Role Responsibilities

Are you an experienced legal assistant or executive support professional looking to take your career to the next level? Do you thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment where your work directly contributes to decisions that shape the lives of Albertans?

If so, the Alberta Court of Appeal invites you to apply for an exciting opportunity to support appellate Justices in Edmonton and Calgary – at the highest court in the province.

As a Judicial Paralegal, you will play a key role in supporting one or more Justices of the Alberta Court of Appeal. Working in a team environment, you will provide comprehensive legal and executive administrative support, including:

• Managing calendars and scheduling appointments.
• Documenting and processing budgetary/claim expenses.
• Typing, formatting, editing and proofreading judgments, including researching and verifying case and statute citations, to ensure accuracy of the finished product prior to filing.
• Researching and preparing correspondence and memoranda of a highly complex and confidential nature.
• Preparing material for court hearings.
• Handling sensitive and confidential information.
• Establishing and maintaining hard-copy and electronic filing systems including organizing and classifying records.
• Handling incoming telephone inquiries and mail.
• Coordinating travel arrangements often of a complex nature.
• Coordinating meetings and conferences, which includes organizing and assembling all documents required. 
• Assisting with the training of new Judicial Assistants.
• Performing backup duties for other Judicial Assistants.
   

As the ideal candidate, you will bring: 

• Strong communication and problem-solving skills. 
• Excellent time management skills and a creative approach to managing multiple projects with competing deadlines. 
• A high level of professionalism, discretion, and attention to detail. 
• The ability to work independently with minimal supervision.
• Conflict resolution and interpersonal skills.
  
  

Please click on this link to view the job description for this position. 

APS Competencies

Competencies are behaviors that are essential to reach our goals in serving Albertans. We encourage you to have an in depth understanding of the competencies that are required for this opportunity and to be prepared to demonstrate them during the recruitment process.

This link will assist you with understanding competencies:
https://www.alberta.ca/system/files/custom_downloaded_images/psc-alberta-public-service-competency-model.pdf.

The successful candidate will demonstrate the following competencies:

• Agility: Ability to anticipate, assess, and readily adapt to changing priorities, manage resilience in times of uncertainty and effectively work in a changing environment.
   
• Develop Networks: Proactively building networks, connecting and building trust in relationships with different stakeholders.
   
• Build Collaborative Environments: Leads and contributes to the conditions and environments that allow people to work collaboratively and productively to achieve outcomes.
   
• Systems Thinking: The work done within the APS is part of a larger integrated and inter-related environment. It is important to know that work done in one part of the APS impacts a variety of other groups/projects inside and outside the APS. Systems Thinking allows us to keep broader impacts and connections in mind.
   
• Creative Problem Solving: Ability to assess options and implications in new ways to achieve outcomes and solutions.

Qualifications

Required: Two (2) year diploma in a related field (e.g., Legal Assistant, Legal Administration, Paralegal, etc.) plus two (2) years of progressively related experience in a legal or court field or environment.

Examples of related experience include: Judicial Assistant, Legal Assistant, Paralegal, and Executive Assistant.

Equivalencies will be considered on the basis of: 

• One year of directly related experience for one year of education, or 
• One year of directly related education for one year of experience.
  
  

Assets
Preference will be given to candidates with the following:

• Experience as a Judicial Assistant (at least 5 years of experience is preferred).
• Experience as an Executive Assistant.
• Experience working in a court environment.
• A Legal Assistant diploma.
• Experience working with Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint, Publisher, One Note and Outlook).
  
  

All applicants are required to provide a cover letter. Applications without a cover letter will not be considered. In your cover letter, please provide a brief overview (approximately 300-400 words) of how your skills and qualifications make you suitable for this role.

As part of the screening process, cover letters and resumes will be assessed for writing skills. AI usage is not permitted in the Courts; therefore, we require applicants to submit their applications without the assistance of AI. 

Selected candidates may be asked to complete typing and grammar tests following the interview stage. A typing speed of at least 60 WPM is required.

Minimum recruitment standards outline the minimum education and experience required for appointment to a job classification. 
Refer to https://www.alberta.ca/alberta-public-service-minimum-recruitment-standards.

Notes

Position Information:

• Positions Available: One temporary wage position (6‑month term) and permanent positions
• Work Location: Court of Appeal, Law Courts Building, Edmonton, Alberta, or Court of Appeal, 2600, 450 1 Street SW, Calgary, Alberta
• Hours of Work: Monday to Friday, 36.25 hours per week
  
  

Final candidates will be required to undergo a security screening.

Any costs associated with obtaining the required documents/checks as noted or interview travel expenses, will be the responsibility of the candidate. Out-of-province applicants can obtain the required documents/checks from the province they currently reside in. 

Links and information on what the GoA have to offer to prospective employees:

• Working for the Alberta Public Service - https://www.alberta.ca/advantages-working-for-alberta-public-service.aspx.
• Public Service Pension Plan (PSPP) - https://www.pspp.ca
• Alberta Public Service Benefit Information - https://www.alberta.ca/alberta-public-service-benefits
• Professional learning and development - https://www.alberta.ca/professional-development-support-directive.
• Research Alberta Public Service Careers tool – https://researchapscareers.alberta.ca.
• Positive workplace culture and work-life balance.
• Leadership and mentorship programs.
  
  

*Wage positions are compensated only for hours worked and are not eligible for benefits or pension contributions. In lieu of statutory holidays and vacation pay, an additional 11.6% will be added to your pay.