Senior Law Clerk (Real Estate)

What You Will Do:

• Key responsibilities and duties include:


Provide title searching/conveyancing support to the Legal Services Team.
• Work independently to complete complex title searches in the Land Titles system including the ability to critically analyze title search results and prepare title confirmations, capturing all relevant title information. 
• Review and analyze historical title information, including reviewing and interpreting abstracts, transfers, title instruments, reference plans and other land surveys, expropriation plans and ability to plot property boundaries, as necessary.
• Identify and resolve deficiencies and/or discrepancies with title. Prepare and manage registration of documentation to update or correct any title inaccuracies.
• Complete searches under the Registry system, including examining the chain of title and completing full historical 40 year searches where required.
• Conduct real property title sub-searches, execution searches, corporate searches, bankruptcy searches and other required searches in support of sales and acquisitions, loans and other real estate transactions. 


Provide transactional support to the Legal Services team.
• Assist with and assume carriage of a commercial real estate transaction following the execution and delivery of the Agreement of Purchase and Sale to transaction close.
• With minimal supervision, independently manage all aspects of the closing of real property transactions, including, but not limited to, preparing closing documentation, updating ownership information, preparing statements of adjustment, and preparing and revising other legal documents as required and directed by Legal Counsel.
• Assist Legal Counsel with preparation and registration of electronic documents.
• Liaise with external counsel (where retained), clients and staff to provide necessary support and information at all stages of transaction.
• Maintain tracking systems for action items and deadlines, including the use of Microsoft Outlook for tasks and reminders and to communicate with the supervising lawyer as appropriate to meet deadlines.


Provide operational support to the Legal Services team.
• Review, edit and organize all real estate documentation required for approval submissions relating to Orders-in-Council, Minister’s Orders and Minister’s Consents.
• Review and interpret legislation, draft legal documents, prepare memorandums, advise lawyers and provide solutions. 
• Maintain comprehensive electronic and hard copy files of transactional documents for sales and acquisitions and manage organization of files for easy access by Legal Services team members.
• Organize and manage all aspects of on-boarding and off-boarding of properties either acquired or disposed of from the general real estate portfolio, in order to ensure that portfolio records are accurate and up-to-date province-wide.  Ensure notification of portfolio changes are communicated to all head office and regional Infrastructure Ontario staff who require this information for their business lines.
• Provide mentoring and training to junior lawyers, law clerks and administrative assistants, as may be required, including oversight of title confirmations prepared by law clerks to ensure accuracy and consistency of standards.
• Provide administrative assistance to a team of lawyers and assume other duties as assigned.

Who We're Looking For:

• A Law Clerk diploma/certificate/designation from recognized college or other institution, or equivalent experience is required.
• Strong understanding and experience with metes and bounds are essential.
• Comprehensive understanding of relevant legislation and regulations (e.g. Land Titles Act, Land Registration Reform Act, Registry Act, Business Corporations Act).
• Significant years of relevant experience as a title searcher/conveyancer in commercial real estate required with in-house legal group or law firm.
• Computer literacy with high proficiency with the Microsoft Office suite of products, Teraview and electronic databases.
• Excellent written communication skills, meticulous attention to detail to proofread and edit legal documents.
• Strong interpersonal skills and proven ability to build and maintain positive working relationships and work in a team-based environment.
• Thorough knowledge of legal terminology, industry practices and formats for various legal documents and standard business processes of a law office.
• Knowledge of government structure, processes and operations considered an asset.