Legal Assistant - Canadian Immigration Law Firm

Legal Assistant Job Posting

Position:
Full-time legal assistant (40hrs/week)

Location:
4211 Kingsway, Burnaby, BC V5H 1Z6

Hours:
8:
30 AM - 4:
30 PM (Regular Business Hours)

ABOUT US:

We are a busy, dynamic, young, racialized-led boutique immigration, refugee, and administrative/public law firm headquartered in Burnaby, B.C. but with national and international reach beyond Canada's constructed borders.

Our advocacy work and services are frequently engaged and consulted with by Government decision-makers, judges, media, and community groups. We challenge the system's status quo, aiming to serve migrants in the pursuit of fairness, justice, and transparency. We are also at the forefront of exploring issues of Artificial Intelligence in the Canadian administrative state and advising policymakers on key immigration issues during times of change and turbulence. Heron Law Offices has been recognized as one of the Best Law Firms in 2025, earning national and regional Tier 1 rankings in Canadian immigration.

ABOUT YOU:

You will be working as a legal assistant for lawyers who practice in the areas of Canadian immigration, refugee, citizenship, public, and administrative law. You will be primarily responsible for assisting the lawyers with all legal matters, including but not limited to processing highly confidential information and seeking additional information where necessary, preparing and drafting legal documents and correspondence for immigration applications, preparing materials for tribunals and courts, maintaining a high degree of professionalism and liaison with various individual, family, and corporate clients across Canada.

You are self-motivated, proactive and a reliable stabilizer to support the lawyer's busy day-to-day work. You will provide a second eye or a solid first draft to ensure accuracy and precision in our field, which is becoming increasingly dependent on our exceptional attention to detail. You will develop professional relationships with clients to keep them in the loop throughout the working process and 'work ahead' of lawyers.

Does that sound like you? Well - our Heron nest is calling!

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

The successful candidate will be expected to perform the following duties, including but not limited to:

• Assist lawyers with the Judicial Review process - preparing and filing applications for leave, preparing and submitting Applicant's Records, serving opposing counsel, and filing tribunal and court documents;
• Assist in drafting and proofreading legal documents such as affidavits, exhibits, and Applicant's memorandum;
• Support lawyers in preparing and submitting applications for immigration-related matters;
• Meet with clients to draft immigration forms, collect documents/evidence, and prepare letters and affidavits;
• Draft letters and correspondence for submission to government organizations and opposing counsel;
• Prepare Authorization forms and file Access to Information and Privacy (ATIP) requests for clients as needed;
• Assist lawyers with managing deadlines by BF-ing tasks and keeping track of their deadlines and priorities;
• Manage and update client files, ensuring all records are accurately maintained and confidential;
• Organize and maintain a legal precedent database for the firm to improve efficiency in handling recurring tasks and cases;
• Communicate case status with clients and the responsible lawyer and update them on the progress of the case/matter, and ensure that deadlines are met;
• Respond to client and legal correspondence in a timely and professional manner;
• Handling phone calls and email inquiries as needed

OUR IDEAL CANDIDATE:

• Bachelor's Degree (required) or higher;
• Graduated from a recognized paralegal program (preferred);
• A minimum of one-year experience as a legal assistant or paralegal in immigration law firms/courts (required);
• Self-starter with a proactive work ethic, and a team player with excellent customer service skills;
• Highly organized and detail-oriented, ensuring accuracy, clarity, and completeness in all tasks;
• Ability to work under pressure and manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment;
• Ability to multi-task and quickly adjust priorities to meet unexpected or competing deadlines;
• Strong sense of integrity and accountability;
• A person with a future interest in attending law school;
• Knowledge of Mandarin and/or Cantonese (an asset)

REMUNERATION AND BENEFITS:

• Annual salary range between CDN $48,000 - CDN $62,000 depending on the level of experience
• Employee health benefits plan available after 6 months of employment.
• Performance-based bonus pay is available.
• Monthly transit pass reimbursement if required.

OUR TEAM CULTURE:

You are joining a team that works both independently with clients and cooperatively on client files. We spend copious time laughing with (and at) each other on MS Teams, having pizza party lunch and learns, designing ridiculous T-shirts, and representing our Firm at events and conferences. Our team of lawyers and support staff are very active in cultural communities. We volunteer our time to help others outside of our working hours.

Above all, we emphasize 'family first' and focus on your well-being, safety, and security while practicing with us.

As they say - birds of the same feather, flock together.

APPLICATION CLOSE DATE:
31 January 2025

TO APPLY:
We ask prospective candidates to email *** with their brief cover letter (12-point font, Times New Roman, 1.5 spacing, max. 2 pages including a description of why you think you are a good fit for the position), current resume, two references, and a short writing sample by 31 January 2025. Please let us know if any accommodations are required. Interviews will take place on a rolling basis or until a candidate has been found.

• Important:
  Please title your email subject:
  'LAST NAME - Legal Assistant Job Application - HLO'