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.

Application Process:

To apply, please email your resume and cover letter in one combined PDF to [email protected] with the subject line “Legal Coordinator” no later than Sept 22, 2024, at 11:59pm PST.

The BCCLA is committed to ensuring that equity, diversity, and inclusion are priority considerations, including in building a workplace that honours the particular experiences and expertise of communities marginalized through state violence and social oppression. The BCCLA strongly encourages applications from all qualified Indigenous people, Black people, immigrants and refugees, people of colour, working class people, and 2SLGBTQIA+ people. Applicants are encouraged to self-identify, should they feel comfortable doing so, in their cover letter and are invited to share how their lived experience would inform their approach and ethics in this position

 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 interpersonal 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.