Steps to successfully find employment at this law firm
Cox & Palmer is a full-service, top-ranked Atlantic Canadian law firm with PEI offices in four locations: Montague, Charlottetown, Summerside and Alberton. Their wide range of services in family law, litigation, corporate law, and property law make up the biggest percentage of their business.
Ella Kelly, Human Resources Manager, has worked with this company for about two years, and feels this has been the best career decision she has made to date. “We have a terrific group of people here, and we have all the benefits of belonging to a big regional firm but with a small firm feel.
“Most of our employment opportunities are for lawyers, paralegals, and legal assistants. We also have shared services such as IT and accounting, but those are smaller groups.”
Legal Assistants take on the role of administrative support. They work along with lawyers to manage schedules, interface with clients, prepare bills, draw up documents, and other tasks.
Paralegals typically specialize in one area of law and are more involved in managing a file. They might work with a lawyer to plan out what needs to be done, prepare documents, support research, and work directly with clients.
Skills and education needed
“For Legal Assistant and Paralegal roles, we are interested in people with a college diploma or university degree in many areas, but education in administration, business, or accounting would stand out.
“We also look for transferable skills such as critical thinking, strong verbal and written communication skills, attention to detail, ability to manage multiple projects and competing priorities, and the ability to work in a high pressure, fast-paced setting.”
Compensation and supports
Compensation packages include a competitive base salary, health, dental, life and long-term disability insurance, fitness credit, and vacation and sick days.
Ella says the workplace culture is one that values all team members, no matter what your job title is. Everyone is important.
Hiring process
Job openings are posted on the company website and on Indeed.ca. “I am happy to accept a resumé at any time. When we have openings, I first go back to the resumés on file to see if we have someone who may be a good fit.
“I am also happy to do informational interviews, which is a chance to talk about your skills and what we do at this firm.”
First steps to finding employment at a law firm
Ella says those considering entering this field of work should first take a look at the skills they already have. “Informational interviews are a great way to learn more as a first step in putting together your training plan.”
For more information, contact Ella Kelly at Cox & Palmer at 902-629-3920 or email [email protected].