Judicial Support Services
Life of a judicial assistant at the Federal Court (VIDEO)
Candidates are invited to apply for the position of Judicial Assistant to the judiciary of the Federal Court of Appeal, the Federal Court, the Court Martial Appeal Court of Canada, and the Tax Court of Canada.
Positions to be filled for the Federal Court: 5 (the number may vary depending on people hired)
PLACE OF WORK
Ottawa, Ontario
PERIOD OF EMPLOYMENT
Indeterminate positions or for specific periods (including term, acting, or assignment/secondment appointment).
SALARY AND BENEFITS
The current salary is $73,798 to $79,511 per annum.
- Leave
- Vacation
15 days annually – For each calendar month in which an employee has earned at least seventy-five (75) hours of pay, the employee shall earn vacation leave credits at the rate of nine decimal three seven five (9.375) hours until the month in which the anniversary of the employee’s eighth (8th) year of service occurs - Sick leave
Sick leave is provided according to the terms of the collective agreement covering the PA category. - Personal and volunteer leave
2 days per fiscal year
- Vacation
- Other benefits
- Dental Plan (premiums presently covered by employer)
- Public Service Health Care Plan (optional – employee and employer contribute)
- Long Term Disability Insurance (mandatory)
- Death Benefits (mandatory)
- Pension Plan (mandatory)
MAIN RESPONSIBILITY
Judicial Assistants work closely with members of the Federal Court (Judges and Associate Judges) to whom they are assigned in order to support them in carrying out their mandate. Dedication and respect for justice and the judiciary are essential. Judicial Assistants also support Assessment Officers.
QUALIFICATIONS
- Education
Successful completion of a post-secondary* program, certificate, or diploma relevant to the position, such as paralegal studies or legal studies OR an acceptable combination of education, training or experience relevant to the position**.
Definitions:
* “Post-secondary education” means years of education following high school graduation (grade 12 or Secondary V).
** “Acceptable combination of education, training or experience relevant to the position” is defined as a minimum of a high school diploma (grade 12 or Secondary V) and two (2) years of work experience in a judicial, quasi-judicial*** or legal environment.
*** “Judicial or quasi-judicial environment” means a federal board, commission, tribunal, or court (federal, provincial, or municipal). - Essential Qualifications
- Ability to proofread legal documents
- Ability to plan, establish priorities and meet deadlines
- Adaptability
- Attention to detail
- Judgment
- Working effectively with others
- Reliability
- Oral communication
- Written communication
- Varying language requirements
Proficiency in one of Canada’s official languages is mandatory. Proficiency in both official languages is required for certain positions. - Assets
See Annex A. - Pool
A pool of qualified candidates may be established as a result of this selection process. - Valid email
Our preference is to communicate with candidates by email. Therefore, you must include in your application a valid email address that is functional at all times and accepts messages from unknown people. - Employment Equity
The Public Service of Canada is committed to building a skilled, diverse workforce reflective of Canadian society. As a result, it promotes employment equity and encourages you to indicate voluntarily on your application if you are a woman, an Indigenous (Aboriginal) person, a person with a disability or a member of a visible minority group.
The Public Service of Canada is also committed to developing inclusive, barrier-free selection processes and work environments. If contacted in relation to a job opportunity or testing (including interviews), you should advise us in a timely fashion of the accommodation measures which must be taken to enable you to be assessed in a fair and equitable manner. Information received relating to accommodation measures will be addressed confidentially. - Operational Requirements
- Willing and able to work overtime on short notice
- Willing and able to work between 8:00 and 17:00
- Willing and able to work in the workplace in Ottawa
- Conditions of Employment
- Secret security clearance
WHO CAN APPLY
Persons residing in Canada, and Canadian citizens and permanent residents abroad.
HOW TO APPLY
As we will evaluate candidates at different periods during the selection process, please apply as soon as possible. Candidates must submit their application to the inventory selection process at the latest by November 30, 2024 at 23:59, Pacific time.
INTERVIEWS
We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only the candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Please contact: Ms. Chantal Leonhardt, Manager, Judicial Support Services, at 613-796-8439 or by email at Chantal.Leonhardt@cas-satj.gc.ca.
You are also welcome to visit the following website:
- Federal Court – www.fct-cf.ca
- Courts Administration Service – www.cas-satj.gc.ca
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
- What are the types of services provided by the Judicial Assistant?
The provision of executive, administrative and legal support services, as well as office management services, to one or more Judges and/or Associate Judges, and the provision of legal support services to Assessment Officers as required. - What are the main tasks of a Judicial Assistant?
- Coordinates the agenda and the assignment schedule of their Judges and/or Associate Judges
- Makes travel and accommodation arrangements for their Judges and/or Associate Judges
- Prepares and monitors the claims for reimbursement of expenses incurred by their Judges and/or Associate Judges
- Generates, formats, reviews, and proofreads draft decisions, presentations, speaking notes, etc. to ensure grammar, spelling and punctuation and the accuracy of the details; validates legal references and citations through the conduct of research
- Ensures compliance with the web accessibility standard for decisions to be published on the Federal Court and CanLII websites
- Coordinates the issuance of finalized decisions, their translation and publication
- What is the ideal Judicial Assistant?
The ideal Judicial Assistant is:- Versatile
- Diplomatic
- Discrete
- Resourceful
- Innovative
- Adaptable
- Great interest in and respect of law and justice
- Strong organizational, critical thinking and interpersonal skills
- Strong time-management skills
- Strong command of digital tools
- Advanced oral and written communication skills
- Detail-oriented and meticulous
- Ability to work under pressure
- Ability to work independently and as part of a team
- Ability to solve problems under tight deadlines
- Broad understanding of commonly-used legal terms
- Is a Judicial Assistant directly hired by the Federal Court?
The Judicial Assistant who is hired will join the Judicial Support Services, Judicial and Registry Services, Courts Administration Service (CAS). The CAS provides services to the Federal Court of Appeal, the Federal Court, the Court Martial Appeal Court of Canada, and the Tax Court of Canada. This person is therefore an employee of the federal public service, not the Federal Court. - What is your current work model?
We have a hybrid work model. As of September 9, 2024, according to the Direction on prescribed presence in the workplace , a minimum of 60% of the employee’s regular weekly or monthly schedule will be in the workplace. This represents a minimum attendance requirement of three days per week. - What is the work environment like?
It is a positive, collaborative, fast-paced, and busy workplace. Employees are constantly challenged and engaged in dynamic and interesting tasks that require quick thinking and adaptability. This environment fosters a sense of urgency and productivity, pushing individuals to excel and achieve their goals efficiently. The rapid pace of work encourages innovation, collaboration, and growth, making it an exciting and rewarding place to be. - What is the intent of the selection process?
We encourage potential candidates to apply now, as the Courts Administration Service (CAS) has immediate needs at the AS-03 group and level. This inventory will be accessed to fill these positions. A pool of partially qualified or fully qualified candidates may be created to staff similar positions with various tenures, various linguistic profiles, and various security requirements within CAS. For specific positions, candidates may be evaluated further on qualifications (including conditions of employment and operational requirements) that are deemed relevant to the positions to be filled, whether or not these qualifications have been listed on the job advertisement.
ANNEX A
ASSETS
The asset qualifications below may be applied as essential qualifications depending on the position to be staffed.
- Experience as a judicial or legal assistant or legal secretary
- Experience in preparing documents (e.g. typing, formatting, and editing)
- Experience transcribing information from voice recordings, handwritten notes, electronic legal text transmissions or digital audio recordings
- Experience working for several members of the judiciary or lawyers at the same time
- Experience in scheduling travel and accommodation arrangements, including the preparation of itineraries and agendas
- Experience working at CAS
Date modified: 2025-04-10