Bilingual Legal Assistant (Litigation)

Description of the Position

McCarthy Tétrault is a Canadian law firm offering a comprehensive range of legal and business solutions to its clients across Canada and around the world. With offices in Toronto, Montreal, Quebec City, Calgary, and Vancouver, we offer exciting and enriching career opportunities across the country. Recognized among the Top 100 Employers in Canada for eleven consecutive years and among the Best Employers for Diversity in Canada for fourteen consecutive years, our culture is guided by The McCarthy Way — our common approach in our relationships with our clients and among colleagues.

The McCarthy Way is based on four fundamental pillars: Excellence, by attracting and developing the best talent committed to respecting our commitment to our clients; Collaboration, through fluid and integrated teamwork; Inclusion, by removing barriers to belonging and success; Innovation, by offering maximum value through the adoption of cutting-edge technologies and approaches. Together, these principles define our way of working, leading, and evolving — every day.

The employee occupying this position will need to interact with clients and third parties who only understand and communicate in English. This position also requires the candidate to be able to interact fluently with colleagues in our offices across Canada, where English is the predominant language. As we estimate that more than 60% of the work required for this position must be done in English, the linguistic requirements for this position are a high level of writing, reading comprehension, and high-level oral communication.

We are recruiting a Legal Assistant, Litigation to join our team in our Montreal office. The candidate retained must have a minimum of 3 years of experience in the legal and litigation field and will be responsible for assisting lawyers in commercial and medical litigation in their schedule, formatting documents, and many other administrative and procedural tasks. Employees of McCarthy Tétrault benefit from a hybrid work environment. As a Bilingual Legal Assistant (Litigation), you will have the following responsibilities: *Documents*

• Prepare, edit, format, print, digitize, and revise correspondence, service notes, litigation documents, reports, forms, labels, and all documents produced by dictation, typing, or otherwise, in accordance with the requirements established by the practice group.
• Coordinate and distribute tasks to be performed by various resource groups (document specialists, legal assistant assistants, billing assistants, etc.), as necessary, ensuring that tasks are completed on time.
• Proofread and ensure that documents are clear, properly formatted, and free of spelling and grammatical errors.
• *Litigation*
• Assist lawyers in preparing and coordinating hearings and trials; record and monitor court dates, procedural acts, and deadlines for filing.
• Prepare basic procedural acts and other visual elements to be presented in court.
• Coordinate the service and filing of procedures with bailiffs and the Court.
• Plan and coordinate depositions, expert testimonies, or other hearings designated by the courts. Manage the collection of evidence.
• Maintain a thorough knowledge of legal terminology, court rules and procedures, as well as medical terminology, as applicable.
• *File Management and Time Management*
• Manage files, including performing the following tasks: open new files, maintain large and complex files, develop, maintain, and use an ordered filing and retrieval system that facilitates the consultation of paper or electronic archives, organize law and case law files.
• Collaborate with file management clerks and legal assistant assistants to create, maintain, and preserve client files appropriately.
• Update calendars for designated lawyers, including physical reminder systems, meetings, appointments, deadlines, and client-related activities.
• *Support for Lawyers and Clients*
• Coordinate lawyers' travel arrangements, including itinerary and expense note preparation.
• Regularly update the names and addresses of contact persons in the client database.
• Coordinate meetings with clients, including the organization of logistics related to rooms, catering, or audiovisual equipment.
• *Mail, Fax, and Telephone Reception Tasks*
• Examine and route received mail and faxes; prepare and process mail and faxes to be sent; take necessary steps to obtain special mail or messaging services as needed.
• Receive, process, filter, and direct incoming calls according to lawyers' instructions; answer common information requests and client requests; take messages as needed.
• *Financial and Administrative Tasks*
• Assist daily in the preparation and closing of time entries in accordance with the firm's standards, for processing by the accounting service.
• Work with the finance department to coordinate the opening of new client files and new mandates.
• Coordinate activities with personnel from functional areas (Office Services, Marketing, etc.), as needed.
• Provide constant support when other assistants are absent; assist assistants who must deal with tight deadlines; work proactively, positively, and productively as a team member.
• *Other*
• Maintain and update professional knowledge by participating in training.
• Perform other tasks as requested.
• The ideal candidate will stand out with the following profile:
• Legal assistant diploma or equivalent.
• At least three years of experience as a legal assistant in litigation.
• Bilingualism (French and English, oral and written).
• Thorough knowledge of legal terminology and court rules and procedures.
• Strong attention to detail and superior skills in word processing, spelling, proofreading, and editing.
• Ability to complete tasks quickly and accurately.
• Excellent time management skills to meet tight deadlines; organizational and versatile skills; ability to work under pressure.
• Ability to follow up on files while respecting the schedule, with minimal supervision.
• Highest possible level of discretion and confidentiality.
• Great flexibility to perform overtime when necessary.

Why join mccarthy tétrault – key benefits

As a member of the McCarthy Tétrault team, you will have access to a comprehensive, competitive compensation program designed to support your professional and personal well-being:

• Exceptional health benefits from day one, including firm-paid insurance premiums as well as wellness, technology, and ergonomics reimbursements.
• Comprehensive well-being support, including access to Dialogue for confidential mental health support, virtual healthcare services, and proactive well-being resources.
• A competitive salary, overtime pay, and a generous leave program, including a day off for volunteering and a day off for your birthday.
• A commitment to learning and development, with continuous opportunities for professional development for people at all levels.
• A strong community engagement and a sustained commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion.
• A collaborative and welcoming culture that values contribution, accountability, and collective success within legal and administrative teams.
• How to Apply:

We encourage external candidates to apply online and internal candidates to apply directly via our internal career portal on Es