Legal Officer

The Legal Officer provides legal assistance to staff members in the UN internal justice system, handling issues related to international, public, private and administrative law. The role involves legal research, preparation of legal opinions, representation before UN tribunals, and providing legal advice on human resources matters.

Responsibilities

• Handles a range of issues related to international, public, private and administrative law, in consultation with senior Legal Officers.
• Conducts extensive legal research and analysis and prepare studies, comparative studies, briefs, reports and correspondence.
• Undertakes basic or extensive review of legal documents, instruments, or other material; identifies important issues, similarities, and inconsistencies, etc.
• Prepares or assists in the preparation of legal opinions/advice on a wide range of legal issues, including international administrative law for clients (staff members, former staff members and other individuals eligible for legal assistance).
• Participates or assists in the negotiation and settlement of claims and disputes.
• Reviews, advises on and drafts legal motions/submissions.
• Assesses evidence for relevance and admissibility.
• Prepares and assesses briefs of evidence.
• Represents and assists in representing clients before the United Nations Dispute Tribunal and the United Nations Appeals Tribunal, as well as in management evaluation requests, disciplinary processes and other recourse mechanism.
• Provides legal advice on human resources matters.
• Provides guidance to more junior staff.
• Collects and analyzes data to identify trends or patterns and provide insights through graphs, charts, tables and reports using data visualization methods to enable data-driven planning, decision-making, presentation and reporting.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• An advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent degree) in international law is required.
• A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
• A minimum of five years of experience in law, including legal analysis, research and writing is required.
• Two years of litigation experience at the national or international level including first-hand experience in appearing and leading the evidence of witnesses before a court or tribunal is required.
• Experience within the UN common system or other similar international organizations is desirable.
• English is required at UN Level III proficiency in reading, writing, listening and speaking.
• Either Spanish or Russian or French or Arabic or Chinese (Mandarin) is desirable at UN Level III proficiency in reading, writing, listening and speaking.

Skills

• International Law
• Legal Analysis
• Legal Research
• Legal Writing
• Litigation Experience
• Court Representation
• Witness Examination
• Legal Advice
• Administrative Law
• Public Law
• Private Law
• UN Internal Justice Systems
• Legal Opinion Preparation
• Human Resources Law
• UN Common System Experience
• Legal Assistance

Languages

English, Spanish, Russian, French, Arabic, Chinese (Mandarin)