Legal Excellence Program - Halifax

Articling with the Atlantic Regional Office

Lawyers employed with the Atlantic Regional Office (ARO) work on some of the most significant and interesting cases in the country and articling students often have the opportunity to assist with these files. Located in downtown Halifax, the bulk of our practice is litigation-based, with counsel appearing in every level of court in all four Atlantic provinces as well as in the Tax Court of Canada, the Federal Court, and the Federal Court of Appeal. In addition, we provide advisory services to multiple client departments throughout the Atlantic region. Our team includes over 90 employees, over half of whom are lawyers.

Areas of Practice

Justice lawyers in the ARO litigate and provide legal advice to government departments. They work in the following areas:

• Aboriginal law
• Administrative law
• Civil Litigation
• Class Actions
• Constitutional/Charter of Rights
• Employment law
• Human Rights law
• Immigration law
• Tax law

Our Student Program

Articling students frequently have the opportunity to work on important and precedent-setting litigation for an employer that supports their interests and professional development.

Legal Excellence Program (Articling)

Articling students in the ARO have the chance to develop the essential knowledge, skills and experience necessary for a career practicing law. During the articling year, students complete rotations in the two sections of the ARO: Civil Litigation and Advisory Services (CLAS) and Tax Law Services (TLS). During each rotation, articling students receive practical litigation experience and exposure to providing advisory services to client departments. They have the opportunity to work with lawyers and paralegals on large and small litigation teams, in addition to having carriage of their own files and learning day-to-day file management skills.

Our articling students have an opportunity for a rotation with one of Justice Canada’s legal service units, providing experience working directly with the client department.

In addition, the ARO may provide a rotation with the Public Prosecution Service of Canada (Atlantic Region).

During each rotation, articling students work under the supervision of a mentoring lawyer. A supervising lawyer also works with the articling students and the mentors to ensure successful completion of the requirements for admittance to the Nova Society Bar Society.

Throughout the year, the articling students will receive opportunities for continuing legal education through in-house training.

Summer Program

Students who are successful in obtaining an articling position with the ARO have the opportunity for summer employment following completion of their second year of law school. The summer is spent assisting counsel in a variety of work on litigation and advisory files in one or more of our practice areas.

LP-01 Training and Development Program

Appointments resulting from this process will be made under the Justice Canada LP-01 Training and Development Program. This program provides for the progression of participants from LP-00 (articling student) to LP-02 (counsel) over approximately 5 years. As such, it is expected that an initial appointment to this program would ultimately result in an indeterminate non-advertised LP-02 appointment (subject to meeting all program requirements).

Salary and Benefits

All articling students receive a competitive salary. During the 12-month articling term, articling clerks receive:

• Payment of a salary during the articling year;
• Payment of a salary during the NSBS Bar Admission course;
• Payment of the NSBS fees associated with articling;
• 15 days vacation, pro-rated;
• 15 days paid sick leave, pro-rated;
• Medical and dental coverage; and
• Pension plan.

How to Apply

We are currently accepting applications for 2024-2025 positions. The deadline for applications is Friday, December 9, 2022. Please apply online here.

Transcripts can be emailed to HR Halifax at HR.Halifax@justice.gc.ca.

Achieving a representative workforce has been identified as an organizational need in the merit criteria and may be applied in this appointment process. Consequently, if you are a member of the designated group(s) specified in the merit criteria, you are encouraged to self-identify on your application.

We thank all those who apply. Only those selected for further consideration will be contacted.

Contact Information

Contact Person:

Andrea Bennett
Human Resources Advisor
E-mail Address: HR Halifax HR.Halifax@justice.gc.ca