Legal Coordinator

About this position

Legal Coordinator

Application deadline: Sept 25, 2024 at 11:59pm PST.

About the Position:

The BC Civil Liberties Association (BCCLA) is a non‑partisan national leader with a mission is to promote, defend, sustain, and extend civil liberties and human rights. Please visit our website for more information.

**If you are interested and see yourself in the role but don't meet all the requirements, we still encourage you to apply!**

The BCCLA’s Legal Coordinator conducts legal research, prepares court files, documents, litigation reports, triages legal requests, facilitates cross-departmental projects, and helps build archival and posterity systems. This is a full-time, 1.0 FTE permanent position.

We are seeking an individual with familiarity with legal proceedings and administration, excellent attention to detail, and experience with administrative coordination. The successful candidate will have a knowledge of and interest in human rights and civil liberties issues, strong ethics, and a deep commitment to equality, justice, and freedom.

This position  will work partially remotely and partially in-person from our office in Vancouver at #306-268 Keefer St, on unceded Indigenous lands belonging to the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and səlil̓wətaʔɬ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil Waututh) nations. A laptop and remote access to all required platforms will be provided.

What We Offer:

Compensation: Salary is based on the BCCLA’s Bargaining Unit Collective Agreement. The starting salary for this position is $60,191 per annum.

BCCLA also offers a holistic and competitive work package:

• Unionized position
• Annual salary progression for all staff
• Comprehensive health benefits that include a personal Health Savings Accounts, as well as an extended health and dental plan for all staff, spouses and dependents.
• Life insurance, Long-term Disability Insurance, and AD&D for staff, family and dependents included within health benefits.
• Health benefits starting immediately and not dependent on completion of probationary period.
• 20 days of paid Annual Vacation, plus an additional 2 week December office closure.
• 13 Statutory paid days off every year.
• 24 days of paid Sick Leave, including 15 sick days, 4 family care days, and 5 personal wellness days.
• A generous parental leave policy including a parental leave top-up.
• Annual professional development funding for each staff.
• Team-wide professional development and training.
• Team-wide staff celebrations and staff appreciation.
• A family-friendly, child-friendly, and dog-friendly work environment that supports flexible work arrangements and time in lieu arrangements with an emphasis on work life balance.
• A workplace where your experience and voice are valued.
• A staff team of diverse backgrounds that is committed and passionate about civil liberties, human rights, equity and justice.

 Skills Required and Assets:

• Minimum two years experience with administrative assistance duties. Experience as a legal assistant preferred;
• Strong research skills;
• Strong verbal and written communication skills;
• Well-developed relationship-building and inter-personal skills, including the ability to speak with groups and strangers, and work with diverse populations;
• Skills in editing and proofreading written English;
• Must be extremely well-organized, able to prioritize tasks and meet deadlines, and work independently and as part of a team;
• Commitment to justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion;
• Experience and effectiveness with online platforms, technology, and computer applications are assets;
• Lived experience of or experience (paid or volunteer) working on issues related to BCCLA’s mandate;

Job Description

The Legal Coordinator reports to the Litigation Director, with primary responsibilities directed by the Litigation Director, and some responsibilities directed by the Policy Director.

Primary job responsibilities include:
• Prepare, proofread and format a variety of documents including court pleadings, memoranda, internal documents, briefs, motions, correspondence, invoices and other documents as requested.
• Coordinate filing of documents at various levels of court, ensuring pleadings are filed on time and that filed copies are received from pro bono counsel.
• Coordinate document distribution between BCCLA and pro bono counsel, co-counsel, and other parties working in collaboration with the legal departments.
• Compose routine correspondence.
• Support the distribution of policy submissions to external parties such as public officials and public bodies.
• Perform legal and policy research as requested, such as citation checking, consulting with court registries, internet searches, using off-site libraries, copying abstracts, cases, etc.
• Support the policy department in identifying opportunities for advocacy, including the routine review of specific government websites and public meeting agendas.
• Manage and maintain the electronic litigation filing system to ensure it is up to date, user friendly, and professional.
• Manage and maintain the community assistance request tracking sheet, analyzing to highlight patterns in community need and make recommendations for legal resource development.
• Manage and maintain the litigation department bring forward system and court calendar, utilizing case lists and Outlook calendars.
• Prepare and coordinate the completion of the litigation report for BCCLA Board of Directors meetings.
• Open and close files and maintain up to date case lists.
• Manage the organizations online legal resources and library including referral lists.
• Provide general administrative assistance to the legal departments.
• Assist in the development of office systems and procedures for the legal departments and inter-departmental legal work.
• Design and implement projects such as creating an archival system for past work.
• Other legal coordination duties as required by the legal departments.