Legal Officer

Job Description

Type of Job


Job Family
Legal Affairs

Job Opening Number
22-Legal Affairs-OAJ-177543-J-New York (O)

Application Deadline: 15 April 2022

Description
Org. Setting and Reporting

This position is located in the Office of Staff Legal Assistance (OSLA) in the Office of Administration of Justice (OAJ) in New York. The Office of Staff Legal Assistance is headed by a Chief, who without prejudice to his or her responsibility to provide legal assistance to staff members in an independent and impartial manner is accountable to the Executive Director. Under the authority of the Executive Director, the Chief is responsible for the management and proper functioning of the programme of legal assistance to staff members in the internal justice system, including in administrative, disciplinary and appellate proceedings before the United Nations Dispute Tribunal and the United Nations Appeals Tribunal. Incumbents report to the Chief of OSLA.

Responsibilities

The Legal Officer will be responsible for the following duties:

• Under the supervision of the Chief of OSLA, serves as a lead Legal Officer in cases handled by OSLA in the internal justice system.
• Advises clients on issues relating to appeals against administrative decisions and the imposition of disciplinary cases and on general legal matters related to employment by the Organization and its Funds and Programmes.
• Represents clients and litigates on behalf of clients in cases before the United Nations Dispute Tribunal and the United Nations Appeals Tribunal.
• Prepares written legal and oral submissions to these bodies and ensures they meet procedural requirements.
• Provides legal advice on diverse substantive and procedural questions.
• Performs and coordinates extensive legal research and analysis and prepares legal opinions, briefs, and detailed analysis of cases and jurisprudence. Prepares legal submissions/motions as necessary in the course of investigations and prosecutions.
• Advises on and participates in negotiations and settlement of claims and disputes
• Assists the Office in producing accurate, comprehensive legal submissions, including by reviewing and advising on drafts by colleagues and volunteer counsels.
• Assists in developing and maintaining the Office’s knowledge management systems.
• Represents the Office in meetings with staff and stakeholders and the General Assembly, as required.
• Acts as Officer in Charge of the Section when necessary.
• Coordinates and direct other legal officers in the conduct of cases, as required, and/or mentors and supervises the work of junior officers as required. Performs other duties as assigned.
  
  Competencies
  
  
• Professionalism: Expert knowledge of all relevant rules and regulations, policies, procedures and operations of the United Nations, as well as of the applicable jurisprudence; Ability to apply legal expertise to analysing a diverse range of complex and unusual legal issues and problems, both individual case and policy-related and to develop innovative and creative solutions; Analytical skills and ability to conduct comprehensive legal research on a range of issues, including those of a unique and/or complex nature; proficiency in legal writing and expression and ability to prepare legal briefs, opinions legal submissions/motions, and related documents. Ability to conduct trials on behalf of clients, through leading and cross-examining witnesses and making substantial legal arguments before Tribunal judges. Discretion and sound judgment in applying legal expertise to sensitive, complex legal issues. Strong negotiating skills and ability to influence others to reach an agreement. Ability to work to tight deadlines and handle multiple concurrent projects/cases. Knowledge of UN system, organisation, and interrelationships. Shows pride in work and achievements; demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; is motivated by professional rather than personal concerns; shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges; remains calm in stressful situations. Takes responsibility for incorporating gender perspectives and ensuring the equal participation of women and men in all areas of work.
• Planning & Organizing: Develops clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies; identifies priority activities and assignments; adjusts priorities as required; allocates appropriate amount of time and resources for completing work; foresees risks and allows for contingencies when planning; monitors and adjusts plans and actions as necessary; uses time efficiently.
• Client Orientation: Considers all those to whom services are provided to be “clients” and seeks to see things from clients’ point of view; establishes and maintains productive partnerships with clients by gaining their trust and respect; identifies clients’ needs and matches them to appropriate solutions; monitors ongoing developments inside and outside the clients’ environment to keep informed and anticipate problems; keeps clients informed of progress or setbacks in projects; meets timelines for delivery of products or services to clients.
  
  Education
  
  Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in international law. A first-level university degree in combination with qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
  
  Work Experience
  
  A minimum of seven years of progressively responsible experience in law, including legal analysis, research and writing is required.
  
  Experience as an advocate/litigator before courts and tribunals is desirable.
  
  Experience at the international level, preferably in a United Nations system organization, is desirable.
  
  Languages
  
  English and French are the working languages of the UN Secretariat, For the post advertised, fluency in English is required; knowledge of French is desirable. Knowledge of another UN official language is an advantage.
  
  Assessment
  
  Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise followed by a competency-based interview.
  
  Special Notice
  
  
• The position is temporarily available as soon as possible for a period of 364 days with a possibility of extension. If the selected candidate is a staff member from the United Nations Secretariat, the selection will be administered as a temporary assignment.
• A current staff member who holds a fixed-term, permanent or continuing appointment may apply for temporary positions no more than one level above his or her current grade.
• A staff member holding a temporary appointment shall be regarded as an external candidate when applying for other positions, and may apply for other temporary positions at any level, subject to section 5.7 of ST/AI/2010/4 Rev. 1. below and staff rule 4.16 (b) (ii). For full information on eligibility requirements, please refer to section 5 of ST/AI/2010/4Rev.1 on
  Temporary Appointments.
• While this temporary assignment may provide the successful applicant with an opportunity to gain new work experience, the selection for this position is for a limited period and has no bearing on the future incumbency of the post. An external candidate selected for this position is bound by the prevailing condition of the staff selection system under ST/AI/2010/3, as
  amended, and ST/AI/2010/4/Rev.1. A staff member holding a temporary appointment who is recruited in the Professional and above categories on a temporary appointment, and placed on a position authorized for one year or longer may not apply for or be reappointed to his/her current position within six months of the end of his/her current service. This provision does
  not apply to staff members holding temporary appointments and placed on positions authorized for one year or more in duty stations authorized for peacekeeping operations or special political missions.
• Subject to the funding source of the position, the eligibility for this temporary job opening may be limited to candidates based at the duty station.
• This temporary job opening may be limited to “internal candidates,” who have been recruited through a competitive examination administered according to staff rule 4.16 or staff selection process including the review of a central review body established according to staff rule 4.15.
• For information on special post allowance, please refer to ST/AI/1999/17.
• For more details on the administration of temporary appointments please refer to ST/AI/2010/4/Rev.1.
• The Staff Regulations, Staff Rules and administrative issuances governing staff appointments can be viewed at: http://www.un.org/hr_handbook/English
• Staff members of the United Nations common system organizations who will reach the mandatory age of separation or retirement within the duration of the current temporary need period are not eligible to apply. Submitting an application or selection for the current temporary job opening does not delay or increase the mandatory age of separation.
• Retirees above the mandatory age of separation who wish to be considered for the current temporary job opening must indicate the reason for their last separation as “retirement.” Such retirees shall not be employed by the Organization, unless (a) the operational requirements of the Organization cannot be met by staff members who are qualified and available to perform the required functions; and (b) the proposed employment would not adversely affect the career development or redeployment opportunities of other staff members and represents both a cost-effective and operationally sound solution to meet the needs of the service.