Legal Officer
Organizational Context
The Office of Administration of Justice (OAJ) coordinates the UN's internal justice system. The Office of Staff Legal Assistance (OSLA), headed by a Chief, provides legal assistance to staff members. This Legal Officer position is based in Santiago, Chile, and reports to the Chief of OSLA, contributing to the effective functioning of the legal assistance program.
Job Purpose
The Legal Officer is responsible for handling a broad range of international, public, private, and administrative law issues. This involves conducting extensive legal research and analysis, preparing studies, briefs, and reports, and providing legal opinions and advice to clients, including staff members, former staff members, and other eligible individuals. The role also includes assisting in the negotiation and settlement of claims, drafting legal submissions, assessing evidence, and representing clients before various UN tribunals and recourse mechanisms. Additionally, the Legal Officer provides legal advice on human resources matters, guides junior staff, and utilizes data visualization for reporting and decision-making.
Responsibilities
Handle diverse legal issues in international, public, private, and administrative law, in consultation with senior officers. Conduct comprehensive legal research, analysis, and prepare studies, briefs, reports, and correspondence. Review legal documents, identify key issues, and provide legal opinions and advice on a wide array of matters, particularly international administrative law. Assist in negotiating and settling claims and disputes. Draft and review legal motions and submissions, and assess evidence for relevance and admissibility. Represent and support clients before the UN Dispute Tribunal and Appeals Tribunal, and in disciplinary processes. Provide legal counsel on human resources matters and guide junior staff. Analyze data using visualization methods to support planning and decision-making. Perform other assigned duties.
Work Experience
A minimum of five years of legal experience, including analysis, research, and writing, is required. Two years of litigation experience at the national or international level, with direct experience presenting evidence before a court or tribunal, is also required. Experience within the UN common system or similar international organizations is desirable.
Skills
Professionalism, legal research and analysis, legal writing, legal opinion drafting, client representation, data analysis and visualization, communication (written and verbal), client orientation, knowledge of international, public, private, and administrative law, understanding of civil and common law systems.