About Touch Coffee
Touch Coffee Smart Bar Ltd. is a Canadian company specializing in self-service coffee equipment and smart coffee bar solutions. We work with customers, suppliers, contractors, and business partners across Canada and the United States.
We are seeking an experienced In-House Litigation Paralegal with direct and verifiable experience in Small Claims Court proceedings, commercial disputes, settlement negotiations, and litigation document preparation.
This position requires practical court experience. Candidates without relevant litigation or Small Claims Court experience will not be considered.
Position Summary
The In-House Litigation Paralegal will be employed directly by Touch Coffee Smart Bar Ltd. and will manage the company’s Small Claims Court files, customer claims, commercial disputes, settlement negotiations, collections, and related litigation documentation.
The successful candidate must be prepared to represent Touch Coffee Smart Bar Ltd. as an authorized employee in BC Small Claims Court, the Civil Resolution Tribunal, settlement conferences, mediations, hearings, and trials where representation by a corporate employee is legally permitted.
The Paralegal will also coordinate disputes arising in other Canadian provinces and work with qualified external counsel when legal advice or licensed representation is required.
This is not a lawyer or in-house legal counsel position. A candidate who is not a licensed practising lawyer will not be authorized to provide independent legal advice or represent themselves as a lawyer, attorney, or legal counsel.
Key Responsibilities
- Manage customer complaints, contractual disputes, refund and cancellation requests, warranty disputes, unpaid invoices, and collection matters.
- Review purchase agreements, consulting agreements, invoices, correspondence, payment records, delivery documents, photographs, call recordings, and other relevant evidence.
- Prepare detailed case summaries, chronologies, evidence indexes, document packages, and management reports.
- Identify missing documents, factual inconsistencies, procedural risks, and important deadlines.
- Prepare initial drafts of Notices of Claim, Replies, applications, affidavits, demand letters, settlement proposals, releases, and other litigation documents for management or external counsel review where required.
- File and serve permitted court and tribunal documents.
- Track limitation periods, filing deadlines, response deadlines, hearing dates, settlement deadlines, and other procedural requirements.
- Communicate professionally with customers, opposing parties, lawyers, court registries, mediators, and other third parties.
- Communicate settlement proposals authorized by company management or external counsel.
- Assist with settlement negotiations and document agreed settlement terms.
- Represent Touch Coffee Smart Bar Ltd. as an authorized employee in BC Small Claims Court and other proceedings where corporate employee representation is legally permitted.
- Attend settlement conferences, trial conferences, mediations, hearings, and trials.
- Present the company’s factual position and supporting evidence clearly and professionally.
- Prepare witnesses and organize evidence for conferences, hearings, and trials.
- Coordinate claims and disputes arising in other Canadian provinces.
- Work with external counsel when a matter requires legal advice, interpretation of law, or representation by a licensed lawyer.
- Prepare clear instructions and organized evidence packages for external counsel.
- Maintain complete, accurate, organized, and confidential litigation files.
- Provide management with regular written updates regarding active cases, risks, deadlines, settlement discussions, and next steps.
- Develop and maintain internal templates and procedures for complaints, disputes, settlements, collections, and litigation.
Mandatory Qualifications
Applicants must meet all the following requirements:
- Completed post-secondary education in paralegal studies, law, legal studies, or a related field.
- Minimum of two years of practical civil litigation, Small Claims Court, tribunal, or dispute-resolution experience.
- Direct and verifiable experience participating in Small Claims Court proceedings.
- Experience preparing claims, replies, affidavits, applications, evidence packages, settlement materials, or other litigation documents.
- Experience attending settlement conferences, mediations, hearings, or trials.
- Ability and willingness to represent Touch Coffee Smart Bar Ltd. as an authorized employee in Small Claims Court where legally permitted.
- Strong knowledge of litigation procedures, court deadlines, filing requirements, service requirements, and evidence preparation.
- Strong written and spoken English.
- Excellent analytical, organizational, negotiation, and communication skills.
- Ability to manage multiple active matters and deadlines independently.
- Ability to review contracts and large volumes of correspondence and identify relevant facts and supporting evidence.
- Strong judgment, discretion, and respect for confidentiality.
- Ability to recognize when a matter must be referred to a licensed lawyer.
- Legally authorized to work in Canada.
- Willingness to provide professional references and verifiable information regarding previous litigation experience.
Preferred Qualifications
- At least three years of experience as a Litigation Paralegal, Civil Litigation Paralegal, Litigation Law Clerk, or in a comparable corporate claims position.
- Experience representing a corporation as an authorized employee in Small Claims Court.
- Experience managing Small Claims Court files from initial claim or reply through settlement or trial.
- Familiarity with BC Small Claims Court and the Civil Resolution Tribunal.
- Experience with commercial contracts, customer disputes, collections, settlement negotiations, consumer-protection matters, or equipment sales.
- Experience coordinating disputes in multiple Canadian provinces.
- Experience working directly with litigation lawyers and external counsel.
- A Canadian or international LLB, JD, or equivalent law degree is an asset.
- Membership in a Canadian law society is an asset but is not required.
Mandatory Application Requirements
To be considered, applicants must submit all the following:
1. Résumé
A current résumé clearly describing the applicant’s litigation, Small Claims Court, tribunal, and dispute-resolution experience.
2. Cover Letter
A brief cover letter explaining:
- The applicant’s direct experience with Small Claims Court;
- Whether the applicant has personally attended settlement conferences, hearings, or trials;
- Whether the applicant has previously represented an employer or corporation;
- The types of litigation documents the applicant has prepared; and
- The applicant’s availability for approximately 20 hours per week.
3. Relevant Case Experience
A description of at least three relevant matters in which the applicant personally participated, including:
- The province, court, or tribunal;
- The approximate date;
- The general nature of the dispute;
- The applicant’s specific role and responsibilities;
- The documents prepared by the applicant;
- Whether the applicant attended a settlement conference, mediation, hearing, or trial;
- How the matter was resolved; and
- A public court file number or publicly available decision, where available and legally permitted.
Applicants must not disclose privileged, confidential, or protected client information.
4. Professional References
Contact information for at least two professional references who can confirm the applicant’s:
- Employment history;
- Litigation and court experience;
- Specific responsibilities;
- Reliability and attention to deadlines;
- Drafting and organizational skills; and
- Professional conduct.
At least one reference should be a former supervising lawyer, manager, or employer.
5. Work Samples
Redacted or anonymized work samples, where legally permitted, such as:
- A case summary or chronology;
- A claim, reply, or application;
- An affidavit;
- A demand letter;
- A settlement proposal;
- An evidence index; or
- Another relevant litigation document.
Applicants must not submit documents they are not legally permitted to disclose.
Applications that do not provide sufficient information to verify the required experience may not be considered.
Work Schedule
This is a permanent part-time position requiring approximately 20 hours per week. The schedule may be flexible based on the successful candidate’s availability and the company’s operational requirements.
Attendance at the West Kelowna office, court registries, settlement conferences, mediations, hearings, or trials may be required.
Touch Coffee Smart Bar Ltd. thanks all applicants for their interest. Only candidates who meet the mandatory requirements and are selected for an interview will be contacted.
Pay: $35.00-$40.00 per hour
Benefits:
- Casual dress
- Flexible schedule
- On-site parking
Work Location: Hybrid remote in West Kelowna, BC
