Bora Laskin Faculty of Law
Thunder Bay
Full-time
Permanent
OverviewThe Review Counsel who reports to the Director of Community Legal Services, is responsible for comprehensive and detailed supervision, and evaluation of law students working in the legal clinic (LUCLS) as summer students or for course credit. Review Counsel supervises all file work and provision of legal services done by students for clients of the clinic, including, advocacy, file management, legal research, legal problem solving, negotiations and professional ethics. Review Counsel also supports the work of the clinic in community outreach, advocacy projects and public legal education initiatives. Some travel for training and provision of services in the region is required.
Responsibilities- Comprehensive and detailed supervision / mentoring of law students in the areas of written and oral advocacy, client management, file management, legal analysis, legal research, legal drafting, legal problem solving, negotiations with adverse parties and professional ethics.
- Ensure students are meeting all file and court deadlines and limitation periods.
- Ensure students provide accurate and strategically sound legal information to clients.
- Ensure accuracy of legal research conducted by and legal advice to be given by students, both of which must be reviewed and approved by the Review Counsel in advance.
- Ensure students comply with the Law Society of Ontario's Rules of Professional Conduct.
- Meets regularly with students to provide guidance, and feedback on their file work.
- Travel in the region as needed to facilitate provision and expansion of services into the region.
- Assist the Director in the delivery of the Clinical Legal Education course by providing training seminars to students, as required.
- Facilitates small group "reflective" exercises.
- Evaluates student performance to determine grades of students enrolled in the Clinical Legal Education course.
- When necessary, Review Counsel are required to assume carriage of a client file and provide legal representation when students are unable to fulfill the requirements of the legal retainer or are unable to appear in court.
- Maintain their license to practice law in Ontario.
- Completing their annual CPD training hours required by Law Society of Ontario.
- Undertaking self study to maintain an up to date knowledge of all areas of substantive law, practice and scholarly literature which is relevant to their work.
- In conjunction with the Director, oversees and supervises initiatives in Public Legal Education for members of the public, community groups and partners.
- Liaise with community partners as required, to determine topics and priorities for Public Legal Education initiatives.
- Other duties as assigned by the Director.
Qualifications- LLB or Juris Doctor Degree.
- Current member in good standing as a lawyer with the Law Society of Ontario (licenced to practice law in Ontario).
- Minimum of 5 years of collective litigation experience in Criminal Law and Provincial Offences.
- Interest / experience in other areas of social justice and poverty law including Tenant Rights, Employment Law and Small Claims Court disputes is an asset.
- Demonstrated ability in serving low-income clients and persons with disabilities in a respectful and sensitive manner.
- Demonstrated cultural competencies, experience serving Indigenous persons, familiarity with Indigenous communities in Northern Ontario.
- Proven ability to supervise and mentor students.
- Familiarity with Legal Aid Ontario, its mandate and structure.
- Ability to provide legal services and supervision in French is an asset.
- Excellent oral and written communication skills.
- Excellent computer (Microsoft) skills.
