Legal Officer

About the role

The Legal Officer will be based in the Nairobi office of the Appeals and Accountability Section, Administrative Law Division, within the Office of Human Resources. Reporting to the Chief of Section, the role supports the United Nations Secretary‑General by providing legal advice and representation in internal justice matters.

Key responsibilities

• Represent the Secretary‑General in written and oral proceedings before the United Nations Dispute Tribunal.
• Handle issues related to international, public, private and administrative law, interpreting UN statutes, legislative instruments and policies.
• Conduct extensive legal research, prepare studies, comparative analyses, briefs, reports and correspondence.
• Review legal documents and instruments, identifying key issues, similarities and inconsistencies.
• Draft background papers, legislative texts, commentaries and legal opinions on UN Charter, General Assembly resolutions and other relevant instruments.
• Assist in preparing agreements, negotiating settlements and assessing evidence for relevance and admissibility.
• Provide legal advice on human resources and administrative matters.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the Chief of Section.

Required profile

• Strong knowledge of administrative and employment/labour law.
• Familiarity with the jurisprudence of UN dispute and appeals tribunals.
• Ability to exercise sound judgment, handle confidential material with discretion and conduct thorough legal analysis.

Required skills