Senior Legal Officer, United Nations, Office of Legal Affairs, UN

Job summary
The United Nations, Office of Legal Affairs, is looking for a Senior Legal Officer.

Location: Vienna

Further details

Responsibilities
This position is located in the International Trade Law Division (ITLD), substantive secretariat of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL).

Under the supervision the of the Principal Legal Officer heading the Legislative Unit, the incumbent is responsible for the following duties: direct the work in one or more substantive areas of the work programme of the Commission; consult with outside experts and officials of other organizations working in that area; supervise one or more legal officers responsible for elements of a subject or for drafts of reports, draft instruments and commentaries; review drafts submitted to him/her; conduct research on particularly difficult issues with a view to devising solutions acceptable to countries with different legal, social and economic systems; finalize the drafting of legal instruments, such as draft conventions, model laws, model agreements, legal guides and various other legal texts; prepare commentaries on those texts; as requested, provide legislative assistance to Member States, in particular developing States, with respect to the enactment in domestic legislation of the texts that emanate from the work of UNCITRAL; provide any other legislative drafting assistance as may be requested by member States in the context of law reform projects aimed at modernizing commercial law in that country (to that end, consult with senior Ministry officials in Member States); substantive coordination of the work of various agencies that, inside and outside the United Nations system, engage in the preparation of legal texts governing international trade (to that end, consult with senior officials in international organizations); keep abreast of any development in those regional and specialized international organizations regarding harmonization of international trade law; maintain a constant link with those bodies to ensure consistency with the texts prepared by the Commission; lecture at seminars and symposia on international trade law, organized either by UNCITRAL or by other organizations in different countries; supervise the organization of regional or national symposia and seminars; promote the adoption and use of UNCITRAL legal texts by explaining them to government officials, legal practitioners, chambers of commerce and other users; provide services to UNCITRAL sessions and act as secretary or assistant secretary of UNCITRAL’s subsidiary bodies or of committees of a diplomatic conference; draw up portions of draft reports for adoption at the conclusion of Commission and working group sessions; perform other duties as assigned.