Staff Lawyer, Family Law Centres P035-26

Legal Aid BC•Surrey, BC

4d•CA$75,252 - CA$148,241•Hybrid

About The Position

Legal Aid BC is seeking a Staff Lawyer for their Family Law Centre in Surrey. This role is responsible for providing legal counsel and representation in a full range of family and child protection law matters, including separation, divorce, parenting arrangements, property division, and child protection. The position involves duty counsel services, working collaboratively with community advocates, and contributing to legal services, program development, and law reform. Legal Aid BC is committed to Truth and Reconciliation, and Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, and encourages applications from equity-seeking groups.

Requirements

A degree from a Law School of recognized standing and membership or eligibility for membership in the Law Society of British Columbia.
Experience as per job posting year of call requirements, in general practice with an emphasis on family and child protection law.
Experience supervising support staff.
Experience at Provincial and Supreme Court levels involving the full range of family law and child protection issues.
Or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
A valid BC driver’s license is required.
Must be willing and able to travel throughout BC.
Knowledge of family and child protection law and practice and a deep understanding of the impact of family violence.
Experience screening for family violence, doing risk assessments and safety planning.
Ability to understand trauma and its effects on memory, cognition, communication, and relationships.
Ability to work with people who have experienced trauma and experience with applying a trauma informed, anti-oppressive, and culturally sensitive approach to your legal practice.
An understanding of issues affecting Indigenous communities, knowledge of Indigenous cultures, justice concepts, and Indigenous community groups and agencies.
Knowledge of administrative principles, practices, techniques, policies, and legislative development relevant to Indigenous programs, services and activities.
An awareness of government laws and policies impacting Indigenous peoples.
Knowledge of the structure and history of Indigenous communities within BC.
Demonstrated awareness of the local community's cultural diversity, knowledge of various community resources available, including Indigenous cultures.
Experience working with clients experiencing multiple intersecting barriers to accessing legal aid services, including clients experiencing poverty and/or low incomes, equity seeking groups, or those whose first language is not English.
Knowledge of and experience with collaborative processes, including the Ministry of Children and Family Development and Delegated Aboriginal Agency’s collaborative planning and decision-making policies.
Ability to practice cultural sensitivity using extensive knowledge of Truth & Reconciliation and Equity, Diversity & Inclusion.
Ability to practice active listening, non-violent communication, non-violent crisis intervention and de-escalation techniques in order to achieve communication and information sharing with clients facing barriers to service through a lens of Truth & Reconciliation and Equity, Diversity & Inclusion.
Ability to understand and comply with LABC Policy and Procedures.
Ability to develop resourceful solutions to legal problems of clients and competing claims.
Ability to assert the rights of persons in all family law and child protection matters at Provincial and Supreme Court levels.
Demonstrated solid legal analyses of issues affecting client.
Ability to work with, negotiate, discuss and resolve matters with opposing lawyers, witnesses and Judges as appropriate.
Ability to make effective courtroom presentations.
Demonstrated strong problem solving and decision-making abilities.
Ability to carry a caseload and close a specified number of files annually in accordance with LABC requirements.
Ability to handle a high stress environment with multiple tasks running simultaneously and meet deadlines.
Ability to work independently with minimal supervision and as part of a team.
Must have excellent interpersonal and communication skills (oral and written).
Must have a proven record of success as a lawyer, such as achieving positive client outcomes.
Must be able to complete time logs and monthly caseload reports in a timely manner.
Familiarity with Microsoft Office, MS Teams, Zoom and other web-based platforms for communication, scheduling, and file management.
Employment is conditional upon completing and obtaining clearance from the following: Criminal Record Check (CRC) in accordance with the Criminal Records Review Act, Law Society Check, Current and previous vendors with Legal Aid BC are subject to a standard internal review of audit and investigation files.

Responsibilities

Provides family law services including summary legal advice and information to clients and individual case representation.
Provides duty counsel services in courts as assigned.
Screens and supports clients who have experienced family violence.
Conducts legal research and prepares required documents.
Develops solutions to family problems and acts for clients in all family matters at hearings, trials and appeals in all levels of BC Courts.
Discusses, negotiates and resolves case matters by working with opposing lawyers, judges, witnesses and police as appropriate.
Provides day to day supervision and work direction including performance planning, coaching and feedback sessions to support staff.
Collaborates with community advocates through the exchange of information and assistance with LABC work and law reform work.
Builds reciprocal relationships and partnerships with local community, including Indigenous community by attending community cultural events and conferences etc. to network, raise awareness of LABC and services, present information and identify community needs.
Provides advice on service issues, policy development, pilot projects, and local practices in the Region.
Completes time logs and monthly caseload reports as requested and in accordance with standard requirements.
Develops partnerships and effective working relationships with the private bar and other justice system participants in the Region.
Performs other related duties as required.

Benefits

Four weeks paid vacation to start that grows the longer you are with LABC
An excellent employee benefits package, where premiums are 100% paid by LABC
A generous defined benefit pension plan
Support for training and development
An Employee and Family Assistance program
The opportunity to participate in various Employee programs (Employee Wellness, etc.)
Support for a healthy work/life balance
Generous leave provisions (sick time, special leaves)
13 paid statutory holidays
An opportunity for a flexible hybrid work arrangement for some positions (LABC reserves the right to change this policy at any time)
Transit friendly employer for eligible staff to have their commute subsidized
Dog-friendly offices
Dedicated Cultural Leave provisions for Indigenous employees