Legal Aid Alberta is seeking to fill a permanent full-time Managing Director, Legal Services Criminal in our Edmonton or Calgary office. This is a high-impact leadership role for a strategic executor, client-centered lawyer who combines criminal-law expertise with proven business acumen and a passion for driving systemic improvements that directly benefit disadvantaged and marginalized Albertans.

Who We Are

As a publicly funded, non-profit organization, Legal Aid Alberta provides affordable legal services in family law, domestic violence, child welfare, immigration, and youth and adult criminal defense. We are Alberta-wide, with 300 staff and 1,200 private practice lawyers helping people overcome their legal challenges in more than 75 communities across the province.

Who You Are

Reporting to the Vice President, Justice Services, the Managing Director, Criminal Legal Services serves as the senior leader responsible for implementing the strategic vision, operational excellence, and fiscal stewardship of Legal Aid Alberta’s province-wide criminal law practice.

In this critical leadership role, you will mentor and guide managers who lead teams in the direct day-to-day operations and frontline delivery of justice by staff representation counsel and duty counsel lawyers.

We seek a seasoned lawyer with strong people leadership experience who operates seamlessly at the intersection of law, management, and social impact. You will forge partnerships across the justice system stakeholders, championing forward-thinking lawyering, impactful processes, and delivering measurable improvements in access to justice for low-income and marginalized Albertans.

If you are driven to lead at scale, elevate standards of excellence, and effect enduring change for Alberta’s most vulnerable citizens, this is your opportunity to make a profound difference.

Job Description

Reporting to the Vice President, Justice Services, of the key responsibilities include:

Management and Leadership:
Strategic Leadership & Business Partnership

• Assist in developing Justice Services’ strategic plan, objectives, policies, budgets, and operational procedures
• Act as principal liaison with all LAA business units to optimize service delivery and operational alignment for the staff criminal law practice.
• Partner and coordinate with the Managing Director, Family and Immigration Legal Services, to bring a cohesive leadership structure to Legal Services

Program Oversight & Operational Leadership

• Direct all province-wide staff criminal programs (Duty Counsel, Certificate Representation, Appeals, and specialty courts) in strict accordance with the Legal Aid Governance Agreement
• Maintain full accountability for day-to-day operations, service quality, and performance across the staff criminal practice

People Leadership & Managerial Coaching

• Deliver ongoing coaching, professional development, feedback, and practice management guidance to Criminal Legal Services Managers.
• Mentor and strengthen the leadership capacity of managers who directly oversee daily operations of staff lawyers, justice navigators and legal support staff
• Design, implement, and effectively oversee individual and team performance metrics and accountability frameworks
• Manage team member and client escalation processes with transparency and fairness

Financial Stewardship

• Exercise responsibility for the criminal legal services budget and ensure disciplined fiscal oversight

Stakeholder Engagement & System Improvement

• Represent Legal Aid Alberta in high-level committees, projects, and stakeholder sessions to enhance access to justice.
• Serve as senior point of contact for strategic stakeholder relations and inquiries
• Perform additional duties as assigned by the Vice President, Justice Services

Qualifications

Education and Experience:

• Law degree from a recognized law school.
• Active member in good standing with the Law Society of Alberta.
• Combined 7-10 years experience in criminal, family, immigration and/or litigation practice, and 3-5 years experience in a leadership role.
• Master of Business Administration considered an asset.
• Board Governance experience considered an asset.

Knowledge:

• Comprehensive command of criminal law representation, Alberta Rules of Court, and court proceedings
• Advanced knowledge of leadership and management principles, project management, and business analytics
• Full competency in trust accounting standards and practices
• Deep understanding of legal ethics and professional responsibilities
• Strong technological fluency and genuine enthusiasm for mastering new systems, including Microsoft Office, web-based legal research platforms, and emerging digital tools

Skills:

• Demonstrated ability to lead collaboratively in high-pressure, high-conflict environments
• Exceptional interpersonal, facilitation, and communication skills that inspire trust and collaboration
• Superior analytical reasoning, logical rigor, problem-solving precision, and sound business judgment
• Proven passion for driving continuous improvement and delivering outstanding results
• Outstanding organizational agility with a track record of thriving amid change and competing immediate priorities

What We Offer

Perks of working with us

• Competitive wage
• RRSP employer contribution
• Health and dental benefits
• Health and wellness accounts
• Employee assistance program
• Hybrid work opportunities
• Team environment
• Work Life Balance

How to Apply

If you got excited at the prospect of being a part of our team when you reviewed this posting and you meet the minimum qualifications, please select ‘Apply Now’ to create your candidate profile. This competition will remain open until a suitable candidate is found. Only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

Requirements

Successful candidate will be required to provide an acceptable criminal record check.