South Asian Legal Clinic of Ontario (SALCO) – Staff Lawyer

November 1, 2021

South Asian Legal Clinic of Ontario (SALCO) – Staff Lawyer (permanent)

The South Asian Legal Clinic of Ontario (SALCO) is a community legal clinic funded by Legal Aid Ontario (LAO).  We provide legal advice, representation, legal education and community development / law reform for low-income South Asians in Ontario, including, but not limited to, clients from Africa, the Caribbean, Bangladesh, Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, and other people of South Asian origin. Areas of law practiced include Immigration, Human Rights, Income Maintenance (Ontario Works, Ontario Disability Support Program, Canada Pension Plan, Old Age Security, Child Tax Benefits and Employment Insurance), Employment, and Tenants Rights and support for people facing Gender-based Violence (ex: forced marriage, human trafficking, intimate partner violence, and elder abuse).

The clinic is seeking a full-time permanent Staff Lawyer to join our team.  We are looking for someone with a keen interest in clinic law and social justice.  Salary will range from $76,000 – $82,000 (commensurate to experience).  The position also includes extended health benefits, a 5.5% (of salary) RRSP contribution, and four weeks of vacation annually to start.

Job Responsibilities:

• Provide summary legal advice, brief services, and/or representation to clients at all levels of tribunals and courts, and prepare legal documents and pleadings as required. We are seeking lawyers who are prepared to litigate in tribunals and in cases in the Ontario courts, the federal courts, and up to the Supreme Court of Canada, with focus on Immigration, Human Rights, Income Maintenance, Housing, Employment Law, and Gender-Based Violence;
• Perform administrative and management functions related to the practice of law;
• Engage in public legal education, law reform, test case work, and community development related to the work of SALCO; and
• Provide services through satellite clinic sites around the Greater Toronto Area.

Qualifications:

• Member in good standing of the Law Society of Ontario;
• Second South Asian language a significant asset (including but not limited to Bengali);
• Experience in any of the areas of law listed above and or other areas of poverty law as noted on the SALCO website (salc.on.ca);
• Strong oral and written advocacy skills; and
• Demonstrated experience in community development, law reform, and or public education work.

Interested candidates are asked to submit a covering letter, résumé, and two reference letters by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, November 26, 2021 to:

SALCO Hiring Committee: wimalev@lao.on.ca

South Asian Legal Clinic of Ontario

106A – 45 Sheppard Avenue East, Toronto, Ontario, M2N 5W9

Tel: 416-487-6371

• We welcome applications from people who are reflective of the diverse communities we serve.
• While we thank all applicants for their interest, only those selected for interview will be contacted. We estimate that we will be contacting candidates in December 2021 for interviews in January 2022.
• Start date for this position is negotiable. SALCO is also considering a policy to allow some work from home moving forward.
• Requirement of Vaccination against COVID-19: Please be advised that SALCO requires all staff, students, and volunteers to be fully vaccinated. Proof of vaccination must be provided, subject to requests for medical or human-rights based exemptions.