Solicitor - Planning Lawyer

Solicitor - Planning Lawyer



About The City of Hamilton
Contribute to the City of Hamilton, one of Canada’s largest cities - home to a diverse and strong economy, an active and inclusive community, a robust cultural and dining scene, hundreds of kilometres of hiking trails and natural beauty just minutes from the downtown core, and so much more. Join our diverse team of talented and ambitious staff who embody our values of sensational service, courageous change, steadfast integrity, collective ownership and being engaged empowered employees. Help us achieve our vision of being the best place to raise a child and age successfully. #BeTheReason

JOB POSTING
Solicitor - Planning Lawyer
Corporate Services
Legal & Risk Management Services
50 Main St. E
NUMBER OF VACANCIES: 1 Full-Time Temporary
UNION/NON-UNION: Non Union Management Professional
HOURS Of WORK: 35.00 per week
GRADE: 8B
SALARY/HOUR: $61.524 - $85.820 per hour
Note: See appropriate Collective Agreement or the Non Union Salary Range for details.
STATUS/LENGTH: up to 14 months
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, provides high quality and effective legal advocacy, advice and services to the management and staff of the City and related boards and agencies in areas of land-use planning, administrative and development law, expropriations, development charges and development agreements which also includes advocacy before administrative tribunals such as the Ontario Land Tribunal and the drafting and enforcement of municipal agreements, by-laws and policy development in a broad range of municipal operations.

This is a new position within a busy and growing practice group. This is a 14-month contract position starting November 1, 2022 until December 31, 2023 with the possibility of extension or conversion to a permanent position through the 2023 budget process.
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 with the mandate as required.
  • Develops and implements proactive strategies, anticipates and identifies legal challenges that help to protect the interests of the City and to reduce exposure to legal risks.
  • Ensures that legal services are provided so as to 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 to ensure that they are clear, concise, comply with all applicable laws and so as to minimize exposure.
  • Provides legal opinions and advice on matters that pose significant risks to the City to assist decision-makers at all levels in making decisions regarding their 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 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
  1. 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 in a defined area of law 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.
  2. Possess a high level of professionalism and integrity, and excellent communication skills.
  3. Highly developed analytical and business planning skills with a proven track record for long-term visioning and big picture thinking. Experienced in designing and delivering customer focused programs and services; and using a "best practices" approach in developing and delivering quality services in a timely and cost effective manner.
  4. Highly developed ability to articulate a vision, to lead and inspire others. Highly effective leadership, facilitation, communication, presentation, interpersonal and organizational skills.
  5. Highly developed ability to develop work plans and service level agreements; and to design and implement strategies which improve effectiveness and efficiency.
  6. 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.
  7. Thorough knowledge and understanding of key statutes, regulations and by-laws affecting the Division and municipality.
  8. Demonstrated knowledge of the Health and Safety Act and applicable regulations as it relates to the position.

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, licenses, 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

Link to apply