City Solicitor Full-time Job

JOB SUMMARY

The Office of the City Solicitor provides a comprehensive and complex range of legal services to elected officials, all City of Ottawa departments, and various boards and commissions (i.e. Ottawa Police Services Board, Ottawa Community Land Development Corporation and the Ottawa Public Library), in the areas of civil litigation, labour and employment law, prosecutions, and corporate, municipal, planning, development, environmental, and commercial law.  

You are accountable for providing vision, leadership and strategic direction to Office of the City Solicitor team, and planning, organizing, directing, controlling, evaluating and improving the development and delivery of its priorities, services, programs and operations. Your decisions impact how Office of the City Solicitor will achieve the City’s strategic and long-term goals and objectives as determined by City Council and senior management, and short and long-term goals of other Departments that involve the provision of legal services.  

Services and programs include: 

• Legal advice to Council, Committees and Departments through the preparation of legal opinions and support on such diverse matters as planning and real estate, tendering and procurement, public health, transportation and transit, environmental issues, housing matters, cultural and recreational services, access to information and protection of privacy, and municipal taxation and assessment
• Municipal by-laws and provincial offences – prosecution and administration
• Civil litigation both by and against the City 
• Labour and employment law, including arbitration hearings, Human Rights advice and tribunal hearings, WSIB and OH&S matters 
• Labour relations, including collective bargaining, grievances and guidance on employee management issues
• Receipt, investigation and processing of claims against the City
• By-law, contract and agreement drafting, review and processing 
• Real property transactions (sales, acquisitions, leases, easements, title searches)
• Zoning and Official Plan issues (including Ontario Municipal Board hearings) 
• Insurance (purchasing and management) 
• Municipal Assessment and Taxation 
• Road openings / closings / dedications 
• Tendering and procurement law matters 
• Legal Operations and Support Services, which encompass all legal operational and administrative support functions, including financial planning and monitoring, legal research, file and knowledge management, insurance certificate monitoring and renewals, claims processing, support to the labour relations function, and the Articling Program.
   

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

Completion of Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) or Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree

Minimum of 10 years of related experience in the practice of law with emphasis on municipal law, including a minimum of 5 years managing human resources, external contract resources, operating and capital budgets in a complex public organization or private sector corporation

CERTIFICATIONS AND LICENCES

KNOWLEDGE

• Principles, practices, procedures, techniques, laws and regulations pertaining to the Office’s functions, programs, services and operations
• Legislation relating to municipal corporations, including the Municipal Act 2001, the Planning Act, the Provincial Offences Act, the Human Rights Code, MFIPPA and other related statutes
• Knowledge of the law of civil procedure, corporate, commercial and real estate law, labour and employment law, planning and development law, and environmental law
• The City of Ottawa, its operations and corporate governance structure
• Relevant City codes, policies and procedures 
• Public private partnerships and other alternate service delivery models
• Principles and methods of economic, financial, social and political risk analysis
• Principles and practices of public policy and business administration 
• The City of Ottawa’s current social, political, business and economic climates
• Project management principles and practices
• Human resource management practices in a unionized work environment
• Must be familiar with applicable health and safety legislation, have knowledge of any potential or actual danger to health or safety in the work place, and have knowledge of appropriate actions to be taken in order to ensure the health and safety of staff in accordance with applicable legislation and City policies and procedures
   

COMPETENCIES, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

Core Behaviours
Core behaviours define the City’s expectations of the behaviours employees should demonstrate in performing their work.  They are reflective of the City’s culture and values and guide all our present and future activities.  Every employee is encouraged to learn, embody, and demonstrate these core behaviours.

Review the Core Behaviours.

Leadership Competencies
The City has defined key competencies that leaders are expected to embody and demonstrate to successfully move the organization towards achieving its strategic objectives and create an organizational culture that supports and empowers employees to excel, grow and reach their full potential. These leadership competencies and associated behaviours are expected to be demonstrated by leaders at all levels of the organization. 

Review the Leadership Competencies.