JOB DESCRIPTION

Organisational Context

The Registry Legal Office (RLO) combines a commitment to legal excellence with a result-oriented and policy-friendly approach in delivering legal services. The RLO operates as a dynamic and multifaceted international law practice in anticipation of and in response to client requirements, in both operational and policy matters.

The RLO supports the performance of the legal functions of the Registrar under the Rome Statute, Rules of Procedure and Evidence, Regulations of the Court, Regulations of the Registry, Financial Regulations and Rules, Staff Rules and Regulations and other legal instruments governing the ICC. This concerns both the judicial functioning of the ICC, where the Registry is involved, and legal matters affecting the ICC as an international organization and its legal position as a whole. In performing this dual role, the section is responsible for ensuring the quality, uniformity and consistency of legal positions across the Registry and its Divisions of Judicial Services, External Operations, and Management Services – including the coordination of a legal network composed of all the lawyers across the Registry (Registry Legal Network). The RLO provides a broad range of legal services, including drafting, negotiating, advising and litigating.

The RLO is headed by the Senior Legal Adviser who, together with the Registrar and the three Directors, is a member of the Registry Management Team.

The Assistant Legal Officer reports to the Senior Legal Adviser or Legal Adviser.

Duties and Responsibilities

Within this framework, and under the direct supervision of the Senior Legal Adviser or Legal Adviser, the incumbent will perform the following duties:

• Conduct extensive legal research and analysis;
• Contribute to the preparation and drafting of (complex) legal documents, including legal submissions, correspondence, memoranda, opinions and briefs;
• Contribute to providing advice to client sections and assists in providing advice to the Registrar and other senior officials of the Court;
• Assists in negotiating contracts, agreements and Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with a variety of parties within the Court; preparing summaries and updates of legal and factual issues;
• Providing support in developing and maintaining the operational framework for delivery of legal services, including establishing and managing work flows, work processes, SOPs, systems, case law digest, jurisprudence databank, and databases and central repositories of legal opinions and research, agreements, contracts and MoUs;
• Supports the effective operation of the Registry Legal Office by providing administrative assistance, including, in particular:
  • Operating paper and electronic information management systems, including case and legal reference files;
  • Developing and maintaining workflows for delivering legal services, including managing incoming requests for legal assistance, maintaining document management system and task tracking system;
  • Maintaining electronic and hard copy repositories of legal opinions and research, agreements, contracts, memoranda of understanding (MoUs) and other such legal documents;
  • Providing a variety of office support services, including coordinating with client sections; responding to inquiries from internal and external parties; screening phone calls and visitors; generating statistics/reports; drafting and finalizing correspondence for signature; budget preparation and implementation; time, attendance and leave management; office space arrangements; maintaining calendar/schedules; meeting arrangements and reservations; mail handling; various administrative arrangements/requests/documents (e.g. requisitions, purchase orders, travel and training requests, contracts, expenditure authorizations, visa applications, translation requests etc.);

• Perform other duties as assigned by the Senior Legal Adviser or Legal Adviser.

Essential Qualifications

Education:

Advanced university degree in law with specialization in international law. A first level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience is accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience:

A minimum of two years (zero years with an advanced level university degree) of relevant professional experience in a legal or judicial environment, is required.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Thorough theoretical and practical knowledge of the law governing the Court: public international law, international institutional law, international administrative law and international criminal law.
• Strongly developed legal skills, including excellent drafting (concise, well-reasoned, persuasive, and legally and factually accurate) and research skills.
• Strong analytical skills, and effective communication, negotiation and advocacy skills, combined with interpersonal skills and political sensitivity.
• Theoretical and practical knowledge of the legal, political, administrative, financial and procedural framework of the Court in both operational and policy matters.
• Possesses sound judgment; ability to contribute to innovation and eliminate barriers to effective and efficient work practices.
• Proven track record of good customer service within an international organization and a complex multi-cultural environment.
• Ability to balance priorities, multi-task and provide timely services that meet requirements.
• Strong planning and organizational skills both for legal and office support services, including advanced knowledge of Microsoft Office, notably Excel, Powerpoint and Word, as well as demonstrated experience with electronic document and information management tools, especially Sharepoint and HP Trim (Records Management) or similar.
• Attention to detail and proven ability to take initiative. Tact, discretion and professionalism.

Knowledge of Languages:

Proficiency in either of the working languages of the Court (English and French) is required. Working knowledge of the other is desirable. Knowledge of another official language of the Court (Arabic, Chinese, Russian, Spanish) would be considered an asset.