Legal Officer

Org. Setting and Reporting

These posts are located in the Office of Staff Legal Assistance (OSLA), Office of Administration of Justice (OAJ) one each in Entebbe, Uganda and Amman, Jordan. 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. The Legal Officer will report to the Chief of OSLA.

Responsibilities

Within delegated authority and depending on location, the Legal Officer may be responsible for the following duties:

• Provide legal assistance to the persons included in the scope of the administration of justice as defined by General Assembly resolution 63/253 on 'Administration of Justice in the United Nations;
• Advise clients on issues relating to appeals against administrative decisions and the imposition of disciplinary matters;
• Represent and litigate on behalf of clients before the United Nations Dispute Tribunal and the United Nations Appeals Tribunal; Prepare written and oral submissions to these bodies and ensure that they meet procedural requirements;
• Identify, where applicable, cases that are amenable to informal resolution, such as settlement or mediation and assist clients in the process;
• Assist in responding to complex inquiries and correspondence; Identify legal issues, drafts review and advise on legal documents and correspondence; Conduct extensive legal research and provide detailed analysis of cases and jurisprudence;
• Provide legal advice on diverse substantive and procedural questions;
• Assist the Office in producing accurate, comprehensive submissions, including by reviewing draft submissions for any inconsistencies or inaccuracies;
• Assist in maintaining the Office's registers (electronic and online) and a legal precedent reporting database;
• Assist in the preparation of reports on the work of the Office to the General Assembly and other bodies, as may be mandated;
• Assist in ensuring administrative and budgetary requirements of the respective office or other relevant OSLA duty station;
• Perform other duties as required.

Competencies

Professionalism: 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 and administrative expertise to analyze a diverse range of complex and unusual legal issues and problems, both individual case and p...