Legislative Counsel

Job Information
Job Title: Senior Legislative Counsel 
Job Requisition ID: 87221
Ministry: Justice
Location: Edmonton
Full or Part-Time: Full Time
Hours of Work: 36.25 hours per week
Permanent/Temporary/Wage: Temporary
Scope: Open Competition
Closing Date: Open until suitable candidates found
Classification: Civil Crown Counsel 5
Salary: $9,031.34 to $10,323.20 bi-weekly ($235,717 - $269,435/year)

The Alberta Public Service works to build a stronger province for current and future generations. We make a difference in the lives of Albertans through rewarding and diverse career opportunities.

The Legal Services Division of Alberta Justice (the Division) is the civil legal advisor to the Government of Alberta. Legal officers in the Division practice in diverse areas of law. They carry out a variety of functions, including providing legal advice to Government departments; managing risks; conducting civil litigation; and drafting bills, regulations, Orders in Council and Ministerial orders. To learn more about Alberta Justice, please visit: https://www.alberta.ca/justice.

The Legal Services Division is proud to be a learning organization and offers employees opportunities to learn and grow in their careers. With its inclusive workforce, employees are engaged and supported at all career stages.

The Legislative Counsel Office is responsible for drafting government bills, regulations and Orders in Council. The office also works with the King’s Printer to make the laws of Alberta available to the public.

Role Responsibilities

The Legislative Counsel Office is seeking an accomplished legislative drafter and legal advisor to join its team as a senior Legislative Counsel.

This position is intended for a recognized legal expert with extensive experience providing strategic legal advice and legislative drafting services on matters of significant complexity, visibility and importance to government. You will play a leadership role within the Legislative Counsel Office while supporting the Government of Alberta in achieving its legislative objectives through expert legislative drafting services, strategic legal advice and mentorship of other legislative counsel.

Reporting to the Deputy Chief Legislative Counsel and Registrar of Regulations, the senior Legislative Counsel supports the Government of Alberta in achieving its legislative objectives through the provision of expert legislative drafting services, strategic legal advice and leadership within the Legislative Counsel Office.

As a legal expert, you will work independently on complex legislative matters in challenging circumstances and provide advice and recommendations on initiatives that may have significant legal, operational, policy or reputational implications for government.

You will serve as a senior resource to legislative counsel across the office and are expected to contribute to the development of the long-term capability of the Legislative Counsel Office through leadership, mentoring and knowledge sharing. 

In this role, you will ensure client ministries' legislative objectives are achieved by:

• Providing expert legal and legislative advice on complex and strategically significant legislative proposals;
• Leading and supporting high-profile legislative projects involving substantial legal, policy, operational or political considerations;
• Assessing legal and implementation risks associated with legislative proposals and recommending practical, solution-focused strategies to mitigate those risks;
• Assisting client ministries with legislative aspects of policy development and the structural framework for legislation;
• Providing strategic advice regarding legislative options, legislative process requirements and the advancement of legislative initiatives through government decision-making processes;
• Advising ministries on legislative problem areas and transitional, compliance and enforcement issues;
• Drafting complex bills, regulations and Orders in Council in accordance with Legislative Counsel Office standards, conventions and principles of statutory interpretation;
• Mentoring and coaching legislative counsel and contributing to the development of drafting expertise within the office;
• Serving as a senior resource on legislative drafting, legislative process, statutory interpretation and legislative policy development;
• Collaborating with colleagues across the Legal Services Division and government to resolve novel, sensitive or cross-ministry legislative issues;
• Building effective working relationships with senior government officials and stakeholders while managing competing priorities and sensitive matters;
• Contributing to the development of drafting resources, business improvements and office priorities in support of divisional and government objectives; and
• Responding to ministries' inquiries regarding the drafting, enactment and implementation of legislation.

Our successful candidate will demonstrate recognized expertise in legislative drafting and legal analysis, extensive experience managing complex and sensitive legislative matters, exceptional judgment, and a proven ability to provide strategic, solution-focused legal advice.

Our ideal candidate will have experience leading significant legislative initiatives, identifying and mitigating legal and operational risks, building strong relationships with senior government officials and stakeholders, and mentoring the development of other legislative counsel.

The Job Description is provided for further details on 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.

Below is the list of critical competencies required for this role:

• Agility - Must be able to anticipate, assess, and readily adapt to changing priorities, maintain resilience, and work effectively in changing environments.
• Drive for Results - Sets goals and prioritizes work to accomplish them. Follows through on duties and tasks and reports on progress.
• Develop Networks - Proactively builds networks, foster connections, and establishes trust in relationships with diverse stakeholders.
• Systems Thinking - Understands how work contributes to the achievement of departmental goals. Anticipates changes in own area based on activities in other areas.
• Creative Problem Solving - Have the ability to assess options and implications in new ways to achieve outcomes and solutions.
• Build Collaborative Environment - Leads and contributes to the conditions and environments that allow people to work collaboratively and productively to achieve outcomes.
• Develop Self and Others - A commitment to lifelong learning and the desire to invest in the development of the long-term capability of yourself and others.

Qualifications

Requirements

• A Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) or Juris Doctor (JD) is required.
• You must be an active member of, or immediately eligible for full membership with, the Law Society of Alberta.
• Civil Crown Counsel 5: A minimum of 11 years of legal experience is required.
• A Cover Letter is required along with your application. In your cover letter, please briefly summarize:
  • Legal experience and expertise,
  • Relevant strengths and skills, and
  • Reasons for interest in the position.

Applications without a cover letter will not be considered.

Preference will be given to the applicants who possess:

• A minimum of 11 years of progressively responsible legal experience drafting government legislation, providing strategic legal advice on legislative and regulatory initiatives and working collaboratively with Legislative.
• Counsel, including at least 8 years of experience as a legislative drafter in a Government Legislative Counsel Office.
• Demonstrated expertise in drafting highly complex, high-profile and politically sensitive legislation and providing strategic advice on matters of significant legal, operational or political importance, including elections, government transitions, Cabinet and Executive Council initiatives, and other major government priorities;
• Demonstrated experience leading significant legislative projects and managing competing priorities in demanding environments;
• Demonstrated experience assessing legal risk and developing practical solutions to complex legislative issues;
• Demonstrated experience mentoring, coaching and developing legislative counsel;
• Demonstrated ability to build and maintain effective relationships with senior government officials, stakeholders, legislative and legal counsel; and
• Demonstrated success managing multiple complex legislative files with competing deadlines and priorities.

Assets

• A graduate diploma or professional certificate in Legislative Drafting.

Minimum recruitment standards outline the minimum education and experience required for appointment to a job classification.

Notes

Hours of work: Monday - Friday, 8:15 am - 4:30 pm (36.25/week)

Positions Currently Available: 2 temporary salaried positions are available for 2 years, with the possibility of extension. This job posting might be used to fill similar opportunities in the future as well.

Location: These opportunities are located at Bowker Building, 9833 - 109 Street, Edmonton.

Final candidates will be asked 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 we have to offer:

• Working for the Alberta Public Service.
• Management Employee Pension Plan (MEPP).
• Alberta Public Service Benefit Information.
• Professional learning and development.
• Research Alberta Public Service Careers tool.
• Positive workplace culture and work-life balance.

How To Apply
Applicants are advised to provide information that clearly and concisely demonstrates how their qualifications meet the advertised requirements, including education, experience, and relevant examples of required competencies.
Candidates are required to apply for a job online. Please see Job Application Resources for information. 
In your resume, please include dates (including months and years) associated with all education and work experience. For example, January 2006 - June 2009 (part-time). This example is provided for illustrative purposes only. Applicants are encouraged to present their information clearly and thoroughly, using a format that best conveys their experience.
It is recommended applicants who have completed post-secondary studies from outside of Canada obtain an evaluation of their credentials from the International Qualifications Assessment Service (IQAS) or from a recognized Canadian Credential Evaluator; please visit the Alliance of Credential Evaluation Services of Canada for more information.
It is recommended that applicants include the assessment certificate from IQAS or any other educational assessment service as part of their application.
Closing Statement
This competition may be used to fill future vacancies, across the Government of Alberta, at the same or lower classification level.
We thank all applicants for their interest. All applications will be reviewed to determine which candidates' qualifications most closely match the advertised requirements. Only individuals selected for interviews will be contacted.
If you require any further information on this job posting or require an accommodation during the recruitment process, please contact Opeyemi Asama at Opeyemi.Asama@gov.ab.ca.