Legal Assistant, Real Estate

Dentons is designed to be different. Our Firm leads the way in a rapidly changing legal marketplace. We challenge the status quo and deliver consistent results as well as uncompromising quality and value to our clients. Our global presence is renowned as a Firm with over 21,000 individuals in more than 200 offices serving clients across 80+ countries.

Dentons Canada is committed to its people and communities. We are consistently recognized as an employer of choice having received numerous awards including being selected as one of Canada’s Top 100 Employers (2026). Canada’s Top Employers for Young People (2026), and Canada’s Best Diversity Employers (2026).

This role is an opportunity for you to join Canada’s Global Law Firm, a firm that offers opportunities to build your career while growing your skills and deepening your expertise.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Real Estate Legal Assistant role provides comprehensive legal and administrative support within a busy commercial real estate practice, with a focus on financing, acquisitions, dispositions, and transaction closings. The role requires experience supporting a high-volume practice, including preparing and reviewing legal documents, coordinating closings, and ensuring accuracy and completion of all undertakings.

The ideal candidate is confident, proactive, and business-minded, with the ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced environment. Strong organizational, communication, and collaboration skills are essential, along with sound judgment, attention to detail, and a client-focused approach.

As a valued member of the team, you will support client matters, practice management initiatives, and compliance with firm standards while contributing to a collaborative and solutions-oriented environment. The successful candidate is reliable, adaptable, discreet, and committed to open communication and teamwork.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Open and maintain client and transaction files, conduct conflict checks, and manage matter intake, engagement letters, contact records, and bring-forward systems in accordance with firm standards.
• Provide comprehensive practice management support, including managing lawyers’ workflows, calendars, deadlines, meetings, travel, and client communications.
• Draft, prepare, and organize legal documents and correspondence related to commercial real estate, condominium development, financing, acquisitions, dispositions, and joint venture transactions.
• Utilize Teraview, Closing Folders, and DocuSign to support commercial real estate transactions, including preparing transaction documents, financing documentation, report books, and closing materials.
• Assist with title, off-title and the coordination of other due diligence searches (including off-title compliance requests to municipal and other governmental authorities, PPSA, corporate and Teraview searches.
• Coordinate aspects of transaction closings, including trust documentation, payout statements, mortgage payouts, administration of funds, and preparation of closing books.
• Familiarity with coordinating and processing wire transactions, including preparing trust payment instructions, verifying banking details, tracking incoming and outgoing funds, and ensuring timely and compliant transfer of funds in support of real estate closings.
• Manage the full billing cycle, including time entries, expense tracking, pre-bills, invoice preparation, and coordination with lawyers, clients, and finance to resolve discrepancies.
• Maintain organized physical and electronic filing systems, process incoming and outgoing mail, and perform general administrative support tasks.
• Prepare cheque requisitions, expense reports, and accounting-related documentation.
• Respond to client inquiries and act as a key contact for scheduling, documentation, and file-related matters.
• Maintain confidentiality, ensure compliance with firm and legal requirements, and demonstrate strong attention to detail in a high-volume, deadline-driven environment.
• Contribute to team operations by identifying process improvements, supporting best practices, and assisting with additional duties as assigned.

REQUIREMENTS

• Completion of a recognized legal support program (Law Clerk, Legal Assistant, Paralegal), preferred, or equivalent.
• 5+ years of law firm experience in a legal assistant or legal administrative role.
• Advanced digital dexterity in Microsoft Office Suite; ability to independently format complex legal documents, manage data, and coordinate multiple calendars.
• Experience with Teraview, DocuSign and LawyerDoneDeal would be an asset.
• Knowledge of financial services protocols, supporting banking transactions would be an asset.
• Solid experience with document management systems (e.g., iManage) and billing platforms (e.g., 3E).
• Strong organizational and prioritization skills; produce high-quality work while managing competing deadlines with minimal supervision.
• Excellent grammar, proofreading, and attention to detail in all deliverables taking full ownership of the accuracy, completeness and professionalism of all legal documents and administrative work.
• Professional and courteous communication with clients, opposing counsel, and internal teams.
• Demonstrate reliability and commitment to service excellence.
• Ability to work collaboratively, adapt to changing priorities, and exercise sound judgment under pressure.

We thank all applicants for their interest, however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted. 

This role is a new position.

The target salary range for this position is $70,000 – $80,000, commensurate with the successful candidate’s skills, experience, and qualifications. Dentons is committed to equitable and competitive compensation. This target range falls within our internal salary ranges, which are based on comparable roles in the external market.  We strive to hire, promote, and transfer individuals at the entry point of the range, with consideration given to prior experience, relevant skills, and market conditions.

We recognize that rewarding exceptional talent goes beyond salary. Our comprehensive total rewards package includes inclusive and flexible benefits that support the wellbeing and development of our people. This includes extended health and mental health benefits, paid time off, retirement savings plans, a fitness subsidy, parental leave top-up, and more.

In addition, our learning and development programs—such as mentorship opportunities, employee networks, and leadership development initiatives—are designed to support personal and professional growth.

At Dentons, all candidate screening, assessment, and hiring decisions are made by people. From time to time, we use AI-enabled tools to assist in enhancing our recruitment process and materials; however, these tools do not screen candidates or make hiring decisions.

Note: Availability of benefits and programs may vary depending on your location and employment type and may be subject to eligibility criteria. Dentons reserves the right to modify or discontinue offerings, in whole or in part, at its discretion and without prior notice.

Equal Opportunity Statement

At Dentons Canada, inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility (IDEA) are not just ancillary values, they are foundational to our business. We believe that IDEA is essential to the shared success of our team and our clients. Our forward-thinking and inclusive culture supports the professional development of all our people, enhances the leading services we offer to our clients, and informs our commitment to make a positive impact in the communities where we live and work. As a testament to our commitment to IDEA, we have been recognized as one of Canada’s Best Diversity Employer’s for 15 consecutive years (2011-2026), as well as one of Canada’s Top Employers for Young People (2026) for the ninth time.

Dentons Canada is an equal opportunity employer, and we welcome your application. All employment decisions, including hiring, will be made without regard to age, ancestry, citizenship, colour, creed, disability, ethnic origin, family status, gender identity, marital status, place of origin, race, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable human rights legislation.

We are committed to providing you with an inclusive, barrier-free, and accessible workplace to support your success. Should you require accommodation during the recruitment process, for example as a result of a disability, please contact us at careers.canada@dentons.com.