, client and community meetings, regulatory hearings, and academic and speaking commitments across multiple time zones.
Draft and edit correspondence, memos, reports, and client communications, including bilingual materials where required.
Screen and triage incoming communications, manage follow-up, and ensure the Partner’s time and attention are directed to the highest-priority matters.
Coordinate logistics for client meetings, community consultations, travel, and multi-party proceedings, including accommodating Indigenous community protocols and remote or northern locations.
Support the Partner’s academic and public engagement work, including lecture coordination, manuscript preparation, and committee and panel administrative support.
Prepare expense reports, coordinate billing, and assist with docketing and file management.
Oversee the lifecycle of major, long-running litigation and negotiation files from intake through to resolution, including files spanning several years and multiple proceedings.
Track key milestones, court-ordered timelines, negotiation deadlines, and regulatory obligations across active matters; proactively flag risks and manage follow-up with internal and external parties.
Coordinate across co-counsel, expert witnesses, Indigenous community representatives, and Indigenous government parties to ensure consistent communication and timely delivery.
Develop and maintain file management systems, precedent libraries, and workflow tools suited to complex Aboriginal law practice.
Support knowledge management and assist with research coordination for novel or evolving areas of Aboriginal and Treaty rights law.
Stay current on procedural developments in relevant courts and tribunals, including changes to filing rules and practices in Ontario and New Brunswick.
Contribute positively to team culture and operations; provide backup support to other assistants as needed.
Perform other duties and special projects as required.