Accommodation Statement

The Assembly of First Nations (AFN) is dedicated to an inclusive selection process and work environment. If you require accommodation during the recruitment process, please advise the Human Resources representative when you are invited to meet regarding this employment opportunity.

Diversity Statement

Qualified persons of First Nations Ancestry will be given preference in accordance with s.16(1) of the Canadian Human Rights Act.

About the AFN

The AFN is an advocacy organization, taking direction and fulfilling mandates as directed by First Nations in-Assembly through resolutions. As a national advocacy organization for First Nations, the AFN seeks to advance First Nations Inherent and Treaty Rights through the development of policy, public education, and where applicable, the co-development of legislation to build First Nations capacity.
The AFN was created out of a desire among First Nations leadership for a strong and effective collective advocacy organization. From this, values such as respect for human rights, diversity, justice, and the sovereignty of each rights-holding First Nation guide the work of the organization.

Position Overview

The In-House Legal Counsel plays a key role in supporting the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) by providing strategic and practical legal advice and services to the organization. This includes supporting the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and AFN leadership on a wide range of legal matters including Indigenous rights, governance, administrative and constitutional law, human rights, employment law, corporate law, and contract management. The Legal Counsel ensures AFNs legal interests are protected while supporting the organizations strategic objectives and respecting the diverse legal and cultural contexts of First Nations across Canada.

Key Responsibilities

Legal Advisory & Representation:

• Provide legal representation to the AFN and appear before administrative tribunals, boards, and all levels of court.
• Draft case briefs and briefing notes on legislation, legal cases and opinions, and upcoming legal issues impacting First Nations and the work of the AFN.
• Draft speaking notes, communications materials, press statements, terms of reference (TOR), memorandums of understanding (MOU), policy position papers, presentations, reports, funding proposals, and correspondence.
• Draft contracts, agreements, agreements in principle (AIP), legal memorandums, legal opinions, legal factums, litigation strategy documents, legal submissions, affidavits, examinations for discovery, transcripts, and evidence.
• Review legal documentation for accuracy and compliance with laws.

Policy & Legislative Analysis:

• Monitor and analyze legislative and policy changes, providing regular updates to the CEO and senior leadership.
• Participate in national and international meetings and policy forums.
• Respond to information and action requests related to legal and justice matters and communicate relevant information throughout and across the sector and to other AFN sectors.

Collaborator Engagement:

• Develop and maintain strong and productive networks and relationships with national, regional, and community First Nations leaders, experts, and government officials to advance and negotiate AFN positions related to First Nations legal, and justice matters and concerns.
• Represent the AFN in various forums related to legal and justice issues and matters.
• Promote the interests of the AFN and enhance the AFNs profile by improving public awareness and understanding.

Organizational Support:

• Implement sector activities with political priorities from the National Chiefs Office, AFN Executive Committee, including Chiefs-in-Assembly resolutions.
• Provide legal advice and support during Annual General Assemblies and Special Chiefs Assemblies.
• Provide technical support and legal advice to internal AFN partners.
• Assist with planning key milestone events.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the CEO.

Qualifications

Education and Experience:

• LL.B. or J.D. from a Canadian university.
• Member in good standing with the Law Society of Ontario (LSO) and/or eligible for membership with the LSO.
• Minimum of 6 years of experience as in-house legal counsel or experience at a traditional law firm.
• Experience in all phases of litigation from investigation, pleadings and discovery, pre-trial settlement to appeal.
• Experience in providing legal opinions and advice to clients.
• Significant knowledge and in-depth understanding of First Nations legal issues, specifically in relation to treaties, land claims and management, legislation, First Nations government and governance.

Skills and Abilities:

• Excellent organizational skills, networking and relationship-building abilities, conflict resolution and negotiation skills, sound business judgment, strong problem-solving and analytical skills.
• Excellent time management skills with proven ability to meet deadlines and manage changing priorities.
• Ability to work collaboratively with internal and external collaborators using tact, diplomacy, and good judgment.
• Ability to multi-task and work in a fast-paced environment both independently and as part of a team.
• Superior written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong technical skills; demonstrated negotiation and leadership skills.
• Expertise in researching, analyzing, evaluating, and interpreting legal issues.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, project management tools, and communication platforms.
• Ability to work effectively under pressure and in a fast-paced environment.
• English is the working language; the ability to communicate effectively in French or any First Nations language is an asset.

Working Conditions

• Primarily office-based, with some travel required for meetings, advocacy events, and other legal-related activities.
• Irregular hours, including evenings, weekends, and holidays, depending on the organization's needs.

Physical and Mental Demands

• Prolonged periods of sitting and computer use during research and legal document preparation.
• Ability to manage complex work situations with professionalism, emotional intelligence, and discretion.
• Ability to navigate a politically sensitive environment and maintain confidentiality.

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Aperu du poste

Le conseiller juridique interne joue un rle cl pour soutenir lAssemble des Premires Nations (APN) en fournissant des conseils et des services juridiques stratgiques et pratiques lorganisation. Cela comprend le soutien au chef de la direction et la direction de lAPN sur un vaste ventail de questions juridiques, dont les droits des Autochtones, la gouvernance, le droit administratif et constitutionnel, les droits de la personne, le droit du travail, le droit des socits et la gestion des contrats. Le conseiller juridique veille la protection des intrts juridiques de lAPN tout en soutenant les objectifs stratgiques de lorganisation et en respectant la diversit des contextes juridiques et culturels des Premires Nations travers le Canada.

Principales responsabilits

Conseil juridique et reprsentation

• Reprsenter lAPN devant les tribunaux administratifs, les commissions et les tribunaux de tous niveaux.
• Rdiger des rsums de dossiers et des notes dinformation sur la lgislation, les affaires judiciaires et les avis juridiques, ainsi que sur les questions juridiques venir qui ont une incidence sur les Premires Nations et le travail de lAPN.
• Rdiger des notes dallocution, des documents de communication, des communiqus de presse, des mandats, des protocoles dentente, des exposs de position, des prsentations, des rapports, des propositions de financement et de la correspondance.
• Rdiger des contrats, des ententes, des accords de principe, des mmorandums juridiques, des avis juridiques, des exposs de faits juridiques, des documents de stratgie en matire de litiges, des mmoires juridiques, des affidavits, des interrogatoires pralables, des transcriptions et des preuves.
• Vrifier lexactitude et la conformit des documents juridiques avec les lois.

Analyse des politiques et de la lgislation

• Surveiller et analyser les changements lgislatifs et politiques, et fournir des mises jour rgulires au chef de la direction et la haute direction.
• Participer des runions et des forums stratgiques nationaux et internationaux.
• Rpondre aux demandes dinformation et daction lies aux questions juridiques et judiciaires et communiquer les informations pertinentes lensemble du secteur et aux autres secteurs de lAPN.

Mobilisation des collaborateurs

• tablir et maintenir des rseaux et des relations solides et productifs avec des dirigeants des Premires Nations, des experts et des reprsentants gouvernementaux lchelle nationale, rgionale et communautaires afin de promouvoir et de ngocier les positions de lAPN sur les questions et les proccupations juridiques et judiciaires des Premires Nations.
• Reprsenter lAPN dans le cadre de divers forums lis des questions juridiques et judiciaires.
• Promouvoir les intrts de lAPN et rehausser son image en sensibilisant et en informant le public.

Soutien organisationnel

• Mettre en uvre les activits sectorielles correspondant aux priorits politiques du Bureau de la Cheffe nationale et du Comit excutif de lAPN, y compris les rsolutions des Chefs-en-Assemble.
• Fournir des conseils et un appui juridiques lors des assembles gnrales annuelles et des assembles extraordinaires des Chefs.
• Fournir un appui technique et des conseils juridiques aux partenaires internes de lAPN.
• Aider la planification des vnements marquants.
• Accomplir dautres tches assignes par le chef de la direction.

Qualifications

ducation et exprience

• Baccalaurat en droit ou J.D. dune universit canadienne.
• Membre en rgle du Barreau de lOntario ou admissible ladhsion au Barreau de lOntario.
• Au moins 6 ans dexprience en tant que conseiller juridique interne ou dans un cabinet davocats traditionnel.
• Exprience dans toutes les phases du litige, de lenqute la conclusion dun accord avant le procs, en passant par la plaidoirie et la communication pralable.
• Exprience dans la prestation davis et de conseils juridiques aux clients.
• Connaissance et comprhension approfondies des questions juridiques relatives aux Premires Nations, en particulier en ce qui concerne les traits, les revendications territoriales et la gestion des terres, la lgislation, les gouvernements et la gouvernance des Premires Nations.

Comptences et capacits

• Excellentes comptences organisationnelles, aptitudes tablir des rseaux et des relations, comptences en matire de rsolution de conflits et de ngociation, bon sens des affaires, solides comptences en matire de rsolution de problmes et danalyse.
• Excellentes comptences en matire de gestion du temps, avec une capacit avre respecter les dlais et grer des priorits changeantes.
• Capacit travailler en collaboration avec des collaborateurs internes et externes en faisant preuve de tact, de diplomatie et de bon sens.
• Capacit mener plusieurs tches de front et travailler dans un environnement dynamique, de manire autonome ou en quipe.
• Excellentes aptitudes la communication crite et orale.
• Solides comptences techniques; aptitudes avres en matire de ngociation et de leadership.
• Expertise dans la recherche, lanalyse, lvaluation et linterprtation de questions juridiques.
• Matrise de la suite Microsoft Office, des outils de gestion de projet et des plateformes de communication.
• Capacit travailler efficacement sous pression et dans un environnement en constante volution.
• Langlais est la langue de travail, mais la capacit communiquer efficacement en franais ou dans une langue autochtone est un atout.

Conditions de travail

• Principalement au bureau, avec quelques dplacements pour des runions, des activits de plaidoyer et dautres activits lies au droit.
• Horaires irrguliers, y compris le soir, la fin de semaine et les jours fris, en fonction des besoins de lorganisation.

Exigences physiques et mentales

• Priodes prolonges en position assise et utilisation dun ordinateur pendant les recherches et la prparation de documents juridiques.
• Capacit grer des situations de travail complexes avec professionnalisme, intelligence motionnelle et discrtion.
• Capacit voluer dans un environnement politiquement sensible et respecter la confidentialit.