US Embassy in Uganda Legal Advisor Jobs
General Statement of Purpose of the Contract
The USAID/Uganda Legal Advisor is an important member of the USAID/Uganda Front Office (“USAID
Front Office”). The Legal Advisor performs legal tasks primarily of a paralegal nature, while also
dedicating regular efforts to administrative matters for the Resident Legal Officer (RLO). As a paralegal, the employee will perform a variety of functions in the legal office, primarily substantive legal work specifically assigned by the RLO.
The job holder serves as a front-line reviewer of all documents that come into the USAID Front Office for clearance. The employee also performs a variety of unique (not routine or recurring) legal and factual research and analytical tasks for the RLO.
These include locating difficult-tofind U.S. and USAID legal materials, performing research in non-traditional sources to identify facts on which the RLO can base legal opinions, and careful analysis and interpretation of complex and ambiguous written material. Administratively, the Legal Advisor is expected to organize and ensure the smooth operation of a busy legal office and support the efficient operations of the Front Office. The Legal Advisor is responsible for managing the Mission’s outside law firm as well as solving complex administrative
problems.
This position reports directly to the RLO.
Statement of duties to be performed
Legal Duties
Legal research and analysis
With general direction from the RLO, the job holder is responsible to identify, analyze, and summarize U.S. legal materials for RLO decision-making and projects. Sources of such materials include U.S. statutes, regulations, court decisions (U.S. Supreme Court and lower courts), the Foreign Affairs Manual (FAM), applicable USAID Automated Directive Systems (ADS) provisions, the Office of General Counsel’s knowledge repository, and host country law sources such as tax and non-governmental organization (NGO) registration provisions.
Preliminary review of documents
Screens correspondence and specific documents for Front Office and RLO clearance to ensure they contain all necessary supporting documentation and required clearances, citations, and attachments.
Conducts a first-line review of documents for the following: accurate and sufficient necessary information; sound justification, and citation to statutes, the ADS, and the FAM; grammar; readability, and logic.
Examples of documents to be reviewed include pre-obligation checklists and activity checklists; various action memoranda; waivers; certifications; mission notices; and mission orders.
Provides preliminary analysis of documents and clearance requests, and identifies any potential legal, ethical, or regulatory issues for the RLO.
Communicates with technical and support offices to ensure that all documents and approval requests
transmitted to the USAID Front Office for approval are well-written and cogent.
Legal knowledge management
Monitors the ADS, Agency Notices, and other sources, including local law sources, for legal, regulatory and policy updates.
Maintains a file of ethics opinions in response to employee requests, including a log of employee recusals.
Provides legal materials produced by the RLO to the General Counsel (GC) legal opinion repository, such as by uploading to the GC Knowledge Management site.
Prepares educational and informational materials for USAID/Uganda staff on legal and policy matters
impacting USAID/Uganda operations or programs.
Develops and manages templates for action memoranda and other documents that are frequently submitted to the USAID/Uganda Front Office for clearance to increase efficiency in the approval process.
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Requests
Serves as USAID/Uganda’s liaison for the FOIA program at the Mission, accepting FOIA requests from the USAID/Washington (USAID/W) FOIA office and communicating these requests to pertinent Mission staff.
Coordinates with the FOIA office in Washington, D.C.., for clarifications on FOIA requests.
Makes FOIA exemption recommendations to the RLO for consideration.
Ensures that FOIA response documents are transmitted to the USAID/W FOIA office on a timely basis.
Maintains log of FOIA requests, their status, and USAID/Uganda’s responses.
Mission Ethics Program
Manages U.S. Government ethics compliance requirements for staff in USAID/Uganda.
Ensures that all required staff fulfill their ethics compliance requirement.
Keeps attendance logs and coordinates with USAID/GC to update training attendance records.
Prepares and schedules ethics orientation briefings for new to ensure that newcomers are aware of U.S. Government ethics compliance requirements.
Litigation and Legal Developments
Monitors local-court litigation and hearings involving or which impact USAID/Uganda programs,
activities, and implementing partners, including tort cases.
Follows legal and legislative developments that may impact USAID/Uganda programs, activities,
implementing partners or staff.
Liaises with attorneys and members of the Ugandan bar to maintain connections with other lawyers,
paralegals, and justice sector actors.
Provides ad hoc training in RLO-developed training courses, as requested by the RLO.
Confidential Financial Disclosure Reports (OGE-450)
Working closely with the Executive Office, manages USAID/Uganda’s Confidential Financial Disclosure
Report (OGE-450) process, including preparation of financial disclosure announcements, circulating forms for preparation by staff, identifying filers, and assisting with developing training materials.
Ensures that all required staff fulfill their Confidential Financial Disclosure Report requirement.
Maintains a completion log and coordinates with GC in updating records of compliance.
Outside Law Firm Management
Manages the Mission’s contract with a local outside law firm, to ensure advice from local counsel is accurate and timely received.
Administrative Duties
While the central focus of the position is on paralegal work, the incumbent also coordinates administrative office management and support functions of the RLO and carries out administrative duties necessary to ensure the smooth operation of the office. The employee:
Manages RLO travel; prepares travel requests and makes travel arrangements, ensuring optimal detailed itineraries; obtains country clearances; liaises with other USAID Missions; ensures visas are obtained; stays abreast of USAID travel regulations; and prepares travel reimbursement requests.
Prepares procurement requests for RLO and liaises with the EXO Procurement Team to ensure timely procurement entry, and with other Mission offices to ensure timely processing of RLO procurement requests.
Identifies, orders, and maintains necessary office supplies and equipment.
Acts as liaison for coordination between the RLO and other offices and staff; coordinates and assists with office directors, administrative assistants, and secretaries to assure smooth workflow and cooperation.
Minimum Qualifications Required for This Position
Education:
A Bachelor of Laws degree is required. A Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice is required.
Prior Work Experience:
A minimum of five (5) years of professional legal experience with a law firm or legal partnership, corporation, non-government organization, government body or institution, or international organization is required. The prior work experience must have been legal in nature.
Language Proficiency:
Level IV (fluent) written, reading, and speaking proficiency in English is required. Language competence may be tested.
Job Knowledge:
Knowledge of legal research and analysis techniques is required.
The person is required to have knowledge of general office operations.
Skills and Abilities:
Must have strong interpersonal, communication, and organizational skills.
Must have strong English writing skills.
Must have a high degree of professional judgment and attention to detail.
Must have an ability to work effectively in a team and complete independent tasks.
Must have experience operating a computer.
How to Apply
For more information and job application details, see; US Embassy in Uganda Legal Advisor Jobs
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