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    • Legal Intern

      Legal Intern

      Location :

      New York (remote internship is possible), UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

      Type of Contract :

      Internship

      Starting Date :

      01-May-2024

      Application Deadline :

      23-Feb-24 (Midnight New York, USA)

      Post Level :

      Intern

      Duration of Initial Contract :

      6 months

      Time left :

      15d 8h 9m

      Languages Required :

      English  

      Expected Duration of Assignment :

      6 months

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      UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence. UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

      Background

      UNDP’s mandate is to end poverty, build democratic governance, rule of law, and inclusive institutions. We advocate for change, and connect countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life.

      As the United Nation’s lead agency on international development, UNDP works in 170 countries and territories to eradicate poverty and reduce inequality. We help countries to develop policies, leadership skills, partnering abilities, institutional capabilities, and to build resilience to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Our work is concentrated in three focus areas: sustainable development, democratic governance and peace building, and climate and disaster resilience.

      UNDP personnel are united by a common purpose: to help countries and communities across the world pursue peaceful, prosperous lives, lived in harmony with the planet. The Office of Legal Services in the Bureau for Management Services (BMS/OLS) provides strategic legal services of the highest standard to UNDP, UNCDF and UN Volunteers, giving pragmatic and timely legal advice that enables the right people to make good decisions.

      BMS/OLS serves as in-house counsel in UNDP. The Office consists of three operational Teams, which provide advice and assistance on a full range of legal matters relating to the UNDP’s operations, programming and administration. A Legal Intern is sought for each of those three Teams:

    • Corporate and Institutional Law Team (C&I) is responsible for advising on: the legal aspects of commercial matters, including contracts; financing agreements and the legal issues arising from partnerships with public donors; the formulation of policies and procedures with respect to corporate and institutional matters.
    • Administrative Law Team (AL) is responsible for advising senior management of UNDP, UNCDF and UN Volunteers on: the legal status, and issues related to the conduct, of staff members and UN volunteers; the formulation of policies and procedures with respect to staff members; and representing UNDP in the internal justice system. 
    • Programme and Projects Team (P&P) is responsible for providing strategic legal services and handling all legal aspects of UNDP’s programmes and projects and advising on: partnerships with the private sector and Vertical Funds; policies and procedures with respect to matters related to P&Ps functions; and providing legal support to the United Nations Capital Development Fund.

      Duties and Responsibilities

      Under the overall supervision and guidance of the Senior Legal Advisors in the C&I, AL and P&P Teams, the Legal Intern will provide support and assistance to the lawyers in the office by carrying out various legal tasks, including research, drafting and review of various draft legal instruments and advice.

      Under the supervision of the Senior Legal Advisor, the Legal Intern is engaged in the following areas:

    • Provide in-depth research on various legal topics;
  • Provide analysis on specific legal issues;
Conduct legal review of draft legal instruments;Draft various legal documents, including formal correspondence, contracts and litigation briefs.Analyze investigation reports, identifying factual or legal issues in a disciplinary process (Legal Intern in the AL Practice).

Competencies

Core

Achieve Results:

Plans and monitors own work, pays attention to details, delivers quality work by deadline.

Think Innovatively:

Open to creative ideas/known risks, is pragmatic problem solver, makes improvements.

Learn Continuously:

Open minded and curious, shares knowledge, learns from mistakes, asks for feedback.

Adapt with Agility:

Adapts to change, constructively handles ambiguity/uncertainty; is flexible.

Act with Determination

Shows drive and motivation, able to deliver calmly in face of adversity, confident.

Engage and Partner

Demonstrates compassion/understanding towards others, forms positive relationships.

Enable Diversity and Inclusion

Appreciate/respect differences, aware of unconscious bias, confront.

Cross-Functional and Technical Competencies

Business Development – Knowledge Generation

Ability to research and turn information into useful knowledge, relevant for context, or responsive to a stated need.

Business Management – Communication

Ability to communicate in a clear, concise and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication; to tailor messages and choose communication methods depending on the audience.

Legal – Knowledge of applicable legal framework

Understanding of the legal norms as applied to the United Nations in general, and to UNDP in particular. This includes an understanding of the structure, functioning and operations of UNDP within the broader UN system and the application of international treaties, including the UN Charter, UN General Assembly resolutions, as well as an understanding of the internal legal framework (financial regulations and rules, policies, and procedures) of UNDP.

Legal – Legal Writing Skills

The ability to analyze fact patterns and present argumentation in written form. This includes the ability to draft memoranda, legal briefs and other submissions to external parties, in both an advocacy and objective format. It also includes the ability to convey legal analysis and recommendations to internal parties in written form.

Legal – Legal Research

The ability to identify and retrieve information to support legal positions and corporate decision making from all relevant sources. In the UNDP context, this skill includes proactive seeking of information in anticipation of the different aspects that any given issue may present.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Must be:

enrolled in a postgraduate degree programme (such as a master’s programme, or higher) in law or a related subject;enrolled in the final academic year of a first university degree programme (such as bachelor’s degree or equivalent) in law or a related subject;enrolled in a postgraduate professional traineeship program in law or a related subject, and undertake the internship as part of this program; orhave recently graduated with a university degree ( a master’s or bachelor’s degree or equivalent) and, if selected, must start the internship within one year of graduation.

Experience, Knowledge and Skills:

Previous experience working in a legal context is an asset.Knowledge of the organization of the UN system, and specifically UNDP, is an asset.

Language Requirements:

Fluency in written and spoken English. Working knowledge of another UN language is desirable.

UNDP Terms & Conditions for Internship

UNDP interns are eligible to receive a monthly stipend, with the rate that varies depending on the duty location. The stipend will be paid monthly, and part-time internship arrangements are prorated accordingly.Where an intern is financially supported by an institution, government or third party, UNDP will (subject to the rules of such institution, government or third party) pay the intern the difference, if any, between the external financial support provided and the applicable UNDP stipend.Except for the stipend, all other expenses connected with the internship will be borne by the intern, sponsoring government or institution.the intern must provide proof of health insurance coverage for the duration of the internship.

Application Procedure:

Qualified candidates are requested to apply online via this website.The application must contain a) cover letter that describes the candidates motivation for applying for the position, and b) Curriculum Vitae. Please compile all the documents into one pdf. file to be uploaded with your application.

The Selected Candidate will be required to Provide the Following Additional Documents:

A Medical Certificate of Good Health from a recognized physician. If the intern is expected to travel outside the country of their residence, other than to Europe and North America, the physician must indicate whether the intern is fit to travel and has had the required inoculations for the country or countries to which the intern is to travel.Proof of health insurance coverage valid for the duration of the internship.Official letter from their university confirming enrollment in a degree program, specifying the subject and level of the program and expected graduation date, or diploma if the intern has graduated within the last year.Copy of current school transcript if enrolled in school, or transcript from most recently completed year.

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