WeirFoulds has established itself as the premier regional law firm in Ontario, and has provided strategic, cost-effective, and innovative legal advice to our clients since 1860. A firm is only as good as its people and at WeirFoulds we are committed to hiring top talent. We offer a friendly and collaborative culture, where you will not only be working at a great place but also getting the mentorship and opportunities to help you learn and develop so you can fulfill your potential.

Role Summary

We are currently recruiting for a Manager, Legal Support Services, who will be responsible for the overall management and operation of the Legal Support Services (LSS) function to foster a respectful and productive work environment. This role will report to the Director, Human Resources.

We are seeking a high-energy self-starter who is:

• Skilled in legal practice management and support, and passionate about working closely with people to drive operational service excellence.
• Able to continuously assess and evolve the legal support model to meet the changing needs of the firm’s legal professionals and their practices.
• Ambitious to learn and grow in a fast-changing and complex environment.

A combination of prior legal assistant/ law clerk experience with people management skills would be considered highly advantageous.

The LSS function comprises of a LSS Supervisor, 47 Legal Assistants and 4 Document Specialists who support both our litigation and corporate/transactional practice areas. You will be accountable for the legal support and operations strategy, the day-to-day operations and service standards, staffing, allocation of resources, work processes and workflow distribution.

Responsibilities

• Providing overall leadership to advance the efficiency and effectiveness of the LSS function with teamwork and consistent service standards.
• Developing and coaching the Supervisor LSS.
• Managing the staffing, resource allocation and headcount which includes being accountable for the lawyer and assistant shares.
• Working closely with the partners and other legal professionals to understand their support requirements and incorporate these requirements into the service level standards for legal support across the firm.
• Developing the Legal Assistant training programs and working in close collaboration with the firm’s training team to enhance training offerings to ensure the Legal Assistants have the necessary skills and expertise.
• Working in close collaboration with the broader HR team on Legal Assistant recruitment, staffing, performance management and the employment lifecycle (i.e., new hire onboarding, departures, leave of absences).
• Responsible for the LSS annual performance review processes, including conducting feedback meetings, identifying performance issues and developing performance improvement plans as needed.
• Consulting with key stakeholders and Business Support teams, identifying opportunities to advance the Firm standards, and processes.
• Leading and/or participating in change initiative projects, including pilot IT/technology related projects impacting the LSS function.
• Identifying, and fostering external relationships with local colleges, participating in career fairs and other LSS recruitment initiatives.

Qualifications, Skills and Experience

• Legal Assistant/ Law Clerk/ Paralegal diploma/certificate and/or University degree (or equivalent combination of education and experience).
• Preferably 8+ years of experience as a legal assistant/ law clerk including minimum 2+ years in a management/ supervisory capacity managing a team of legal assistants/clerks.
• Knowledgeable in a wide range/areas of law practices including litigation, corporate, property and regulatory.
• Able to work with minimal supervision and enjoy working in a fast-paced, team-based environment.
• Able to communicate effectively, and build relationships, interact with stakeholders at all levels with tact, diplomacy and professionalism.
• Strong leadership, coaching, facilitation, operations and people management skills.
• Effective organization, problem-solving, and analytical skills.
• Flexible and adaptable – able to perform well under constantly shifting demands/deadlines.
• Experience driving change, process improvement and transformation would be an asset.
• A team player for whom no task is too small or too large to tackle.
• Proficient with legal software and MS Office 365 (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, Teams) and able to embrace new technology and applications.
• An understanding and working knowledge of electronic Document Management Systems (iManage).

Candidates who meet the above qualifications are asked to apply online with a copy of their resume and cover letter attached. Please click here to apply online.

WeirFoulds welcomes applications from all qualified candidates. We are committed to providing an inclusive work environment composed of people with diverse perspectives backgrounds, identities, and cultures.

Accommodations in accordance with applicable laws are available for applicants with disabilities. If you require an accommodation at any time during the recruitment process, please contact our Human Resources Team at accommodations@weirfoulds.com.

At WeirFoulds, we recognize that we need to advance and to demonstrate equality, diversity, and inclusion in everything we do, internally and externally. We have been working diligently on several key areas, and we recognize that we must do better. Our goal is to put words into concrete action through a number of specific steps. These are described in our official statement on our commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion, which we are pleased to share.

We thank all candidates for their interest however only those selected for further consideration will be contacted.

A firm is only as good as its people and at WeirFoulds we are committed to hiring top talent. We encourage you to join our team if you are a self-starter who shares our passion for delivering exceptional client service and building a terrific firm. Our friendly and collaborative culture means WeirFoulds is not only a great place to work, but a great place to develop and thrive. We support and nurture our team enabling you to fulfil your potential and help shape the future of our firm.

Role Summary

We are currently recruiting a Legal Assistant to join our Wills, Trusts and Estates practice. This is an exciting opportunity for an individual who enjoys variety at a fast-paced busy desk that offers a broad range of responsibilities and challenges.

The role offers a range of legal and administrative job responsibilities in estate and trust planning administration. Prior experience in this area of law including solid administrative practice management skills and technical skills would be considered advantageous for this role. You will be required to demonstrate initiative, strong communication (both verbal and written) and organizational skills and should have a desire to work in a team environment to promote a client-first focused culture. In this role you will be supporting three legal professionals.

This is a full-time, permanent opportunity with core work hours of Monday to Friday – 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. We are currently operating a hybrid work model and the successful candidate will be required to work in the office (minimum 4 days/ week).

Responsibilities

• Finalize and complete estate planning documents including wills, powers of attorney, trusts and reporting documentation.
• Attend as a second witness for client signatures.
• Implementing a follow-up system for will drafts.
• Managing and tracking deadlines or appointments, including managing the lawyers’ Outlook calendars, contacts, scheduling appointments, travel arrangements as needed.
• Typing general correspondence from handwritten notes, phone, or verbal instructions.
• Managing internal and external communications which includes incoming calls/client inquiries, physical mail and faxes; responding when needed and as appropriate.
• Opening and closing files electronically and physically which also includes maintaining detailed matter/client list and maintaining the electronic filing system (DMS – iManage).
• Scan, file and electronically file a large volume of documentation. Overseeing and ensuring all scanning and electronic filing in Mattersphere is accurate and up to date.
• Preparing the monthly accounts/proformas; reviewing entries for accuracy and completeness. (Experience with 3E (Elite) would be advantageous).
• Assisting the law clerk in the practice group with administrative matters as and when required.
• Entering and updating client contact lists in the CRM (InterAction).
• General administrative duties such as scheduling appointments, meetings conference calls, booking meeting rooms, making travel arrangements, etc.; working with other internal Departments to provide documents/ other materials on time to meet client needs.
• Demonstrating a team approach; supporting coverage for colleague absences.
• Other administrative duties as assigned.

Required Skills & Qualifications

• At least one to three years of experience of relevant work experience in Wills and Estates planning and administration is preferred.
• Post-secondary education with a Legal Assistant Diploma and/or Law Clerk certificate.
• Strong working experience, understanding and knowledge of legal terminology and procedures is an asset.
• Ability to exercise a high degree of discretion and good judgement when dealing with confidential and sensitive matters.
• Proficient with legal software (iManage, 3E/Elite, InterAction) and MS Office 365 (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, Teams).
• Proficient with PDF software (Kofax Power PDF/ Adobe).
• Excellent time management, organizational and prioritization skills.
• Ability to work independently and within tight timelines.
• Eagerness to learn new technology/processes and further develop skills
• Excellent problem-solving skills, the ability to work with little instruction/supervision.
• Excellent attention to detail and diligent proofreading skills.
• Strong interpersonal skills and an excellent team player.
• Passionate about providing quality service and work product to lawyers, clients and the court.

Candidates who meet the above qualifications are asked to apply online with a copy of their resume and cover letter attached. Please click here to apply online.

WeirFoulds welcomes applications from all qualified candidates. We are committed to providing an inclusive work environment composed of people with diverse perspectives backgrounds, identities, and cultures.

Accommodations in accordance with applicable laws are available for applicants with disabilities. If you require an accommodation at any time during the recruitment process, please contact our Human Resources Team at accommodations@weirfoulds.com.

At WeirFoulds, we recognize that we need to advance and to demonstrate equality, diversity, and inclusion in everything we do, internally and externally. We have been working diligently on several key areas, and we recognize that we must do better. Our goal is to put words into concrete action through a number of specific steps. These are described in our official statement on our commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion, which we are pleased to share.

We thank all candidates for their interest however only those selected for further consideration will be contacted.