Legal Officer – Temporary Position

About the role

The Office of Legal Affairs is seeking a temporary Legal Officer to join its Office of Legal Counsel in New York. Reporting to a Senior Legal Officer, you will provide expert legal advice on complex public international law matters and support the United Nations' legal framework.

Key responsibilities

• Analyze and interpret the UN Charter and other international legal instruments.
• Provide substantive and procedural advice on public international law issues.
• Conduct extensive legal research, draft opinions, briefs, reports and correspondence.
• Review, draft and negotiate complex agreements and develop innovative legal solutions.
• Represent the organization at meetings, conferences and seminars.
• Coordinate and mentor junior legal officers on significant projects.
• Contribute to the design and revision of legal policies, guidelines and instruments.

Required profile

• Advanced knowledge of public international law, especially the UN Charter and UN institutional law.
• Proven ability to handle multidisciplinary and high‑complexity legal matters.
• Strong analytical and research skills with a track record of producing high‑quality legal documents.
• Excellent judgment, discretion and negotiating abilities.
• Capacity to work under tight deadlines and manage multiple concurrent cases.

Required skills

• Legal research and analysis.
• Drafting and negotiation of international agreements.
• Interpretation of UN legal frameworks.