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Lawyer in the Internal Appeals Committee

7:25:00 PM
The Internal Appeals Committee (IAC) is part of the legal system put in place by the EPO for its staff in case of employment-law disputes. In formal proceedings, it investigates appeals from EPO staff or pensioners against administrative decisions adversely affected them, and gives a reasoned opinion on the case.

In its legal and administrative work, the IAC is supported by a secretariat currently composed of seven staff members (six lawyers and one administrative employee) supervised by the IAC chairman.

We are now looking for a lawyer to strengthen this secretariat.

Main duties

  • Examining the facts and submissions presented, and studying the legal position in the light of the relevant provisions (Service Regulations, Pensions Scheme Regulations, health-insurance contract, etc.)
  • Drafting documents for the IAC members' discussions
  • Drafting IAC decisions and opinions
  • Correspondence with those involved in appeal proceedings, especially when legal input is required
  • Legal studies on questions of international civil-service law; analysing judgments by national and international courts with relevance for the EPO
  • Taking part in IAC oral proceedings (minute-writing)
  • Helping to update and maintain the database of IAC opinions (writing abstracts)

The ideal candidate will have

  • legal training with a focus on administrative and international law, and knowledge of the fundamentals of private law, including employment law
  • professional experience of litigation and administrative and appeal procedures at international organisations
  • the ability to think analytically, and to present and evaluate facts, submissions and arguments clearly and convincingly, both orally and in writing
  • experience in drafting legal opinions
  • sufficient language knowledge to work on internal appeals in all three EPO official languages
  • the ability to work well in a team, but also to analyse independently the facts and arguments put forward by appellants.

Please note that, in addition to the permanent vacancy, up to two non-renewable contract vacancies of a maximum 3-year (36 month) duration may also be filled as a result of this publication. An extension beyond the contract period of 36 months shall not be possible.

The non-renewable contracts will fill an additional temporary need within the Internal Appeals Committee.

Minimum qualifications

Candidates must have a university degree in law or – in exceptional cases – equivalent professional experience. They must also have excellent knowledge of one official language (English, French or German) and the ability to understand the other two.

Selection procedure

The successful candidate will be selected on the basis of qualifications, supplemented as appropriate by interviews and/or tests. It is intended to hold the interviews in calendar week 42.

Please apply online, using the online application form, reference number INT/EXT/5138

Closing date: 15.09.2011

As the second largest European organisation, the European Patent Office offers a competitive salary, excellent social benefits and varied work in a modern international environment.

http://www.epo.org/about-us/jobs/vacancies/other/int-ext-5138.html

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