Legal Officer, P3
Legal Officer, P3
UNOLA - United Nations Office of Legal Affairs
New York, United States
Org. Setting and Reporting
This position is located in the Codification Division of the Office of Legal Affairs (OLA). The Legal Officer reports to the Director of the Codification Division and a Principal Legal Officer.
Responsibilities
Within delegated authority, the Legal Officer will be responsible for the following duties:
- Services or assists senior colleagues in servicing diplomatic conferences, commissions, committees, expert groups and other bodies, including preparation of background materials, summaries of issues and views of delegations, meeting reports, etc.
- Prepares or assists with the preparation of international law training programmes and facilitate them.
- Handles a range of issues related to constitutional, international, public, administrative, and criminal (substantive, procedural and comparative) law, including the interpretation and application of constitutive, legislative and other instruments governing United Nations activities and operations, in consultation with senior Legal Officers.
- Conducts extensive legal research and analysis and prepares studies, comparative studies, briefs, reports and correspondence, as requested by the General Assembly and its subsidiary organs.
- 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 drafts of background papers, studies, reports, legislative texts and commentaries on those texts, legal publications and teaching materials in the field of international law.
- Prepares or assists in the preparation of legal opinions/advice on a wide range of international public law issues, including the United Nations Charter, General Assembly resolutions and decisions involving, inter alia, institutional questions, treaty law and practice, and procedural issues arising during meetings of United Nations organs.
- Prepares or assists in the preparation of agreements with governments and other entities.
- Administers programmes of legal technical assistance.
- Provides guidance to more junior staff.
- Performs other duties as assigned.
Competencies
- PROFESSIONALISM: Knowledge of, and ability to apply, legal principles, concepts and procedures and terminology for review, examination, and processing of a range of legal documents. Knowledge of various legal research sources, including electronic, and ability to conduct research and analyze information on a wide range of legal issues. Knowledge of the civil law and/or common law legal systems and principles. Ability to interpret and apply legislative instruments, develop and present results, recommendations, and opinions clearly and concisely. Ability to draft legal papers and work under pressure. Ability to apply good legal judgment in the context of assignments given. Shows pride in work and in 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.
- TEAMWORK: Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; solicits input by genuinely valuing others' ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others; places team agenda before personal agenda; supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position; shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings.
- PLANNING AND 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.
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 five years of progressively responsible experience in law, including legal analysis, research and writing is required.
- Experience in public international law at the national or international level is required.
- Experience in drafting international law background papers with emphasis on the progressive development of international law and its codification is desirable.
- Experience with an international organization is desirable. Experience in organizing
- international law training courses or seminars is desirable.
- Experience in publishing articles on topics of public international law is desirable.
- Qualifying years of experience are calculated following the receipt of the university degree in
- law recognized by the United Nations.
Languages
English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the post advertised, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of French is desirable. Knowledge of another official United Nations language is desirable.
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