Location: Canada
Emond Harnden is a progressive and exciting place to begin or enhance your career. As a boutique law firm, EH represents the interests of management in both official languages in labour and employment matters.
EH fosters a spirit of respect and collegiality between Partners, Associates, and staff, recognizing that in order to provide the level of service required by clients, lawyers and staff must be passionate about what they do. EH is seeking candidates who are aligned with its entrepreneurial spirit, who care and see the value of their work, and who strive to meet client needs.
Differentiators
EH’s reputation has grown from local acclaim to provincial and national recognition. This remarkable achievement has been fueled by a steadfast commitment to excellent client service attracting and retaining outstanding lawyers and staff—many of whom have dedicated their entire careers within the Firm. EH’s multi-jurisdictional expertise allows it to seamlessly provide services across all Canadian provinces and territories, ensuring clients receive exceptional support regardless of jurisdiction.
EH takes pride in promoting new client relationships and fostering and maintaining long-standing ones, many of which have continued since the EH’s inception. This loyalty reflects EH’s unwavering dedication to delivering reliable, rapid and strategic legal and practical counsel.
Beyond the practice of law, EH demonstrates a deep commitment to community engagement, actively participating in and giving back to the communities it serves. This holistic approach to professional excellence and social responsibility underscores EH’s outstanding reputation and enduring success.
Position Summary
The selected candidate will be responsible for advising the clients in the following areas: education law, advocating for the interests of school boards, civil litigation, administrative law, as well as promoting and safeguarding the rights to truly equivalent access to education for the linguistic minority in Canada.
Key Responsibilities
- Advise and represent school boards on:
- education law, school safety, special education, equity and inclusion, privacy, student discipline, including suspension or expulsion hearings;
- strategic workplace issues, including employment standards, human rights, employment contracts, occupational health and safety, workplace policies and procedures, and human resources strategies;
- minority language rights matters, particularly under section 23 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms including funding for new school construction or renovation and matters pertaining to school board governance;
- collective bargaining, grievance arbitration, mediation, and civil litigation; and
- matters before administrative tribunals, including the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario and the Ontario Labour Relations Board.
- Draft legal opinions, memoranda, pleadings, contracts, administrative policies and procedures, and other legal documents;
- Conduct all necessary documentary and jurisprudential research and legal analysis; and
- Deliver strategic and practical legal guidance, advising on a wide range of issues that arise in a school setting on a daily basis.
Ideal Profile
The ideal candidate has demonstrated expertise in the education sector or in a similar field of law, excellent problem-solving abilities, and exceptional written and oral communication skills. They should be proficient in French and English, client-focused, and able to navigate complex legal issues while providing practical, strategic advice. A collaborative mindset, the ability to build long-term client relationships, and a genuine passion for supporting educational systems are also key attributes for success in this role.
This role requires a proactive, detail-oriented, and driven individual, with the ability to build and maintain strong relationships with school boards, their administrative teams and other educational stakeholders. The successful candidate will be capable of working independently as well as collaboratively within the Education Law Practice Group, consistently meeting deadlines while upholding the highest standards of professionalism.
Education
- LL.B. or J.D.;
- Member in good standing of the Law Society of Ontario or of another Canadian jurisdiction.
Focus
- Advocacy: civil litigation, administrative tribunals, labour arbitration
- Knowledge of Education Law;
- Knowledge of Constitutional Law and Minority Language Education Rights.
This is a unique opportunity for a dedicated, passionate, and collaborative individual. To apply for this position, please submit your application and related materials to Marie-Hélène Gaudreault at mgaudreault@boyden.com before January 31st, 2025, and state the title of the position in the subject line of your email.
We thank all applicants for their interest, however, only those under consideration for the role will be contacted.
Emond Harnden is committed to a diverse and inclusive environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, colour, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status. For individuals with disabilities who would like to request an accommodation, please contact Marie-Hélène Gaudreault at mgaudreault@boyden.com.