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Reporting to the General Counsel (GC), the Executive Legal Assistant represents the Mission and Values of Legal & Immigration Services (LIS) and supports the GC. The incumbent is responsible for providing support for administrative tasks, file management, organization, drafting, research support, and a range of administrative tasks that contribute to the smooth and efficient operations of the office by providing support to the GC and to the LIS team.

This position assists with overall efficiency by assisting with the day-to-day operations and coordination of administrative operations of LIS.

Support and Administration

• Supports the Legal Executive Officer with the coordination and scheduling and management of the GC’s calendar that could include multiple internal and/or external stakeholders.
• Support GC and/or Legal Counsel with electronic filing and file tracking systems and ensuring the accuracy and completeness of files and information.
• Provides advice, options, and recommendations regarding the GC’s calendar based on LIS’s priorities, timelines, and objectives, to ensure that the GC’s time is being used effectively.
• Exercises judgment in determining appropriate responses to requests for meetings, including setting urgent and non-urgent meetings, balancing competing priorities and referring inquiries to other responsible parties as necessary.
• Brings matters of priority to the attention of the GC.
• Keeps the GC well informed of sensitive issues related to meetings or events.
• Ensures the GC is fully prepared and supported for meetings, events, and other engagements by means of briefing notes, documents, speaking notes, attendee listing, and agenda items, etc.
• Prepares and organizes support materials required by the GC by researching, analyzing, composing, and/or synthesizing, and formatting documents.
• Must have broad knowledge of the various matters and responsibilities of the GC in order to prepare materials required for effective participation in or chairing of meetings.
• Proactively offers advice regarding meetings and events that should be initiated by the GC.
• Acts as a point of contact between the GC and senior leaders within the University to ensure the effective flow of information and follow-up.
• Interacts frequently with the Legal Executive Officer and Legal Assistant in LIS to ensure the effective flow of information and follow-up.
• Collaborates and could receive requests for support from internal LIS colleagues who work inter-dependently.
• Supports LIS in preparing for guests.
• Serving as a legal resource for informed legal decision-making and creative problem-solving to facilitate the University's pursuit of its mission of teaching, research, and service.
• Providing excellent and timely legal support to University faculty and staff to ensure excellence in fulfilling the University’s legal and ethical obligations.
• Facilitating all aspects of legal matters at the University as necessary or appropriate.
• Serving as a point of contact for interactions with external counsel, who may be retained by the General Counsel to support LIS from time to time, as circumstances warrant.

Strategic Legal Support and Leadership

• Prepares various legal documents, forms and materials for legal counsel review and approval (e.g., film releases and placement and affiliation agreements), and copies, collates, and prepares materials for signature/distribution to internal/external stakeholders.
• Assists with handling incoming correspondence, emails, confidential files, and other sensitive legal documents, determining the appropriate response or further action required.
• Drafts responses or responds directly where appropriate, and reviews and proofreads Department documents and correspondence.
• Performs research and legal searches using CanLii (e.g., researching case law).
• Provides administrative support with in-depth knowledge and management of a high volume of legal files and various matters and the overall day-to-day operations of LIS.
• Drafting and preparation of internal and external correspondence, various confidential legal documents, and forms to assist in the progression of legal procedures, as required.
• With the assistance of electronic data management systems, manages legal filing for files handled by GC and/or Legal Counsel, in accordance with LIS processes, legal requirements, and University Policy, ensuring effective management of confidential and sensitive information.
• Ensures the effective management of confidential and highly sensitive information.
• Monitors LIS processes and provides proactive recommendations to support the ongoing refinement of LIS procedures to ensure quality of service.
• Liaises with external counsel, government agencies, courts, and tribunals for various matters.
• Serves as a point of contact for visitors, staff, faculty members, or students contacting the office regarding sensitive or highly confidential matters, answering or re-directing inquiries as appropriate.
• Identifies urgent issues that require immediate attention and facilitates a resolution, escalating issues that require General Counsel’s attention, where necessary.
• Maintains a strong knowledge base of University policies, resources and services, developing and fostering strong and constructive working relationships with senior leadership and administration of the University and often serving as a resource to consult and advise on internal and external stakeholders.
• Tracks the progress, status, and deadlines related to legal matters, ensuring deadlines are not missed and bringing forward items for action when necessary.
• Leverages electronic file tracking and filing systems within processes developed with GC and LIS team.

Daily Functioning of LIS

• The Executive Legal Assistant acts as one of the first points of contact for visitors, staff, students, and faculty members contacting the office.
• Assists members of LIS with submitting Concur claims or other expense claims, ensuring all required documentation is provided.
• Maintains a bring-forward system to ensure all correspondence is responded to effectively and in a timely manner.
• Composes emails on behalf of the GC on own initiative and as instructed.
• Reviews for consistency and accuracy all drafted correspondence submitted to the GC.
• Ensures the appropriate action is completed in a timely manner to meet all deadlines, approvals, and signature requirements.
• Collaborates with the LIS team to lead the preparation of regular university reporting updates by requesting information, coordinating meetings, drafting reports, and following-up on actionable and priority items.
• Preparing team meeting agendas and meeting notes.
• Attending select meetings with the GC for the purpose of preparing notes and following-up on actionable items.
• Assists with booking travel for work-related purposes.
• Promotes a culture of continuous improvement in terms of efficiency and leveraging systems capacities and technologies.
• Maintaining best practices for file management utilizing the electronic data management system.
• Ships packages using Agile shipping application; ensures confidential material is secure and prepares confidential shredding or recycling materials.
• Performs administrative tasks and assists with projects in support of the operations of the department.
• High degree of accuracy and accountability is required given the reputational component of LIS.

Departmental Operations

• Provides relationship management and administrative coordination for LIS including preparation of reports, organizing meetings, and developing agendas.
• Assesses filing systems and processes to ensure efficiency and effectiveness and proposes and implements changes where necessary and desirable.
• A resource for informed decision-making and creative problem-solving.
• Prepares records for destruction or transfer to storage facilities, in accordance with retention and disposal policies.
• Performs other duties as assigned by the General Counsel, Legal Counsel, the Legal Executive Officer, or other members of LIS.

Qualifications

• Undergraduate Degree or equivalent education and experience required.
• College Diploma in a law-related discipline (e.g., Legal Assistant, Law Clerk, Paralegal), or equivalent extensive administrative experience.
• 5 plus years of experience providing administrative coordination and paralegal support in a complex office environment.
• Experience working as an executive legal assistant providing administrative support required.
• Demonstrated experience working in a highly confidential environment at the executive level.
• Familiarity with best practices for assessing, developing and implementing new business processes and procedures.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills to communicate precisely and professionally with internal and external sources.
• Demonstrated ability to multi-task, take initiative, work independently, maintain an organized work environment, and be part of a team in a fast-paced environment.
• Organizational and planning skills, with the ability to think logically and anticipate outcomes.
• High ethical standards with a strong commitment to maintain confidentiality and treat sensitive information with discretion.
• Resourceful, creative, and a thorough researcher, and problem-solver.
• Ability to follow formal business practices with high attention to detail.
• Adapts readily and effectively to changing priorities and demands.
• High ethical standards with a strong commitment to maintain confidentiality and treat sensitive information with discretion.
• Ability to interact professionally with senior administration, students, staff, faculty, and other members of the University community.
• This position works independently and collaboratively and requires outstanding client service, sound judgment, personal and professional integrity, a strong work ethic and an ability to work under challenging time constraints with competing priorities.
• Intermediate proficiency required in Microsoft Office in order to prepare formal correspondence, documents, emails, memos, and input departmental data into spreadsheets and databases.
• Advanced: Outlook, MS Word, PowerPoint Skills.
• A high capacity for work and a willingness to go beyond a regular work schedule to meet deadlines when required.
• Familiarity with the University of Waterloo’s policies and guidelines preferred.