As a Team Lead in Legal Advisory Services, you will supervise and coordinate a team of legal professionals and support staff who provide essential legal guidance and services across the Department of National Defence. You'll be responsible for managing daily operations, ensuring quality legal work, and supporting your team's professional development while maintaining the highest standards of legal practice. Your leadership will help ensure that DND leadership has timely, accurate legal advice on matters ranging from procurement and contracts to employment law and regulatory compliance.
In this role, you'll manage competing priorities and complex legal files while maintaining professional legal standards and ethical obligations. You'll work closely with other legal advisors, department managers, and external legal counsel to resolve legal issues affecting DND operations. This position requires strong communication skills to explain legal concepts to non-legal audiences and the ability to make sound judgments under pressure. You'll spend time supervising staff, reviewing legal work, and representing the legal team in meetings with senior management and other government departments.
Key Responsibilities
Coordinate and oversee daily legal advisory services operations, Assign work, monitor progress, and provide guidance to team members, Review work products for quality and compliance with standards, Contribute to operational planning and process improvement
Required Skills
Legal research, Analytical reasoning, Legislative drafting, Client advisory, Precedent analysis, Team supervision, Work coordination, Quality control, Staff development
Typical Education
Post-secondary diploma or degree; experience in the relevant technical or functional area
Training
To be successful in this role, you typically need a law degree (Bachelor of Laws or Juris Doctor) from an accredited Canadian law school and admission to the bar in at least one Canadian province or territory as a lawyer or paralegal, depending on the specific position requirements. Some Team Lead positions may accept qualified paralegals with extensive experience. You should have strong knowledge of administrative law, federal legislation, and legal research and writing practices.
The Government of Canada supports ongoing professional development for legal professionals, including access to continuing legal education programs, professional association memberships, and specialized training in government law and DND-specific legal issues. Many legal professionals pursue additional certifications in areas such as procurement law, employment law, or alternative dispute resolution. You'll have opportunities to develop management and leadership skills through government training programs and may be encouraged to mentor junior legal staff.
Entry Plans
You can enter this career through several pathways in the federal Public Service. Many positions are filled through open competitions advertised on the Government of Canada's job board (jobs.gc.ca) and the DND Civilian Careers website. Some competitions may be limited to current public service employees or veterans. If you're already working in a legal or paralegal role in government, you may be able to apply for Team Lead positions through internal competitions or advancement opportunities.
The Public Service may also use staffing pools to fill positions more quickly. If you're a lawyer or paralegal new to the federal government, you can apply to open competitions at the appropriate level (typically Lawyer or Paralegal before advancing to Team Lead). Some departments participate in lateral recruitment programs for qualified legal professionals from the private sector, provincial governments, or other organizations. Student programs and co-op placements may also provide pathways to permanent positions. Your province or territory's law society may have reciprocal arrangements with other provinces, which can facilitate your eligibility if you're admitted elsewhere.
Part-Time Options
Part-time work options are available in some legal advisory positions within DND, though the availability may depend on the specific team and workload. Many legal advisory roles offer flexible work arrangements and the option to work remotely for portions of your week, particularly for tasks such as legal research, writing, and document review. However, supervisory responsibilities and team meetings may require regular in-office presence.
The federal government is committed to supporting work-life balance and has policies enabling compressed work weeks, flexible hours, and telecommuting where operational requirements permit. As a Team Lead, your ability to work flexibly may depend on your team's needs and the nature of ongoing legal matters. Discussions about flexible arrangements typically occur between you and your manager during the hiring process or after you join the organization. DND also offers benefits such as paid leave, employee assistance programs, and other support services to help maintain a healthy work-life balance.
Related Careers
No related military careers on file for this position.
