We Are Hiring
Join Our Team
Meet the Team at Aitken Robertson
Aitken Robertson has been in practice for almost 40 years, with the greatest part of that devoted to criminal law. We are a law firm that covers the entire province of Ontario, defending clients with criminal offences including drinking and driving offences, internet crimes, sexual and domestic assaults, and much more.
We use a unique team approach in which all of our criminal lawyers play an active role at the Aitken Robertson law firm. Our criminal lawyers and Licensed paralegals have over 100 years of collective experience.
We can offer exceptional business support, marketing, and mentorship resources to the energetic, client focused, positive team player we see as the ideal candidate. This of course goes with a competitive starting compensation package that is reviewable within 6 months, and yearly following that.
The position currently available is for someone who loves the law but is less excited about the day to day business/administrative tasks of running a practice. You can expect to be half as concerned about retainers as you currently are, as we have administrative people and processes that are very adept at that essential aspect of running a successful law practice.
Everything about you matters to this role. We realise not all the value you bring can be categorized to tick-boxes on a resume. This said, these are the qualities we view as fabulous assets to the successful candidate:
- You are Durham based, with reliable transportation or are willing to relocate prior to commencement of employment.
- You have taken 25 criminal trials to verdict.
- You are an exceptional researcher. You will be dealing with criminal law, specifically for internet offences, impaired driving, sexual assault and domestic assault cases. You are quick and accurate in your research and be able to write comprehensive briefs.
- You are impressively organized.
- You are self-driven, confident and pragmatic.
- You are an excellent communicator. You are skilled at quickly building rapport and understanding with clients, prosecutors, and others in spoken and written communication in all the media the legal world employs today.
- You are not daunted by either in-person, or on-line court appearances.
Duties include but not limited to:
- Contributing to a positive, professional and team-oriented workplace;
- In court appearances;
- Preparing case briefs for your principal lawyers and/or take cases to court;
- Drafting high quality legal documents with original content and recent jurisprudence; (facta, s. 276 and s. 278 Applications with supporting affidavits, Charters, up to date casebooks, written submissions);
- We have a process driven office. While we do not micromanage, it is essential that the successful candidate is able to docket the work accurately and promptly, advise staff well in advance of when a matter is about to complete so we can obtain suitable payment from the client, and remit expenses claims within a reasonable period of time;
- While we have a very effective marketing program, the successful candidate will need to be able to retain clients, and provide very high quality, timely, legal services;
- Sharing out of hours client and police calls;
- Good reputation amongst defence, Crowns, and judges;
- Being able to efficiently utilize limited administrative support, given the advantages of the practice management software we use;
- Must be able to manage caseload independently;
- Willingness to travel broadly in Ontario.
Qualifications
Mandatory
- A law degree and membership in good standing with the Law Society of Ontario.
- Possess a valid driver’s licence and a reliable motor vehicle.
Required skills and experience
- 2 – 3 years of criminal law or Crown attorney or duty counsel experience;
- In depth knowledge of Canadian criminal law and procedure;
- Very strong legal research and analytical skills. Applicants must have experience doing trials, drafting pleadings etc.;
- Proficient with online research platforms such as Westlaw;
- Significant legal writing skills. Applicants must have experience in and be capable of drafting high quality legal documents with original content and recent jurisprudence (facta, s. 276 and s. 278 Applications with supporting affidavits, Charters, up to date casebooks, written submissions);
- The ability to multitask and meet tight deadlines in a fast-paced working environment;
- Skilled at using “Caselines”;
- Strong court notetaking skills. Candidates must be able to record evidence quickly and accurately at trial;
- Experience in legal file management. While we use Practice Panther, Clio and Amicus Attorney are similar;
- A great team player, willing to dive in and assist wherever needed, without being asked; Familiarity with Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and other common software platforms;
- Demonstrated ability to balance multiple priorities, be self-motivated and problem solve effectively and diplomatically.
Preferred skills and experience
- Being fluent in a language other than English would be considered an advantage, particularly French.
What We Offer
- We take care of very much of the business end of running a law firm so you can focus on excelling at the practice of law;
- Competitive compensation between $85,000 and $100,000 and attractive overall benefit package;
- Reimbursement for reasonable and necessary expenses;
- Numerous upskilling opportunities to learn the latest information about impaired driving, sexual assault cases, and domestic assault cases;
- Travel opportunities across Ontario;
- Full caseload of work and therefore business development will not be required;
- The successful candidate would have shared use of a legal assistant;
- Hybrid working flexibility to work from home and in office, with a spacious office in Oshawa located just three blocks east of the Ontario Court of Justice in Oshawa with free parking at the office;
- Paid CPD, LSO and Law Pro;
- Three weeks holidays and one week’s bonus at Christmas;
- Extensive CPD training including out of country, and in house, each year, opportunity to be mentored; and local law association fees paid, hotels, generous mileage, necessary meals as per CRA rules, reimbursement for reasonable and necessary expenses;
- Full office social calendar occasionally including golf, axe throwing competition, poker night, BBQs, salmon fishing Lake Ontario, etc.;
- You will need to participate in our marketing strategies including providing headshot and bio, writing occasional blogs and case studies;
- We pay other reasonable business expenses.
The Oshawa Office
Aitken Robertson’s spacious and serene Oshawa law office is located just a short walk from Durham Region’s criminal court.
The Aitken Robertson team has had a long-time presence—over two decades—in the Durham Region criminal courts and at the Provincial Offences court (traffic court) in Whitby.
Staffed with lawyers, a paralegal and support and administrative staff, Aitken Robertson’s Oshawa office is equipped to handle a wide range of criminal cases, including cases in the very technical area of drinking and driving offences (aka DUIs).
