Staff Lawyer Position – Appeals

Job Description

Available Position: 1-year Term Contract
Location: Halifax Appeals – 401-5475 Spring Garden Road, Halifax
Salary: Staff Lawyer Pay Plan Policy- Based on Relevant Experience
Closing Date: September 2, 2025 at 12:00 PM

Who we are:

Nova Scotia Legal Aid Commission (NSLAC) delivers legal aid services throughout the Province, providing some level of help to all Nova Scotians with a focus on assisting those who are vulnerable and historically disadvantaged. NSLAC’s focus is in the practice areas of criminal, family and social justice law.

NSLAC employs staff in 25 offices and 3 sub-offices throughout the Province .Staff Lawyers help thousands of clients every year and spend much of their time in court. They are committed to helping overcome historical barriers to access to justice. Staff Lawyers have litigated many important cases to protect the rights of individuals.

We value a workplace where diversity, in all its forms, is encouraged and recognized for its contribution to a more creative, rewarding workplace that is representative, at all job levels, of the citizens we serve. We welcome applications from Indigenous People, African Nova Scotians and Other Racially Visible Persons, Persons with Disabilities and Women in occupations or positions where they are under-represented. If you are a member of one of these equity groups, you are encouraged to self-identify on your electronic application, cover letter or resume.

Primary Functions:

The Staff Lawyer, Appeals offers full-service appellate representation on Indictable appeals before the Nova Scotia Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court of Canada. This position provides a voice to clients who are wrongfully convicted, subject to judicial error, or otherwise facing unfairness or impropriety in their criminal proceedings. In recent years well over half of the Appeal Section’s full-service appeal files have been homicides or serious sexual assaults. NSLAC has also engaged in appellate litigation on Dangerous Offender designations, drug trafficking and importation, the constitutionality of mandatory minimum sentences, and the propriety of Criminal Code Review Board holdings.

Working in conjunction with the Managing Lawyer, responsibilities of the Appeals Counsel include:

• Acting on behalf of clients in both Appellant and Respondent positions.
• Conducting full transcript reviews to identify issues and errors that may be pertinent to an appeal.
• Preparing merit assessment memoranda to fulfill our statutory mandate of providing appellate representation on cases with arguable merit.
• Advancing bail pending appeal applications and other appellate motions for suitable clients.
• Drafting detailed written facta for the courts.
• Delivering focused oral submissions at appeal hearings.
• Appearing on NSCA Tele-Chambers calls for case-management and scheduling of appeals.

The Appeals Counsel will also offer practice advice on a regular basis to both internal staff lawyers and to private and certificate counsel in the broader criminal bar. In some cases, summary advice is provided; this includes assistance with the formulation of potential grounds of appeal and substantive arguments. In other cases, counsel offer ongoing and detailed appellate guidance, including but not limited to appellate litigation strategy sessions, assistance with the drafting of appeal notices and arguments, and preparatory work in advance of oral appeal hearings.

The Appeals Counsel is also expected to engage in a broad range of research and professional development work to the benefit of NSLAC, the criminal bar, and the bench. This may include:

• Creating and delivering Continuing Legal Education (CLE) content for NSLAC’s Annual General Meeting and other internal professional development initiatives.
• Participating and presenting CLE to external professional development forums including the CBA Criminal Law Section and NSCLA’s fall conferences.
• Engaging with the Nova Scotia Court of Appeal via the NSCA Bench/Bar Liaison Committee.
• Coaching or acting as a judge for Dalhousie’s internal and external moot teams.
• Reviewing current case law for immediate circulation within NSLAC.
• Providing legal support to NSLAC’s Manager of Research Legal Services.

Ideal Attributes and Skills:

• Demonstrated knowledge of, and experience with relevant law, including criminal law, criminal procedure, evidence, sentencing, Charter/constitutional law, and appellate standards of review.
• Exceptional legal reading, research, and writing skills.
• Proven ability to manage a significant caseload and work to both court and self-imposed deadlines.
• Experience in litigating serious and/or complex cases, including homicides, appeals, and cases involving ineffective assistance of counsel.
• Be able to creatively solve legal problems.
• Work independently while maintaining collegiality as part of a small team.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to communicate effectively and empathetically with internal support staff and court employees.
• Must be skilled in written and oral debate and persuasion techniques.
• Compliance with NSLAC’s policies and procedures.
• Training or advocacy experience in relation to mental health issues.
• Demonstrated time management and ability to deal with conflicting priorities and deadlines.
• Experience in the investigation of facts, identification of issues, ascertaining organizational objectives, consideration of alternative solutions, analyzation of risk, and advice to clients.
• Demonstrated ability to use latest communication technologies.
• Experience and proficiency with computer software packages including legal research applications, MS Word and Outlook or equivalents.
• Must have a valid driver’s license.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor of Laws (LLB) or Juris Doctor (JD) Degree.
• At least 5 years’ experience as a practicing member in good standing of the Nova Scotia Barristers’ Society (and/or other provincial law society).
• Appellate Clerkship experience, while not a requirement, may be considered an asset.

If you are talented, conscientious and want to be a member of a team that is highly experienced, very caring, dedicated, and committed to their clients, we would like to hear from you.

Please indicate Position Title and Location and whether you are an internal or external applicant in the email subject line. Please send your resume, cover letter, and three (3) legal writing samples (e.g., legal brief or memorandum you have authored and submitted to court) to NSLA-Careers@nslegalaid.ca . If possible, appellate submissions are preferred.

While we appreciate receiving all applications, only applicants selected for an interview will be contacted. All applications will be held in strict confidence.