Legal Assistant – Floater (Various Practice Areas) – 5+ Years – Toronto (Hybrid)

Description

With offices in London, Toronto, Strathroy and Kitchener, Lerners provides a full range of legal services throughout Southwestern Ontario. Lerners maintains an attractive work environment with excellent support services and state-of-the-art technology. Lerners’ employees enjoy a fast-paced work environment and a supportive, collegial culture. Our positions are best suited to individuals who take pride in their work and understand the importance of exceptional client service.

Lerners is seeking a Legal Assistant to support our litigation lawyers in the Toronto, Ontario office. The ideal candidate will have over five (5) years of experience working in a similar position and/or experience in more than one practice area. The primary focus of this role is to support busy lawyers by providing vacation, leave, and overflow coverage for legal support staff across a variety of practice areas. The successful candidate will demonstrate adaptability, initiative, and a high level of attention to detail while providing consistent administrative and practice management support. This position requires strong communication, organizational, client service, and technical skills, along with the ability to work independently and effectively in a fast-paced environment. This is a Hybrid position and requires a minimum of three (3) days in office or as required.

The deadline to apply is November 18, at 11:59 p.m.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Provide short- and long-term coverage for Legal Assistants across multiple litigation practice groups during absences, vacations, leaves, workload fluctuations, and other operational needs.
• Adapt quickly to different lawyers, teams, practice areas, and work assignments while maintaining a high level of service and accuracy.
• Serve as a first point of contact for clients, prospective clients, courts, experts, and external parties, responding to inquiries and directing matters appropriately.
• Request conflict checks and assist with opening, maintaining, and closing client files.
• Schedule and coordinate client meetings, mediations, discoveries, hearings, teleconferences, case conferences, settlement conferences, and other internal and external meetings.
• Maintain lawyer calendars, monitor deadlines, and manage an effective bring-forward (BF) system to support file progression.
• Draft, format, proofread, and process legal correspondence and documents based on precedents and lawyer instructions.
• Prepare, compile, serve, and file court documents and other litigation materials in accordance with applicable rules, procedures, and deadlines.
• Maintain accurate and organized electronic and physical file records, including document management through iManage and other firm systems.
• Assist with billing and financial administration, including preparing accounts, processing invoices, coordinating disbursements, and communicating with clients regarding billing-related matters.
• Complete administrative tasks, including expense reports, event and conference registrations, transcription of dictation where applicable, and document management.
• Collaborate with lawyers, law clerks, legal assistants, and other support staff to ensure the timely and accurate completion of work.
• Handle sensitive and confidential information with discretion, professionalism, and sound judgment.
• Perform other duties as required to support the efficient operation of the firm and the delivery of exceptional client service.

Qualifications:

• Legal Assistant experience, or an equivalent combination of education and related experience.
• Minimum of five (5) years of experience as a Legal Assistant, preferably in a litigation practice within a legal environment and/or supporting more than one practice area.
• Demonstrated adaptability and flexibility, with the ability to quickly learn new areas of practice and effectively support different lawyers and teams based on operational needs.
• Strong understanding of the Ontario Rules of Civil Procedure, including court procedures, service requirements, deadlines, and court forms.
• Highly organized, with exceptional attention to detail and the ability to manage competing priorities and deadlines.
• Self-motivated and proactive, with the ability to anticipate needs and take appropriate action.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, with a professional and client-focused approach.
• Sound judgment, critical thinking, and strong problem-solving abilities.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a team environment.
• Demonstrated commitment to high-quality client service, confidentiality, and professionalism.
• Strong proficiency in Microsoft Office and the ability to quickly learn firm-specific systems.
• Experience with legal software such as iManage, ACL, Case Center, Justice Services Online (JSO) Portal, and/or OneDrive is considered an asset.
• Comfortable using technology in a remote or hybrid work environment.

How to Apply

Interested candidates should submit an application including an updated resume and cover letter to our career portal. Only candidates who have been selected for an interview will receive a response.

Benefits of Working at Lerners

Working at Lerners is both challenging and rewarding.

Our skilled Learning and Development team provides training and continued support to all firm members. Lerners is proud to offer a competitive salary and benefits package:

• Health, Extended Health, Dental and Vision care
• LTD insurance
• Life insurance
• Parking/Transit/Fitness reimbursement
• RRSP matching program
• Eligibility for salary adjustments and/or performance-based incentive bonuses
• Paid Volunteer Time
• Referral Bonus
• Employee Assistance Program
• Hybrid work arrangement eligibility (3 days per week in office)
• Kids and Company partnership

Salary

Target Hiring Range: $68,500 - $77,000

Commensurate with skill level, years of experience, and aligned with internal and market equity.

This posting reflects an existing within the organization.

Why Lerners?

Lerners is a leading regional law firm with four offices across Southwestern Ontario and Toronto, offering the strength of a full-service practice with the collaboration and support of a close-knit team. We’re proud of our nearly 100-year history, our reputation for excellence, and our commitment to diversity, inclusion, and community engagement. At Lerners, your work will have impact, your ideas will be valued, and your career will grow in an environment that respects both professional ambition and life outside the office.

Accessibility & Inclusion

We’re committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion — and supporting applicants of all abilities. If you require accommodation at any stage of the recruitment process, please get in touch with us at [email protected].