Legal Aid Officer -Assossa

About the Organization

The Ethiopian Women Lawyers’ Association (EWLA) was established at the federal level in 1995 by female legal professionals and was registered as a civil society organization. For the last 30 years, it has been working to stand for justice and equality for Ethiopian women. It implements 5 major programs, including Advocate for Women’s Rights, Public Education and Capacity Building, Comprehensive Free Legal Aid Service, Empower Female Legal Professionals and Foster Networking in the Legal Sector, as well as Professional Ethics and Quality Legal Services. It The Association has its headquarter in Addis Ababa, and regional branch offices in Adama, Hawassa, Bahir Dar, Gambella, Asosa, Jigjiga, Semera, and Dire Dawa. Moreover, it has established 57 volunteer committees at zonal and district levels and launched a multilingual Toll free Hotline center “7711” which provides services in Amharic, Afaan Oromo, and Tigrigna.

Job Summary

Under general direction of program manager, the legal aid officer is responsible for providing clients with legal assistance and advice; include drafting legal documents, structuring solutions for issues, and providing support in legal issues. He/she is responsible for monitoring all legal affairs within her/his organization. She/he handles both internal and external legal concerns, and is tasked with doing everything in his/her power to keep his/her organization out of legal trouble.

Duties and responsibilities

The legal aid officer will have the following duties and responsibilities:

• Plans, organizes, directs and coordinates all legal activities of the legal matters;
• Drafting of major contractual documents, policies, guidelines and directives that bear legal effects and commitments on the Association;
• Represents the EWLA before courts of law and administrative tribunals in all civil, commercial and criminal cases arising from business operations;
• Preparation pleadings of claims, defense, petitions and appeal on important and complex cases, handles sensitive cases of the clients;
• Handles all claims of the EWLA against other parties for money owed arising from contractual obligations;
• Studies, analyzes and interprets legal issues that impinge on EWLA activities; identifies core problems and provides advice on actions to be taken;
• Follows up decisions of courts to recover debt and effecting foreclosure process, handles disposal of foreclosed property by auction in consultation with appropriate work units of the Association;
• Selects and recommends advocates for retention for handling court case management of outlying branches as and when required;
• Handles investigation of thefts, forgeries and misappropriations involving the Association’s funds or property and takes appropriate legal actions for the rectification thereof
• Handle and maintain day today files of legal notices, proclamations and other legal documents;
• Performance legal aid service at Head and Regional Offices of EWLA as needed
• Represents clients in court and works with them to develop legal arguments
• Preparing legal papers and briefs, research legal issues, and draft legal documents
• Attends to daily data entry of files of clients on the Association’s data base
• Identifies capacity gaps in the Legal Aid and initiates necessary measures to be taken by the Management of EWLA
• Submit periodic legal reports to the Legal Aid Coordinator as required.
• Prepare the annual budget of the legal aid and administer its application after approval.
• Assists in developing and implementing legal projects as requested by EWLA;
• Provides technical input to the establishment of polices, guidelines in close coordination with Executive Director and management team;
• Advises the Legal Aid Coordinator and update legal matters, policies, procedures, rules and regulations, providing authoritative advice and support;
• Develops and maintain effective working relations with other agencies, local authorities and implementing partners relating to legal matters for enhancement of information exchange, collaboration, and harmonization;
• Develops annual work plans and budgets related to the legal function of his/her work unit;
• Assigns cases to legal aid counselor/volunteer counselors as well as ensuring that cases are competently/professionally handled;
• Reviews cases handled by legal aid counselor so as to ascertain that quality service is rendered by the department;
• Selects cases for representation that could obtain precedent setting court decision;
• Review cases to determine whether they have legal merit
• Handles cases, which call for special attention and follow-up;
• Issues summons to respondents as well as writes court briefs;
• Networks and corresponds with government, private and NGO institutions in order to effectively handle cases;
• Maintaining client files and records in order to provide legal services efficiently and effectively
• Reviewing cases for possible settlement opportunities or other legal options that may benefit the client
• Maintains a smooth working relationship with Branch Offices/Committees pertaining to legal aid and representation activities;
• Prepares periodic reports, case profiles, case books, etc;
• Maintain client confidentiality
• Carryout relevant tasks to be assigned by the Program Manager

Reporting Relationship:

• The legal aid officer is accountable to the Branch Legal Aid Coordinator and shall report to her.

Required Number: 1

Location/Place of work: Assossa Branch

Employment Type: Full time

Salary: As per the Association’s scale

Duration: One-year contract with possibility of Extension

Application deadline: 7 working days from the post of the position

Academic Qualification

• Bachelor or Master’s Degree in Law of relevant field of studies

Required Skills and Experience

• 3-5 years of experience
• NGO/CSO areas experience
• Flexible and adaptable
• Being agile
• Bear criticism
• Maintain patience
• Organizational and interpersonal skills
• Professional ethics and integrity
• Being sociable and friendly
• A leaning attitude

Desirable Trainings

• 5 Advanced trainings in the areas of prosecution, judge, local rule of court and other court filing requirements, Basic legal research, etc are advantageous.

Competencies

• Flexible and adaptable
• Ability to work well under pressure
• Corporate Competencies
• Demonstrates integrity by modeling the EWLA’s values and ethical standards
• Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of EWLA
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability

Functional Competencies:

• Organize and accurately complete multiple tasks by establishing priorities while taking into consideration special assignments, frequent interruptions and deadlines
• Plan, coordinate and organizes workload while remaining aware of changing Priorities and competing deadlines;
• Establish, build and maintain effective working relationships with staff and clients to facilitate the provision of support;