Property Lawyer, Wills & Estates

About the role

The Warrington Group is recruiting, on behalf of its client Scotia Law, a Wills & Estates and residential real estate lawyer for a full-time position in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. Scotia Law is a small, growing firm with a high-volume residential real estate practice and Wills & Estates services including estate planning, probate and estate administration. The successful candidate will work closely with the firm's principal lawyer and experienced real estate team, handling residential transactions and substantive property matters, and will also take an active part in the Wills & Estates practice.

Key responsibilities

• Wills & Estates: meet clients to obtain instructions and give estate planning advice; prepare Wills, Powers of Attorney and Personal Directives; advise on estate planning and succession matters
• Prepare and manage probate and administration applications and court documentation, and assist executors and administrators
• Manage estate files from initial consultation through completion, handle property issues in estates, conduct legal research and refer matters needing specialist advice
• Practice improvement: help develop precedents, checklists and internal resources, and improve efficiency and consistency across the practices
• Residential real estate: manage purchases, sales and refinances from opening to closing; review and prepare mortgage and closing documents, deeds and other title instruments, property migrations, PDCAs, AFRs and land registration documents
• Review title, parcel registers, plans and Property Online records, advise on easements and rights-of-way, investigate access, title and boundary issues, and conduct legal research on unusual property and title matters
• Provide additional lawyer capacity and coverage in the real estate practice, and conduct the legal review portion of files for the senior lawyer

Required profile

• Member in good standing with the Nova Scotia Barristers' Society
• Experience in residential real estate, Wills & Estates or a related area; residential real estate experience is preferred, and Wills & Estates experience is an asset
• Nova Scotia Land Registration qualification is an asset, or willingness to complete it
• Located in Canada and legally eligible to work permanently; sponsorship is not available

Required skills

• Strong legal research, drafting and analytical skills
• Comfortable managing files appropriate to your level of experience while working toward greater independence
• Clear, professional communication and a practical, solution-focused approach to client service

What we offer

• Competitive salary commensurate with experience, with a flexible compensation model
• Comprehensive group benefits
• Opportunity to inherit an established client base while growing your own practice
• Professional development and long-term career growth
• Flexible work arrangements and a supportive, collaborative team environment