BC Public Service - Internal Job Opportunities

The Team
The Natural Resources, Transportation, and Indigenous Legal Group (NATRIL), Legal Services Branch, Ministry of Attorney General, is an established team of around 140 professionals. 

Within NATRIL, there is one unit dedicated to historical research, and five units dedicated to unique areas of law that involve both solicitor work, as well as civil litigation.

The Attorney General is the legal advisor to the government of British Columbia and is charged with ensuring that the administration of public affairs is carried out in accordance with the law. The Ministry of Attorney General is structured to carry out this mandate under the direction of the Attorney General, and Legal Services Branch supports the Ministry in fulfilling this mandate by serving as legal advisor to government in civil law matters. Legal Services Branch provides legal advice to government and ensures that legal risks associated with government operations are reduced. Legal Services Branch’s clients include all Ministries of the government, Cabinet and certain public agencies.

The Role
Here is a great opportunity to utilize your strong paralegal skills! 
NATRIL, Indigenous Relation Relations (ILR), Solicitor Unit and Barrister Unit is recruiting one shared Paralegal 18+10% for a 12-month auxiliary appointment (full-time).

Indigenous Legal Relations, Solicitor Unit
The ILR, Solicitor Unit provides legal advice and opinions to all of government on all aspects of Aboriginal law, the Declaration Act, and on a wide range of issues arising from the relations between the Province and Indigenous peoples.  This includes advising MIRR and line Ministries on issues that arise in treaty negotiations and on legal issues associated with treaty mandates.  In addition, the ILR, Solicitor Unit advises on the Province's legal obligations surrounding consultation, accommodation, infringement and justification arising from impacts on treaty rights, asserted or proven Aboriginal rights and title claims, or infringements of established rights/title in various areas of land and resource use decision-making, and also advises on Indian Act matters. The ILR, Solicitor Unit provides an extensive amount of legal advice to all Ministries with respect to their requirement to align laws with the Declaration Act.

In the ILR, Solicitor Unit, the successful candidate will be required to take on territorial worksheets, run CAD reports and will also assist with alignment of laws and other initiatives as it relates to the Province’s commitments to reconciliation. The paralegal will also be assigned to conduct legal research, as well as factual research and analysis, and drafting memoranda on file-specific issues for solicitor consideration.  In fulfilling these roles, employees must demonstrate cultural safety and cultural humility.

Indigenous Legal Relations, Barrister Unit
The ILR, Barrister Unit responds on behalf of the Province to litigation involving claims related to Aboriginal and treaty rights as described in s. 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982.  Barristers in the ILR, Barrister Unit are responsible for responding to Aboriginal rights and title litigation; litigation involving treaty rights;  appear on judicial review applications involving challenges to statutory decisions based on lack of consultation with respect to Aboriginal rights and title issues;  advise Crown counsel on regulatory offences involving Aboriginal rights or title claims, and appears on behalf of the Province at all levels of Court and before administrative and international law commissions on Aboriginal law matters.

The successful candidate will have a solid understanding of the law as it relates to litigation and will be expected to provide exceptional paralegal support to senior counsel in the preparation and conduct of litigation.  Duties include identifying client privilege issues respecting documents collected in the course of document discovery in accordance with the Supreme Court Rules, organizing exhibits, ensuring that all documentary evidence required to be produced is located and produced, reviewing information for the purpose of document disclosure, performing research and analysis in relation to case law, conducting registry searches, and drafting a variety of pleadings.

Strong knowledge of legal processes, as well as Law Society Rules, including solicitor/client privilege and conflicts are required.  A high standard in the delivery of legal support, strong initiative and self-motivation, as well as the ability to work well under pressure are highly valued in this busy work environment.  Excellent time management and organizational skills, the ability to prioritize, along with flexibility in responding to shifting work demands is required, including the ability to work overtime when necessary.  Experience with significant file management of large and complex litigation files is a necessity.  The successful candidate will also have a keen attention to detail, as well as exceptional proofreading and editing skills.  Good interpersonal skills, and the ability to work independently and as part of a team are essential. 

Qualifications:
Education and Experience Requirements

• Paralegal Certificate, Diploma or a Degree from a recognized institution. A Bachelor of Law degree may be considered as an equivalent to a Paralegal Certificate.
  • NOTE: Candidates will be required to provide proof of completion of a Paralegal Certificate/Diploma/Degree or equivalent.
• Experience and/or an understanding of the Province’s commitments to reconciliation including but not limited to the Declaration Act, the Draft Principles that Guide the Province’s Relationship with Indigenous Peoples and the Directives on Civil Litigation involving Indigenous Peoples
• Experience using relevant statutes, regulations, case law and practice directives
• Experience using computer software tools and techniques used for legal purposes

Preference may be given to applicants with:

• More than four (4) continuous years of BC civil litigation experience
• Aboriginal law/litigation experience, and a solid understanding of the law as it relates to government and Aboriginal litigation
• Technical experience and expertise with legal software programs such as Legal Files Web or FTK Central
• Applicants who identify as Indigenous (First Nations, Métis or Inuit).

IMPORTANT: Where there is a difference between the qualifications reflected in the posting and the Job Profile, those stated on the job posting will be used for screening purposes.

For questions regarding this position, please contact George.Nicholson@gov.bc.ca.

About this Position:
Amendment (05/05): The closing date of this posting has been extended until May 21st, 2026.
This is a temporary opportunity until February 17th, 2027. This position may be extended or become permanent.
An eligibility list may be established to fill future temporary and permanent vacancies.
A Criminal Record Check (CRC) will be required.
This position is excluded from union membership.
Employees of the BC Public Service must be located in BC at the time of employment.

Working for the BC Public Service:
The BC Public Service is committed to creating a diverse workplace to represent the population we serve and to better meet the needs of our citizens. Consider joining our team and being part of an innovative, inclusive and rewarding workplace.

We are committed to ensuring that reasonable accommodations are available throughout the hiring process, including the assessment and selection stages. Please email the individual or contact listed on the posting if you require an accommodation to fully participate in the hiring process.

The Indigenous Applicant Advisory Service is available to Indigenous (First Nations [status or non-status], Inuit or Métis) applicants originating from the land now known as Canada, seeking work or already employed in the BC Public Service. Indigenous applicants can contact this service for personalized guidance on the BC Public Service hiring process including job applications and interviews.

How to Apply:
Your resume and/or cover letter must clearly show that you meet the education and experience requirements. Highlight the required qualifications and support them with specific examples, such as your responsibilities, projects you've worked on, or accomplishments. Find more information on the recruitment process, including helpful tips and videos about the application process, visit the Your Job Application page of MyHR.

Cover Letter: YES - A cover letter is required as part of your application. The content and/or format of your cover letter may be evaluated as part of the assessment process.

Resume: YES - Ensure your resume includes your educational accomplishments, employment history including start and end dates (month and year) of your employment, and any relevant information that relates to the job to which you are applying.

Questionnaire: YES - You will need to complete a basic questionnaire to demonstrate how you meet the job requirements.

Applicants who are selected to move forward in the hiring process may be assessed on their knowledge, skills, abilities, competencies and other position related requirements as outlined in the Job Profile at the bottom of the posting. Applications will be accepted until 11:00 pm Pacific Time on the closing date of the competition. If you are experiencing technical difficulty applying, visit the Technical Assistance page of MyHR.