Legal aid Officer

• Work Unit: Legal Aid Department
• Reports To: Legal Aid Coordinator/Branch Coordinator
• Required Number: 1
• Location/Place of work: Bahir Dar 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

II. Job Summary

Under general direction of Legal Aid Coordinator /Branch Coordinator, legal advisor to be 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.

III. Duties and responsibilities

• 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
• Reviews cases handled by legal aid volunteer 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
• Attends to daily data entry of files of clients on the Association’s data base
• 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;
• 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;
• Carryout relevant tasks to be assigned by the Program Manager and Regional Branch Coordinator

 Requirements

Academic Qualification

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

Required Skills and Experience

• 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;