Legal Assistant, Financial Services & Real Estate

Dentons is designed to be different. Our firm leads the way in a rapidly changing legal marketplace. We challenge the status quo and deliver consistent results as well as uncompromising quality and value to our clients. Our global presence is renowned with over 21,000 individuals in more than 200 offices across 82 countries.

Dentons Canada is committed to its people and communities. We are consistently recognized as an employer of choice having received numerous awards including being selected as one of Canada's Top 100 Employers (2023); Canada's Top Employers for Young People (2023); Canada's Best Diversity Employers (2023); Mansfield Rule 4.0+ Certification; Chambers Diversity & Inclusion Awards, North America 2021; and Canada Law Awards for Pro Bono Initiative of the Year 2021.

This role is an opportunity for you to join the world's largest law firm, a firm that offers opportunities to build your career while growing your skills and deepening your expertise.

POSITION SUMMARY
We have an immediate opening for an experienced Banking & Finance and Real Estate Legal Assistant in our Edmonton office.
The Legal Assistant role requires a unique blend of skills and experience providing general and administrative support in our Banking & Finance and Real Estate Group. The position will require a confident, reliable and business-minded assistant with the ability to manage multiple tasks and adapt to changing priorities.
The successful candidate will be organized, discreet, detail-oriented, and have a client-first approach to work. In addition, the successful applicant must be team-oriented and accustomed to working as a work team with other assistants. Generally, the hours of work are from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. with some flexibility required to meet client needs; pre-authorized overtime may be required.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Drafting, preparing and proofreading correspondence, accounts and various transactional documents and forms;
• Entering and maintaining lawyer's dockets and coordinating with the Accounting Department, when necessary; preparing detailed billings;
• Dealing with and responding to client inquiries expeditiously and conducting follow up; keeping the lawyers apprised of interactions in their absence;
• Opening, maintaining and putting away files, and maintaining precedent systems using the Firm protocol for knowledge management including file closures and reporting any requirements;
• Working closely with the Paraprofessional team both in Financial Services and Real Estate;
• Processing incoming and outgoing mail, including maintenance of email accounts and managing bring forwards;
• Preparing and updating cheque requisitions and expense reports;
• Updating and maintaining client/matter lists and current client contact records electronically to meet Dentons' requirements;
• General administrative duties such as scheduling appointments and meetings, photocopying materials, booking meeting rooms, making travel arrangements, etc.; working with other related Departments/services internally to provide documents and other materials on time to meet client needs;
• Maintaining and organizing files, both electronic and hard copy as required;
• Demonstrating a team approach; supporting and standing in for colleagues to cover absences; ensuring strict adherence to confidentiality; accountability in relation to both internal and external clients to achieve outputs and goals for the Department and the Firm;
• Other duties as assigned.

REQUIREMENTS

• Minimum of two (2) to five (5) years of previous legal assistant experience in related practice areas;
• Post-secondary education in business or related discipline. Legal Administration Diploma preferred;
• Working knowledge in financial services/banking and/or real estate;
• PPSA experience as asset;
• Demonstrated knowledge of procedures, with a sound understanding of financial services transactions;
• Passion for working in a team environment, willing to help others and comfortable with sharing work assignments;
• Provide support to new team members in being a buddy/mentor during onboarding;
• Ability to produce a high quality and quantity of work, occasionally under tight timelines;
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills (both verbal and written);
• Knowledge of accounting/docketing systems and data management systems (i.e. iManage);
• Professional client and telephone manner and a proven track record of working with confidential information;
• Excellent problem solving skills, the ability to work with little instruction or supervision and be internally motivated;
• Administer conveyancing for Vendor/Developer or Purchaser/Lender of residential real estate files from open to close under lawyers direction for purchase transactions;
• Commercial real estate experience; provide support for acquisitions and sales of commercial properties, condominium developments, financing transactions and land development;
• Preparing, editing and proofreading routine correspondence, such as sales transactions and trust letters;
• Responding to client inquiries supporting file matters;
• Maintaining and organizing files with a robust follow up system;
• Prioritizing workflow to ensure completion of accurate work within established timelines;
• Preparing requisitions for wiring and depositing funds;
• Establishing a professional rapport with clients and colleagues;
• Scheduling appointments and coordinating meetings; and
• Proficient with MS Word, iManage, Excel and Outlook;
• Strong grammatical skills, including punctuation and proofreading; attention to detail and accuracy are required;
• A proven track record of working with confidential information;
• Able to work under pressure to meet deadlines, remain calm with a sense of urgency while maintaining a positive team driven work ethic using sound judgement;
• Able to adapt to changing priorities, work with minimal instruction and a willingness to assist in a team member's absence;
• Self-starter who is able to take initiative and approach colleagues and lawyers to solicit work;
• Responsible, dependable and consistent; and
• Demonstrated commitment to privacy and ethical conduct

*We thank all applicants who apply, however only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.

At Dentons we are committed to offering equitable and competitive pay, we achieve this by aligning internal salary ranges for specific roles to similar positions in the external market. In the normal course, our practice is to hire, transfer and promote employees within the entry part of our range, adjusting as needed based on the prior experience, skills and competencies required for the role along with any market differentials. Rest assured the full salary range is competitive and within the range paid for similar positions in the external market.

Recognizing our exceptional talent means providing a comprehensive total rewards package beyond a competitive salary. We have prudently curated our employee benefits portfolio to offer inclusive and comprehensive wellbeing and developmental programs for our people. With extended benefits and mental health plans, paid time off, savings plans, fitness subsidy, parental leave top up and more, our benefits are flexible, aligned to our core values and supports the various needs of our people. Additionally, our personal and professional development programs include people networks, mentorships, and leadership series programming to help people grow their career.

Note: Availability of the benefits and perks may be subject to your location and employment type and may have certain eligibility requirements. Dentons reserves the right to alter these programs and offerings in whole or in part at any time without advance notice.

Equal Opportunity Statement

At Dentons Canada, inclusion, diversity and equity (ID&E) are not just ancillary values, they are foundational to our business. We believe that ID&E is essential to the shared success of our team and our clients. Our forward-thinking and inclusive culture supports the professional development of all our people, enhances the leading services we offer to our clients, and informs our commitment to make a positive impact in the communities where we live and work. As a testament to our commitment to ID&E, we have been recognized as one of Canada's Best Diversity Employer's for 12 consecutive years (2011-2022), as well as one of Canada's Top Employers for Young People (2022) for the fifth time.

Dentons Canada is an equal opportunity employer and we welcome your application. All employment decisions, including hiring, will be made without regard to age, ancestry, citizenship, colour, creed, disability, ethnic origin, family status, gender assigned at birth, gender identity, marital status, place of origin, race, sexual orientation or any other characteristic protected by applicable human rights legislation.

We are committed to providing you with an inclusive, barrier-free and accessible workplace to support your success. Should you require accommodation during the recruitment process, for example as a result of a disability, please contact us at careers.canada@dentons.com.