THE LEGAL EXCELLENCE PROGRAM
Through this innovative program, the Department of Justice provides articling
students with the opportunity to develop the essential knowledge, skills and
experience for practicing law. Student in our Legal Excellence Program draw on
the experience and expertise of an assigned mentor who provides them with
professional guidance and support. Additionally, they benefit from formal
training and development component, which enhances advocacy skills, introduces
them to issues facing Crown counsel and gives them an overview of the Department's
array of legal work. The Legal Excellence Program benefits Civil Law and Common Law
students, notaries and those in the combined Civil/Common Law National Program.
In addition to the unique learning and professional development opportunities the
Department of Justice provides, we also pay a competitive salary which is paid
during the articling term as well as during the Bar Admission Course.*
Under the BC Regional Office Legal Excellence Program, students are hired for three years:
one year of articling and a guaranteed hireback for two years as junior counsel, subject to
satisfactory performance during articles.
Camaraderie, a wide array of challenging legal work and an exciting work environment
are just a few of the benefits offered by the Legal Excellence Program. You will
enjoy the opportunity to work on high-profile cases and in high-pressure situations
for an employer that values diverse lifestyles and supports your interests and your
professional development.
* With current exception of the Quebec Regional Office
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OUR LEGACY
As the largest single legal organization in the country, the Department
of Justice has played a central role in the justice system since the 19th
century. Created by an act of Parliament just eleven months after Confederation,
the Department performed a wide array of functions with minimal staff.
This new Department drafted federal legislation and regulations, prepared
ordinances for the territories and oversaw provincial legislation for
consistency with the British North America Act (now the Constitution
Act, 1867).
Still a relatively small government department headquartered in Ottawa,
the Department of Justice works to ensure that Canada's justice system is as
fair, accessible and efficient as possible, and is committed to promoting
respect for rights and freedoms, the law and the Constitution. Providing
high-quality legal services in regional offices across the country as well
as in some 40 other federal departments and agencies, our lawyers are
actively involved in prosecuting federal offences, litigating civil cases
on behalf of the Crown, and providing direction and advice throughout the
development of government bills, regulations and guidelines.
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CULTURE & BENEFITS
The tradition of the Department of Justice is embodied in its culture, which values inclusiveness, fairness, excellence and respect for Canada's legal system. Employing lawyers from all over Canada, the Department is committed to such workplace policies as employment equity, flexible work hours, job sharing and teleworking, thereby enabling employees to make choices about their working conditions and reach a proper balance between their professional and personal lives.
A career with the Department of Justice offers such benefits as practical courtroom and research experience, training and professional development, and access to extensive resources, including the Department of Justice's national intranet site. Working in a collegial and supportive setting, our lawyers may specialize in a particular area of law or rotate through several specialties in the course of their career. The wide range of options includes criminal law, civil and tax litigation, policy development, immigration, human rights law and international law.
The Department is committed to employment equity. We encourage applications
from Aboriginal People, visible minorities, women and persons with disabilities.
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REMUNERATION
Remuneration within the program includes summer employment (depending on the needs of a particular Regional Office), your salary during the Bar Admission course and articling (with current exception of the Quebec Regional Office).
For current articling student salaries, click here.
For information on Junior Lawyer salaries, click here.
Participants are subject to the regulations and benefits governing term employees of the Government of Canada. For more information on these regulations, please click here.
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APPLICATION AND INTERVIEW PROCEDURE
The Legal Excellence Program has Regional Offices across Canada. You may apply to as many Regional Offices as you wish, based on your career interests and personal needs. Submit your application directly to the Regional Office(s) in which you would like to work. Please note that each Regional Office has its own application deadline. To view the application deadlines for all Offices, click here.
The interview process differs from region to region. Upon applying, you will receive detailed interview procedures from each Regional Office to which you have applied.
Preference will be given to Canadian citizens. Please indicate in your application the reason for which you are
entitled to work in Canada: Canadian citizenship, permanent resident status or work permit
(Useful Information).
The Department is committed to employment equity. We encourage applications from Aboriginal People, visible minorities, women and persons with disabilities.
[Click here for areas of practice covered by each region as well as detailed deadline information, contact names and addresses.]
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TESTIMONIALS
"While articling at the Department of Justice, I was given diverse and challenging work assignments that are unique to the tasks of a public lawyer in the federal civil service. For example, I assisted in the preparatory work done by the Canadian delegation to the World Conference Against Racism, litigated cases before the Public Service Staff Relations Board, and assessed policy options of proposed criminal legislation. The Justice lawyers with whom I worked took great efforts to ensure that the work that I was assigned furthered my identified interests and goals. I came away from my articling experience with a clear sense of the huge variety of work that is available to Justice lawyers, an idea of the direction that I wanted to pursue within the department, and an assurance that there were individuals there who would support and guide me throughout my decision-making process."
Mala Khanna, 2000-2001 Articling Student
"My disability seems to have been an impediment to a lot of law firms, especially back in 1979 when I was doing my articling interviews. Justice gave me an opportunity to prove what I can do. Articling students get to work on high-profile [cases] that are in the news – often on the front pages. It adds a certain sense of excitement and interest to the job. It also teaches one how to deal with high-pressure situations."
Clare Scullion, Senior Counsel, Public Law and Central Agencies
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AREAS OF PRACTICE
The Department of Justice provides legal and policy advice on issues relevant across the mandate of the federal government. Justice lawyers have the opportunity to be involved in virtually every aspect of the law, from the development of policy to the drafting of legislation, and from litigation to the provision of legal advice to client departments and agencies. The structure of the Department also means that different counsel in different offices, and indeed, in different cities, might work collaboratively on particular aspects of any one file, bringing their own specialized knowledge and experience to bear on the issues at hand. While some areas of practice are more prominent than others in particular Regional Offices (for details on each Regional Office, click here) generally speaking, practicing law in the Department of Justice means working in one or more of the following areas:
- Aboriginal Law
- Business and Regulatory Law
- Civil Law
- Commercial Law
- Criminal and Social Policy
- Environmental Law
- Immigration Law
- Labour Law
- Legislative Services
- Litigation
- Public Law
- Tax Litigation
For more information on these areas of practice, click here.
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