Law Society of Ontario Looking for Manager, Complaints & Compliance, Client Service Centre, Client & People Services (Hybrid, Toronto) at Toronto, ON Full Time

• An LLB or JD, plus a Class L1 licence with the Law Society.*
• A minimum of 7 to 10 years of legal or regulatory experience, including practical legal experience and a level of knowledge of legal practice, or equivalent.
• Five of these years should be working in a leadership role, providing guidance and mentorship and contributing to human resources decisions regarding professional and support staff.
• Customer service experience is preferred.
• May be required to travel to attend conferences/courses and will occasionally testify and/or present the Law Society’s position to other jurisdictions with respect to compliance matters.
• Extensive knowledge of the Law Society Act, by-laws and rules.
• Knowledge of the Law Society, including organizational structure, services, mandate, rules and regulations, and its complaints resolution services in particular.
• Substantive legal knowledge with respect to administrative law and other areas of practice.
• Solid understanding of best practices with respect to employee relations, client service management processes, process design and financial/accounting resources.
• Training in Alternative Dispute Resolution/Mediation.
• Proficiency in word processing and database applications, email, and the internet/intranet.
• Superior analytical skills to interpret and reason through complex information.
• Expressive and persuasive in both spoken and written language.

• By submitting your application for employment, you agree to a clearance check of your regulatory history with the Law Society, and to the use of this information in assessing suitability for employment at the Law Society.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES:

• In conjunction with the Director, CSC, staff in Complaints & Compliance, other departments in Client and People Services, and staff in other divisions as appropriate, formulates the procedures and criteria for the screening, resolution and routing of complaints to the appropriate persons, departments or other organizations in support of the mandate of the organization and its goals of client service.
• Liaises with Managers other senior staff in the Professional Regulation Division to develop policies for the appropriate management and disposition of complaint files.
• Oversees the work processes in the department, and ensures compliance with all applicable by-laws and other authority.
• In conjunction with the Director, CSC, and Managers and staff in the other departments in the CSC, contributes to the ongoing development, improvement and implementation of policy, process and procedure related to the Client Service Centre to ensure that recommended process and procedural changes are legally sound and to provide for fairness and equity in treatment of paralegals, lawyers and complainants, in keeping with the Law Society Act, by-laws, codes and rules.

• In conjunction with the Director, CSC, establishes policies and procedures, and monitors the performance of staff and systems related to the areas of responsibility:

• Develops and oversees processes for initial review and processing related to complaints, including communication of processes to paralegals, lawyers and complainants, initial research of complaints files, and provision of referrals.
• Provides discernment and decision-making based on legal expertise to determine the appropriate response to complex complaints requiring the attention of the Manager.
• Responds to escalated complaints including preparation of official letters of response, and acts as a liaison with departments in PRD in order to ensure consistent, accurate and timely processing of all complaints.
• Oversees the initial review and screening of good character issues for applicants.

• Provides legal counsel and guidance to team members with respect to applications received from paralegals, lawyers and non-licensees relating to compliance issues handled in the department, and may be asked to make arguments before a committee, or panel of benchers.
• Areas include, but are not limited to Mobility, Foreign Legal Consultants, Licensing following Surrender, LAWPRO Referrals.

• Provides substantive and operational leadership to a staff of Assistant Managers, Law Clerks, Counsel, Legal Officers, and Administrators, and oversees the delegation of work assignments.
• Together with the Director, ensures that results are timely and consistent with service standards.
• Hires, trains, develops and evaluates employees accountable to the Manager in accordance with the policies of the organization and best human resources practices.
• Fosters a positive working environment by clarifying goals, building the commitment of individuals, strengthening the group’s collective skills and encouraging creativity, problem solving and appropriate alternative dispute resolution. Fosters a team environment by role modeling leadership behaviour, empowering employees and building team capacity.

• Engages in continuous process improvement, recommending and initiating changes as required.
• Together with the Director, develops, improves, and implements policies, processes and procedures related to Complaints & Compliance.
• Contributes to the definition and implementation of the Law Society and CSC quality and client service mandate, through establishment and implementation of work processes, procedures and standards, monitoring performance, and evaluating the effectiveness of services provided to paralegals and lawyers and the public across the areas of responsibility.
• Establishes and monitors performance goals, targets and standards within the Complaints & Compliance area, and engages staff in continuous training, development and performance improvement initiatives.
• Provides ongoing guidance and ensures knowledge transfer, evaluation of process and ongoing improvement on various legal subjects to employees through the development of training programs and procedures.
• Works in conjunction with the Director and other CSC departments to ensure the ongoing improvement of processes within the CSC, continuously monitors work processes and procedures, re-engineering of work processes within the area, and establishing new processes and protocols as goals and targets shift with new Law Society initiatives.
• Develops statistical reports and analysis regarding department data, in order to report on work done and plan for the future.

• This position is responsible for the interpretation and application of by-laws as they relate to processes in Complaints & Compliance, as well as the Rules of Professional Conduct, the Paralegal Rules of Conduct, the Rules of Practice and Procedure, the Law Society Act, and other legislative acts.
• In conjunction with the Director, CSC, the incumbent identifies emerging issues and develops policies that will support enhanced performance.
• Continually assesses policies and procedures and identifies opportunities for policy development or change in areas related to the processing of complaints or administrative compliance by paralegals and lawyers.
• Prepares legal research, reports and analysis in support of policy development, as assigned by the Director.

• Provides input into the CSC budget, and carries accountability for the Complaints & Compliance departmental budget.
• Contributes to the development of requests for proposals and project specifications, and manages relationships with vendors and service providers as applicable.

• Works closely with team members, the Director, CSC, other managers and counsel in the CSC, and with representatives of other Law Society departments, to ensure quality in the delivery of services.
• Maintains current knowledge of the Law Society’s regulatory procedures, ensuring a consistent approach to the timely and efficient evaluation and routing of complaints and decisions made in Complaints & Compliance.
• Works closely with the Director, CSC and other staff in the Client Service Centre to develop, and ensure adherence to, processes related to the accuracy, currency, integrity and security of information.

WORKING ARRANGEMENT:

ACCOMMODATION: