Assistant/Associate Legal Officer

TVA-NL-OTR-VPU-P1/P2-391

Depending on professional background, experience and family situation, a competitive compensation and benefits package will be offered. The successful applicant will be offered a temporary appointment for the duration of the case limited to the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL). Any subsequent extension(s) are subject to terms of the Tribunal’s mandate and/or the availability of the funds. The Special Tribunal for Lebanon is an international inter-governmental organization with its own independent legal identity and not a UN organization. However, STL follows the UN common system for benefits and entitlements to its staff members. UN staff members may also serve on loan from their parent department/office, if selected. This announcement is an open call to fill a Roster of qualified Assistant/Associate Legal Officers. Candidates will be interviewed before being admitted to the Roster. An Assistant/Associate Legal Officer may be selected from the Roster or may be re-interviewed.

A selected Assistant/Associate Legal Officer will be hired as staff member to the Victims Participation Unit for the duration of case but will work directly with the Victims counsel.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Working directly with the Victims Counsel before the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, the incumbent performs a wide range of legal functions, for example:

• Conduct legal research on a diverse range of assigned issues in Lebanese and international criminal law and criminal procedure and other area(s) of specialization including laws on terrorism. Uses multiple legal research (electronic) tools; selects relevant material, analyzes information and presents findings for internal review.

• Summarize and analyze evidentiary material, witness statements and other relevant material and identifies important issues, similarities, inconsistencies etc,.Assist with investigations.

• Assist the Victims Counsel with the assessment of the relevance of evidence gathered by Legal Officers.

• During the proceedings, assist in the maintenance of an effective command of the evidence presented in court, using a variety of (electronic) tools, such as CaseMap or an electronic courtroom environment.

• Assist in the preparation of legal and factual submissions to the court during the pre-trial, trial and appeals phases of the proceedings.

COMPETENCIES:

• Professionalism: 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.

• Planning and Organising: Ability to establish priorities, coordinate with others and handle a large volume of work in an efficient and timely manner.

• Teamwork: Good interpersonal skills, willingness to share knowledge and encourage cooperation, ability to work in a multi-cultural environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity.

• Accountability: Ability to work well and consistently, while observing strict deadlines.

• Communication: Ability to write in a clear and concise fashion and to communicate effectively orally.

• Technological Awareness: Good ability to work with computers. Proficiency in MS Office applications (e.g. MS Word, Excel) and other IT applications.

• Creativity: Actively seeks to improve programmes or services; offers new and different options to solve problems or meet counsels need; takes calculated risks on new and unusual ideas.

• Judgment/decision-making: Indentifies key issues in a complex situation, and comes to the heart of the problem quickly.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Education: Advanced university degree in law, with a focus on criminal or international criminal 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 1 year (for a P1) or 2 years (for a P2) of progressively responsible professional legal experience with emphasis on (international) criminal law. Knowledge of and/or experience in Lebanese criminal law is a strong asset.

• Languages: Arabic, English and French are the official languages of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon. For this post, fluency in oral and written English or French is required with a good knowledge of the other. Knowledge of Arabic is a strong asset.

• Other: Strong organizational, drafting, and interpersonal skills; proven ability to conduct comprehensive legal analysis; proven ability to work well under pressure and meet strict deadlines; knowledge of international criminal justice systems highly desirable.

How to apply:

1. ALL APPLICANTS are requested to complete a Special Tribunal Personal History Form available at the Website: http://www.stl-tsl.org

2. ALL APPLICATIONS should be submitted by the deadline via email to: stl-recruitment@un.org

It is not necessary at this stage to send copies of qualifications, previous employment contracts, entire publications, etc.

Only applicants who are under serious consideration will be contacted. The Tribunal is not in a position to respond to queries regarding information on the status of vacancies or unsolicited open applications.