CLARE ROBERTSON  |  DIANE LONGPRÉ  |  ROBIN NICOL

Have a look at our team. The Department of Justice (DOJ) is made up of bright, professional paralegals who are passionate about legal work.

Under the guidance of a legal professional, paralegals perform a variety of tasks in different areas of law, including researching, compiling and recording information from clients, governmental authorities or other sources, with a view to providing a base of knowledge on which informed advice and direction may be given.

DOJ paralegals work in a collaborative and mutually supportive team environment, and contribute to the success of the Department by sharing in its values, working together to achieve goals, and striving to constantly improve service to the public.

Clare started as a Legal Secretary, got her Legal Assistant Certificate via evening classes in 1998, and moved up to being a Paralegal. Clare loves working at the DOJ and finds that the reasonable work/life balance gives her opportunity to learn; she continues to attend Legal Education courses after hours.

Working in the Department's Business and Regulatory Law Section, Clare spends about 60% of her day doing legal and general research for cases. The rest of her time is spent drafting pleadings and other legal documents, as well as maintaining contact with lawyers and their clients. For Clare, working with lawyers generally involves meeting with them to discuss a case and clarify their instructions and deadlines, or participating in weekly round-table project discussions. Occasionally she does escape the office, heading to Courthouse or public libraries to spend a day doing research.

What do you like best about your job at the DOJ?
"The variety of tasks I do. I'm involved in litigation ranging from RCMP, environmental issues, fisheries matters, etc." She adds, "I get to work on important cases, sometimes the ones making the newspapers."

Any complaints? There must be something you'd change if you could.
"No, I really enjoy working here." Even when pushed, Clare still only admitted to one thing, "Well, I wouldn't mind having an office with a window."

Describe the DOJ lawyers you work with:
"The lawyers I work with are hard-working and fun!"

Her most interesting project (so far):
"Attending an RCMP detachment to assist in the preparation of a draft chronology of events, which included the review of a large number of documents."

What advice do you have for people who are considering the Department of Justice?
"Know what type of law you think you'd enjoy before you apply." Clare says, "It's a good place to work and if you show initiative, professionalism and commitment to your work, there are opportunities to get ahead."

After obtaining a bachelor's degree in Law, Diane joined the DOJ as a Legal Secretary and, in 1977, became a Paralegal. Diane's professors informed her of the advantages of a career at the DOJ and she joined the Department based on this information. Years later, she is still happy with her decision: she enjoys the variety and challenge of her job, as well as the excellent benefits.

Diane's job covers almost all aspects of the legal profession, including personnel management and internal training.

What attracted you to the Department of Justice?
"The Department was known as a good employer that offered many benefits – better than the private sector."

These things that attracted you at the beginning, do they still hold true?
"The DOJ is still an excellent employer, even if the job has changed – there are a lot more lawyers and more cases to handle."

What advice do you have for people who are considering the Department of Justice?
"You have to work hard and can never take half-measures. But your work is always rewarded."

What are some of the more interesting projects that you've worked on?
"I've done representation work at small claims court, and I was also involved in very interesting cases of bodily injury: cases where federal government workers were injured at their place of work."

Robin joined the DOJ more than 20 years ago, after completing a Secondary Certificate Legal Assistant Program. She has since obtained her Paralegal Diploma. Robin has always dreamed of a career in law, and is now primarily responsible for liaising with clients and conducting legal research. When not researching, she is busy drafting legal documents as well as performing general finance and administration duties. Robin spends approximately 50% of her time outside of the office, working on national files which are centrally located in Ottawa but which involve various Regional Offices.

When asked to describe the most challenging or interesting project that she has worked on, Robin immediately replied, "Any project!" She particularly enjoys preparing documents, working in a team environment and training new team members. Robin works with the same lawyers on a regular basis and enjoys a good and open relationship with her colleagues.

How much did you know about the Department of Justice before you joined them?
"Not a lot. I had some information from the Government and its Departments, but was convinced that the DOJ was a good employer with good benefits for its employees."

Have your perceptions changed since then? How?
"No. I'm still convinced that it's a great place to work."

What advice do you have for people who are considering the Department of Justice?
"You have to be willing to work hard. There can be stressful situations (urgent tasks, extreme pressure, etc.)." She adds, "It's a challenging and rewarding place to work."

What do you like best about your job?
"I enjoy the people I work with and the variety of work that I do. Every day brings new challenges, I like that."