Legal Officer

The Legal Officer position is located in the Registry of the United Nations Appeals Tribunal (UNAT) in New York. The role involves handling a range of legal issues including constitutional, international, public, private, administrative, criminal, and employment law, conducting legal research and analysis, preparing legal documents, and providing legal advice and support in tribunal proceedings.

Responsibilities

• Handles a range of issues related to constitutional, international, public, private, administrative, criminal and employment law, including interpretation and application of United Nations instruments.
• Performs other duties in support of Registry initiatives as requested.
• Conducts extensive legal research and analysis and prepares case studies, comparative studies, briefs, reports and correspondence.
• Undertakes review of legal documents, identifies important issues, similarities, and inconsistencies.
• Prepares or assists in preparation of drafts of background papers, studies, reports, legislative texts and commentaries.
• Prepares or assists in preparation of legal opinions/advice on a wide range of international public or private law issues.
• Reviews, advises on and drafts indictments or legal motions/submissions.
• Assesses evidence for relevance and admissibility and prepares briefs of evidence.
• Assists in representing the Organization before arbitral and other tribunals or administrative proceedings, including disciplinary cases; acts as junior co-counsel or supports Tribunal Judges.
• Provides legal advice on human resources matters and reviews administrative matters.
• Prepares or assists with seminars and symposia and lectures on legal issues.
• Provides guidance to more junior staff.
• Collects and analyzes data to identify trends or patterns and provide insights using data visualization methods.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• An Advanced university degree (Master's 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.
• At least two years of experience in administrative or employment/labor law is required.
• Experience as a judicial/legal clerk, or in a tribunal registry or appeals board secretariat, or experience drafting appellate briefs, is desirable.
• English is required at UN Level III proficiency in reading, writing, listening, and speaking.
• French is desirable at UN Level III proficiency in reading, writing, listening, and speaking.

Skills

• International Law
• Legal Analysis
• Legal Research
• Legal Writing
• Administrative Law
• Employment Law
• Labour Law
• Appellate Brief Drafting
• Judicial Clerkship Experience
• Tribunal Registry Experience
• Legal Advice
• Legal Document Drafting
• Constitutional Law
• Public Law
• Private Law
• Criminal Law

Languages

English, French