LAA-24-22 - Articling Student (Calgary)

About Legal Aid Alberta

Legal Aid Alberta is seeking to fill one full-time Articling Student position in our downtown Calgary office for the 2025-2026 Articling Term. As an articling student at Legal Aid Alberta, you will join our legal team that helps vulnerable Albertans across the province at some of the most difficult times in their lives. You will work with exceptional people who share our values and passion, supporting our mission to help Alberta’s most disadvantaged. Through professional, effective and accessible services, we make a difference in the lives of Albertans and deliver value that extends beyond those who receive our services.

This articling position will appeal to an individual that likes to take initiative, is client focused and is exceptionally strong in delivering high-quality results. The articling experience at Legal Aid Alberta allows students to get exposure to all our areas of practice including criminal, family and immigration law or we can also tailor the articling experience to meet a student’s particular interest in criminal or family law.

Job Description

Reporting to the Principal Lawyer, some of the key responsibilities of the Articling Student are to:

• Provide assistance to criminal and family staff lawyers on client files along with having conduct of assigned client files to professional standards and in accordance with the Rules and Code of Conduct of the Law Society of Alberta and the Rules of Legal Aid Alberta
• Observe staff lawyers in their role as Duty Counsel, learn and perform the role as Duty Counsel to professional standards and in accordance with the Rules and Code of Conduct of the Law Society of Alberta and the Rules of Legal Aid Alberta
• Conduct legal research and legal writing as requested by staff lawyers
• Negotiate competent resolutions of files to achieve early, cost effective and lasting outcomes for clients
• Work on projects or initiatives as directed by the General Counsel and Advisory Services Team or other business units
• Successfully complete PREP requirements throughout the articling year
• Participate in performance and staff meetings as required and in-house training opportunities

Qualifications

Education and Experience

• Law Degree from a recognized Law School
• Approval from the Law Society of Alberta to be an articling student
• Experience with Student Legal Services, Student Legal Assistance, Pro Bono Student Association or working as a volunteer at a Legal Clinic or organization serving our clientele would be an asset
• Limited litigation experience 

Knowledge

• Rules of Court and criminal, family, and immigration legislation
• Legal research, writing and drafting, legal analysis, preparation of facts and written briefs, application of law to relevant facts
• Advocacy, problem solving and conflict resolution
• A high level of comfort working with technology and a keen enthusiasm for learning new systems including computer literacy of MS Office and web based legal research tools and other web-based resources
• Excellent interpersonal skills and experience working with complex clients
• General understanding of community resources available to complex clients

Skills

• Proficient in areas of criminal and family law in which LAA provides services
• Demonstrated time management and ability to deal with conflicting priorities and deadlines
• Ability to manage work in high pressure and high conflict situations
• Negotiation skills
• Ability to investigate facts, identify issues, ascertain organizational objectives, consider alternative solutions, analyze risk and advise clients on the appropriate course of action
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How to Apply

If you became excited at the prospect of being a part of our team when you reviewed this posting and you meet the minimum qualifications, please select ‘Apply Now’ to create a Candidate account. Please include your Application Package (cover letter, resume, and most recent transcripts) referencing posting number LAA-24-22.

LAA will be participating in the Law Society’s Articling recruitment process, therefore we will be accepting applicants to this competition until May 21, 2024. Only those applicants selected for an interview will be contacted.