Property Lawyer, Wills & Estates
FMG Publishing · Dartmouth, Canada ·
- Employment
- Full time
- Category
- Legal
- Experience
- 1+ years
On behalf of our client, Scotia Law, The Warrington Group is looking for a Wills & Estates /Residential Real Estate Lawyer to join their team in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia.
About Our Client:
Scotia Law is a small and growing law firm with an established and high-volume residential real estate practice. The firm also provides Wills & Estates services, including estate planning, probate, and estate administration.
Their team is focused on providing responsive, practical, and client-centred legal service while maintaining a collaborative working environment.
The Opportunity:
Scotia Law is looking for a motivated, client-focused lawyer to join the firm with a practice focused on Wills & Estates and residential real estate.
Residential real estate represents the significant majority of the firm's work. The successful candidate will work closely with the firm's principal lawyer and experienced real estate team, providing additional lawyer capacity on residential transactions and more substantive property matters.
An important component of the role will also be taking an active part in the firm's Wills & Estates practice, including estate planning, probate, and estate administration.
Ideally, the successful candidate will bring some existing residential real estate experience and continue developing their knowledge and independence within Scotia Law's established practice. Experience in Wills & Estates is preferred, along with a genuine interest in continuing to develop meaningful expertise in this area.
The Ideal Candidate:
- The ideal candidate is intelligent, curious, resourceful, and client-focused.
- You are a self-starter who takes ownership of your files, researches unfamiliar issues, asks thoughtful questions when appropriate, and works toward practical solutions.
- You have experience in residential real estate and an interest in continuing to develop your knowledge of Nova Scotia property law. Experience in Wills & Estates is also preferred, particularly estate planning, probate, and estate administration.
- You are comfortable asking questions while working toward increasing independence and understand when a matter requires further research, guidance, or escalation.
- You communicate clearly with clients, value exceptional service, and enjoy working collaboratively with experienced paralegals and support staff. Most importantly, you are looking for an opportunity to become a long-term and meaningful member of a small, collaborative firm.
Responsibilities:
Wills & Estates
- Meet directly with clients to obtain instructions and provide estate planning advice
- Prepare Wills, Powers of Attorney, and Personal Directives
- Advise clients on estate planning and succession matters within the scope of the firm's practice
- Prepare and manage probate and administration applications and associated Probate Court documentation
- Advise and assist executors and administrators throughout the estate administration process
- Manage estate files from initial consultation through completion
- Address real property issues arising within estates
- Conduct legal research on probate and estate matters
- Communicate with beneficiaries, financial institutions, accountants, and other professionals as required
- Recognize matters requiring specialized tax, litigation, or other professional advice and make appropriate referrals
Practice & Process Improvement
As part of a small and growing firm, the lawyer will also have the opportunity to contribute to the practice beyond managing individual files.
This may include:
- Helping develop and improve precedents, checklists, and internal resources
- Identifying opportunities to improve efficiency and consistency within the real estate and Wills & Estates practices
- Researching legal and procedural issues and assisting with implementing resulting changes
- Working collaboratively with experienced paralegals and support staff
- Helping develop processes for recurring legal and title issues
- Bringing forward ideas that improve systems, workflow, and the client experience
Residential Real Estate
Depending on the candidate's existing experience, responsibilities will include:
Manage residential purchases, sales, and refinances from opening through closing
Prepare and review mortgage and closing documentation
Review Agreements of Purchase and Sale, identify relevant legal issues, and prepare recommendations for review with the principal lawyer
Prepare Deeds and other instruments involving transfers of title
Complete and review property migrations
Review title, parcel registers, plans, and Property Online records
Review and prepare PDCAs, AFRs, and other Land Registration documentation
Review and advise on easements, rights-of-way, and other benefits and burdens affecting title
Investigate access, title, and boundary-related issues
Prepare corrective and confirmatory property documentation
Conduct legal research relating to unusual property and title issues
Assist with substantive property matters arising during residential transactions
Provide additional lawyer capacity and coverage within the real estate practice as required
Conduct the legal review portion of files for the senior lawyer
The successful candidate will be expected to continue developing their knowledge of Nova Scotia residential real estate and gradually take responsibility for increasingly complex property matters as their experience develops.
Requirements
- Member in good standing with the Nova Scotia Barristers' Society
- Experience in residential real estate, Wills & Estates, or a related area of practice
- Residential real estate experience is preferred, including experience gained through articling or early legal practice
- Experience in Wills & Estates is an asset, with a genuine interest in continuing to develop this area of practice
- Nova Scotia Land Registration qualification is an asset, or willingness to complete the required qualification
- Strong legal research, drafting, and analytical skills
- Comfortable managing files appropriate to your level of experience while working toward greater independence
- Strong organization and attention to detail
- Clear, professional, and approachable communication skills
- A practical, solution-focused approach to client service
- Willingness to learn, ask questions, and work collaboratively within a small team
Benefits
● Competitive salary, commensurate with experience
● Comprehensive group benefits
● Flexible compensation model based on experience and long-term career goals
● Supportive and collaborative team environment
● Opportunity to inherit an established client base while growing your own practice
● Professional development and long-term career growth opportunities
● Flexible work arrangements
● Full-time position based in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia
If the above information excites you and is a career opportunity you would like to explore, please apply through the following link and an enthusiastic member of our recruitment team will review your resume and related qualifications!
We thank all candidates for their interest. However, only candidates that we determine are best aligned to the role will be contacted for initial discussions.
*Please note, candidates must be located in Canada and legally eligible to work on a permanent basis, as sponsorship for this opportunity is unfortunately not an option.*
The Warrington Group is a boutique, female-founded and led recruitment firm redefining how hiring gets done. We don’t believe in volume-based recruiting, outdated processes, or transactional hiring. We believe in partnership and building teams that actually move businesses forward. Since launching in 2020 and headquartered in Halifax, we’ve earned a reputation for delivering high-impact results through a relationship-first, transparent approach while challenging the status quo of what both clients and candidates have come to expect from recruitment.
Our work has been recognized with the 2026 Consumer Choice Award for Best Employment Agency in Halifax and Top 25 Most Powerful Women in Business (2026) ~ reflections of our growth, standards, and commitment to doing things differently. We partner with organizations across Accounting, Financial Services, Legal, Sales, Marketing, Professional Services, Administrative Support, Contact Centre, Operations, Healthcare, and Manufacturing. We work with people who take their careers seriously. If you would like to send your resume for potential opportunities not listed on our careers site, you may do so via email ~ [email protected].
Please note, this inbox is not replied to on a regular basis, however, your resume will be kept on file for 1 year.