Internship Office of the Legal Adviser

The Office of the Legal Adviser (“LAO”) reports directly to the Office of the Director-General. The main responsibilities of the Office are:

• Implementation and interpretation of the CWC. To provide legal advice to the Director-General, units within the Technical Secretariat and the Policy-Making Organs on matters related to the interpretation of the CWC, the Rules of Procedure of the Policy-Making Organs and relevant decisions adopted by the Conference of the States Parties and/or the Executive Council.
• OPCW internal legislation. To provide legal advice to the Director-General and units within the Technical Secretariat regarding the interpretation of the OPCW Staff Regulations and Interim Staff Rules, the OPCW Financial Regulations and Rules, and administrative directives adopted thereunder.
• Personnel cases. To prepare the Organisation’s briefs in respect of appeals brought by staff members in cases before the Appeals Council or the Administrative Tribunal of the International Labour Organisation (ILOAT).
• International Agreements. To provide legal advice to the Director-General and units within the Technical Secretariat in the negotiation, preparation, conclusion and interpretation of international agreements relating to verification activities (facility agreements), relationship agreements with other international organisations, privileges and immunities agreements with States Parties, the Headquarters Agreement, voluntary contribution agreements with donors, and any other enabling legal instruments.
• Procurement of goods and services. To provide advice within the Technical Secretariat with regard to OPCW’s commercial matters, including procurement of goods and services.
• Others. To support the Director-General and units within the Technical Secretariat on other matters, as required.

Main Responsibilities:

Interns will be asked to conduct the following tasks:

• Prepare first drafts of memoranda and other communications, as requested, on a variety of legal issues arising from the CWC implementation;
• Research rules of public international law on matters related to the interpretation of the CWC;
• Prepare background notes on legal issues relating to individual States to guide senior officials of the OPCW in their bilateral discussions with the States;
• Provide support in preparation for meetings of States Parties and prepare records of such meetings;
• Research on administrative law matters, including the jurisprudence of the ILOAT, related to the implementation and interpretation of the OPCW Staff Regulations and Interim Staff Rules, the OPCW Financial Regulations and Rules, and other internal legislation.

Qualifications and Experience:

Education Essential:

• Enrolled in and have completed at least one year of a law degree programme in a university (or equivalent tertiary institution) or; in a graduate school programme (second university degree or higher) or;
• Have graduated in law from a university or a graduate school within a year prior to the commencement of the internship and;
• Be a citizen of an OPCW Member State.

Desirable:

• Graduated from an undergraduate degree in law (e.g. Bachelor of Laws) or have completed at least one (1) year of a postgraduate degree programme in law (e.g., Master of Laws or PhD).

Skills:

• Possess excellent research and analytical skills.
• Fluency in written and spoken English is essential.
• A good working knowledge of another OPCW official language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, and Spanish) is desirable.

Languages:

• Fluency in English is essential and a good working knowledge of one of the other official languages (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, and Spanish) is desirable.

Source: https://opcw-career.talent-soft.com/job/job-internship-office-of-the-legal-adviser_471.aspx