I have been working as a Law Clerk and Disclosure Clerk for local boutique criminal defense firm Hale Criminal Law since January 2019. Clerking duties include attending court in the Ontario Court of Justice at the Ottawa Courthouse to speak to a number of matters. I also meet with clients, or discuss by teleconference, progress on their files and court matters; to discuss all retainer and billing matters, and handle all correspondence between the lawyers and clients, lawyers and Crown offices, and lawyers and courthouses, as per professional ethics, regulation, and compliance codes.
Disclosure duties include liaising with both the Provincial and Federal Crown offices to obtain disclosure for all clients from all the jurisdictions that the office is involved in, and ensure that the disclosure packages are securely filed as per Criminal Code regulations and compliance.
Since September 2019 I have been proactively increasing my level of responsibility within the office, including onboarding, coaching, and supervising placement students. Through independent learning I taught myself a working knowledge PCLaw Billing and Accounting Software when I noticed a gap in filing and banking procedures as our office searched for a new office manager in order to maintain daily operations.
