Solicitor - Planning, Administration & Development Law
Corporate Services
Legal & Risk Management Services
50 Main St., E.

NUMBER OF VACANCIES: 2 

UNION/NON-UNION: Non Union Mgmt Professional

HOURS Of WORK: 35.00 per week

GRADE: 8B
SALARY/HOUR:  $63.745 - $88.918 per hour
*Note:  See appropriate Collective Agreement or the Non Union Salary Range for details.

STATUS/LENGTH: Full-Time Regular

Job Description ID #: 5377

Vaccine Verification – As a condition of employment you are required to provide proof that you are fully vaccinated or provide proof of valid exemption satisfactory to the employer prior to your start date. You must acknowledge and agree to comply with any future vaccine policy requirements as an ongoing condition of employment at the City of Hamilton. 

SUMMARY OF DUTIES

Under the general direction of the City Solicitor and Deputy City Solicitor, this position will be working in Planning, Administrative and Development Law.  Responsible to provide high quality and effective legal advocacy, advice and services to the management and staff of the City, related boards and agencies in areas of land-use planning, development law, expropriations, development charges and agreements as well as advocacy before administrative tribunals including the Ontario Land Tribunal. Responsibilities include the drafting and enforcement of municipal agreements, by-laws and policy development in a broad range of municipal operations.

The Legal Services Division currently has a hybrid work arrangement that accommodates both in-office and remote work.

GENERAL DUTIES

Provides specialized legal services and consultation to the City Manager, Senior Management and staff at all levels on legal matters as associated with land use planning and development as required.

Develops and implements proactive strategies, anticipates and identifies legal challenges that help to protect the interests of the City and reduce exposure to legal risks.

Ensures that Legal Services contribute to the effectiveness of programs and services throughout the City.

Provides research, analysis, counselling and advice for City Council, City Departments, Boards, Commissions and Authorities on the legal implications of matters of law, legislation, procedures, operational and strategic decisions.

Reviews and prepares documents, policy and procedure for the City that are clear, concise and comply with all applicable laws.

Provides legal opinions and advice on matters that pose significant risks to the City to assist decision-makers at all levels in making determinations regarding service and program delivery.

Represents the City before Tribunals, Inquiries and at all levels of Court.

Participates in the development and implementation of a preventative law program aimed at precluding and remedying anticipated legal problems arising out of day-to-day operations or projects.

Assists Deputy City Solicitor and staff with service delivery.

Works in accordance with the provisions of applicable Health and Safety legislation and all City of Hamilton corporate and departmental policies and procedures related to Occupational Health and Safety.

Performs other duties as assigned which are directly related to the responsibilities of the position.

QUALIFICATIONS

Bachelor of Laws degree or Juris Doctor (JD) from a recognized University.  Membership in good standing in the Law Society of Ontario.  Advanced knowledge and expertise normally attained through progressively more responsible practice (ideally 4 years or more) in the area of municipal law with particular expertise in land use planning and development law (including advocacy before administrative tribunals such as the OLT), expropriations, development charges and development agreements.

Must possess a high level of professionalism and integrity.

 

Highly developed analytical and business planning skills with a proven track record for long-term visioning and big picture thinking.  Demonstrated experience in designing and delivering customer focused programs and services, using a "best practices" approach in a timely and cost effective manner.

 

Highly effective leadership, facilitation, communication, presentation, interpersonal and organizational skills.

 

Highly developed ability to develop work plans and service level agreements.  Ability to design and implement strategies which improve effectiveness and efficiency.

 

Demonstrated experience monitoring, evaluating and reporting on the provision of legal services, and staff performance against internal and external benchmarks. Proven ability in conducting performance appraisals, delegating and empowering staff and identifying opportunities for staff development.

 

Thorough knowledge and understanding of key statutes, regulations and by-laws affecting the Division and municipality.

 

Must have computer skills in a Windows environment utilizing MS Office software.

 

Disclaimer:

Be advised that Human Resources frequently audits resumes of internal/external applicants to ensure/validate information provided is consistent and trustworthy. Falsification of information provided at any time throughout the recruitment process may be grounds for disqualification, and for internal applicants, subject to discipline up to and including termination.

Terms:

The City is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to inclusive, barrier-free recruitment and selection processes. Consistent with our Values and Corporate Culture Pillars, the City of Hamilton is committed to providing equitable treatment to all with respect to barrier-free employment and accommodation without discrimination. The City will provide accommodation for applicants in all aspects of the hiring process, up to the point of undue hardship.  If you have an accommodation need, please contact Human Resources as soon as possible to make appropriate arrangements. 

We invite you to visit the departmental webpage to obtain further information on the culture and business of this department.

The incumbent shall comply with all Health and Safety Policies and Practices for this position and the workplace.

It is the responsibility of the applicants to ensure that their application reaches Human Resources by the closing date or they may not be considered. It is also the responsibility of applicants to supply qualifications, licences and related experience relevant to the qualifications outlined above for this competition as directed. On the basis of the criteria set out above, this posting is open to all applicants

The statements made by me are true, complete and correct to the best of my knowledge.  I understand that any falsification of statements, misrepresentations, deliberate omission or concealment of information may be considered just cause for discipline, up to and including termination for internal applicants and disqualification for external applicants.

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