Legal Intern

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 Nations 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 pillars, which provide advice and assistance on a range of legal matters relating to the UNDP’s operations, programming and administration.

The Administrative Law Practice (AL) is responsible for advising senior management of UNDP and of affiliated funds and programmes 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 cases and settlements within the internal justice system.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the overall supervision and guidance of the Senior Legal Advisor in the AL Practice, the Legal Intern will:

Provide support and assistance to the lawyers in the office in carrying out various legal tasks, including research, drafting and review of various draft legal instruments (policies, contracts).

Under the supervision of the Senior Legal Advisor, the Legal Intern is responsible for the following areas:

• Provide in-depth research on various legal topics;
• Provide analysis on specific legal issues;
• Draft various legal documents, such as formal correspondence and litigation briefs;
• Analyze investigation reports, highlighting factual or legal issues in a disciplinary process.

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, GA resolutions, the relevant basic country assistance agreement and UN system-wide legal instruments, 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, and legal opinions. It also includes the ability to convey legal analysis and recommendations to internal parties in written form, with a particular view towards communicating for the particular audience.

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, amongst other things, proactive seeking of information in anticipation of the different angles that any given issue may present.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Either be: a) enrolled in a postgraduate degree programme (such as a master’s programme, or higher); b) enrolled in the final academic year of a first university degree programme (such as bachelor’s degree or equivalent); enrolled in a postgraduate professional traineeship program and undertake the internship as part of this program; or have recently graduated with a university degree (as defined in (a) and (b) above) and, if selected, must start the internship within one-year of graduation.

Experience, Knowledge and Skills:

• Enrolled in a degree programme, or completed a degree, in law or related subject;
• 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. Fluency in written and spoken French is strongly 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 institutions;
• UNDP accepts no responsibility for costs arising from accidents and/or illness or death incurred during the internship;
• The intern must provide proof of enrollment in health insurance plan;
• Interns are not considered staff members and may not represent UNDP in any official capacity;
• Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the successful candidate will be expected to work remotely;

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 have 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 he/she is fit to travel and has had the required inoculations for the country or countries to which the intern is to travel;
• Proof of medical insurance valid for the duration of the internship;
• Official letter from the University confirming enrollment in a graduate-level degree program, specifying the expected graduation date, or diploma if the applicant 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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