Deputy Law Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel

Deputy Law Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel

Selection Process Number: 13818675

Directorate: Office of the Law Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel

Classification: SLA 3A: $200,825 - $254,026

Job Type: Indeterminate Appointment (permanent, full-time)

Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Closing Date: Monday, November 30, 2026

About the Senate

The Senate plays a unique role in shaping our country’s democracy. As members of the upper house of Parliament, senators examine legislation, study public policy, champion causes and conduct interparliamentary diplomacy.

As a workplace, the Senate is composed of dynamic people representing our nation’s diverse talents, backgrounds and perspectives. We are committed to building and maintaining a diverse and inclusive workplace where everyone is provided full and equal opportunity and access to employment, development and advancement. Build and advance your career by joining a team of dedicated professionals who are committed to excellence in support of senators and the institution.

How will you contribute?

As the Deputy Law Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel, you will support the Law Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel of the Senate of Canada in ensuring the effective and efficient delivery of legal advice and legislative drafting services to the Senate. You will provide nonpartisan strategic and confidential corporate counsel services to the Standing Committee on Internal Economy, Budgets and Administration and the Clerk of the Senate, while providing expert legal advice and services to senior leadership across the Senate Administration on various complex and sensitive matters.

In this senior leadership role, you will help shape the strategic direction and priorities of the Office of the Law Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel while overseeing a multidisciplinary team of lawyers, legislative editors, paralegal and administrative staff. You will also lead and coordinate challenging legal research and projects involving external legal counsel, officials and consultants, while fostering a collaborative, high-performing team that can respond effectively to the Senate’s evolving priorities.

If this opportunity aligns with your experience and interests, we look forward to reviewing your application.

Open to

The general public to staff one (1) full-time indeterminate position in the Office of the Law Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel.

This selection process may be used to staff determinate or indeterminate positions at the same level with similar requirements.

The Senate of Canada is committed to building a skilled and diverse workforce that reflects the Canadians we serve, starting with an inclusive and barrier-free hiring process. You are entitled to apply in the official language of your choice (English or French) and you can request to be accommodated during any phase of the evaluation process. All information received in relation to accommodation will be kept confidential. We promote employment equity and encourage you to indicate if you belong to one of the designated groups when you apply.

Prerequisites

• Successful completion of a law degree from a recognized university;
• Membership in good standing with a law society in a Canadian province or territory and compliance with its professional requirements;
• Recent* and extensive** experience leading and managing highly complex legal matters involving legislative drafting or legal advisory services across various areas of law, including constitutional, parliamentary, administrative, labour and employment, contracting and procurement, copyright, access-to-information and privacy, or other areas of public law;
• Recent and extensive experience providing legal advice to senators, members of Parliament, parliamentary committees, senior parliamentary officials or senior government officials;
• Experience in human resources management, including providing direction and advice to staff, contributing to strategic planning and organizational priorities, and participating in employee performance evaluations;
• Experience in project management, including leading and coordinating research and project teams, fostering teamwork and collaboration, and providing direction to legal or legislative counsel, contract lawyers, external officials and consultants;
• Experience managing financial resources, including budget planning, oversight, resource allocation;
• Expert knowledge of Canadian law as it relates to the Senate, including parliamentary, constitutional and administrative law, as well as corporate legal matters relevant to the Senate;
• Expert knowledge of law-making and legislative drafting processes;
• Ability to analyze complex legal issues and provide clear, practical advice, both orally and in writing, in both official languages, to senators, their staff and Senate Administration employees.

*Recent experience is considered to be within the last five (5) years.
**Extensive experience is defined as the depth and breadth of experience normally acquired over a period of at least ten (10) years.

Linguistic Requirements

English Reading Comprehension: C

English Written Expression: C

English Oral Interaction: C

French Reading Comprehension: C

French Written Expression: C

French Oral Interaction: C

Competencies

Integrity
Respect
Service
Ethical Leader
Judgment
Sound Decision Maker
Effective Communicator
Engaging team builder

Organizational Needs

The Senate of Canada is committed to building and maintaining an inclusive workplace where all employees are provided full and equal access to employment, development and advancement opportunities.

Conditions of Employment

Candidates must consent to supply personal information and obtain a security accreditation to be eligible for appointment.

Applicants must be legally eligible to work in Canada.

Please save a copy of the job poster as once the application deadline closes, the poster will no longer be available for reference.