Legal Officer, Geneva, Switzerland

Closing date: Wednesday, 29 April 2015

Title: Legal Officer

Grade: P3

Appointment/Contract type: Temporary appointment

Duration: one year

Publication Date: 15 April 2015

Application Deadline: 29 April 2015

Organizational Unit: Internet Dispute Resolution Section

WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center, Patents and Technology Sector

Duty Station: Geneva, Switzerland

Post Number: N/A

Organizational Context

The temporary appointment is located in the Internet Dispute Resolution Section of the WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center, which is a resource center for the resolution of intellectual property disputes between private parties through methods other than court litigation. The Center's areas of activity are covered by three Sections: the IP Disputes Management Section; the Information and External Relations Section; and the Internet Dispute Resolution Section. The Internet Dispute Resolution Section is responsible for the administration of domain name disputes filed with the Center under different policies and various related aspects of the Internet Domain Name System (DNS), as well as selected policy developments as they relate to Internet dispute resolution. The incumbent works as part of a team that facilitates the legal and organizational work of the Center by contributing to the planning and supervision of the administration of Internet dispute resolution proceedings. As Legal Officer, the incumbent provides input for the legal and organizational work of the Center by participating in the planning and supervision of the administration of Internet dispute resolution proceedings. The incumbent works under the supervision of the Section Head and under the guidance of the senior case supervisors.

Main duties

The incumbent performs the following tasks:

1. Assign work to and supervise the work of case managers. Provide guidance on issues arising in the management of cases; forward more complex issues to the supervisor.
2. Review decisions and make recommendations to the supervisor for the purpose of inclusion in the Center's publicly available case-related information resources.
3. Make proposals to the senior case supervisors on the allocation of WIPO panelists based on case requirements.
4. Maintain relations with and provide information to users, relevant organizations and registrars on Internet dispute resolution and operational matters.
5. Represent the Organization at national and international meetings and present the Center's established position; participate in seminars, workshops and training courses and deliver training and presentations on Internet dispute resolution matters.
6. Provide input for the development and implementation of Internet dispute resolution policies.
7. Keep abreast of developments and undertake legal research on Internet dispute resolution with a view to maintaining and developing the Center's role in this area.
8. Perform other related duties as required.

Competencies

WIPO Core Competencies

1. Communicating effectively.
2. Respecting individual and cultural differences.
3. Showing team spirit.
4. Managing yourself.
5. Producing results.
6. Embracing change.
7. Respecting ethics and values.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education: Essential

First-level university degree in law.

Desirable

First-level university degree including studies in intellectual property and/or alternative dispute resolution.

Experience: At least six years of relevant professional experience including in intellectual property law or alternative dispute resolution in a law firm and/or department or agency.

Skills: Essential

• Ability to work within the policies and procedures applicable to the activities of the work unit.
• Understanding of the use of information technology in the context of dispute resolution processes.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent time management and work organization skills.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Highly adaptable to new environments, tasks and demands.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to maintain effective partnerships and working relations in a multicultural, multi-ethnic environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity.
• Competent user of databases, applications including Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint and the Internet, and ability to work with and to adapt quickly to new software.

Languages: Essential

Excellent (written and spoken) knowledge of English.

Desirable

Ability to work in another UN official language and/or language relevant to WIPO domain name proceedings (see www.wipo.int/amc/en/domains).

Annual salary: (Net of tax)

56,766 USD

60,813 USD (with primary dependants)

Post adjustment: 90.4 % of the above figure(s). This percentage is to be considered as indicative since variations may occur each month either upwards or downwards due to currency exchange rate fluctuations or inflation.

Additional Information:

• Salaries and allowances are paid in Swiss francs at the official rate of exchange of the United Nations. Please note that the salary is composed of the base salary (indicated above as 'Annual/Monthly Salary') + the post adjustment. The post adjustment is designed to compensate the differences in living costs, thereby providing the staff with the same purchasing power at all duty stations. It is expressed as a percentage of the base salary.
• Temporary appointments are renewable, subject to continuing needs, availability of budget and satisfactory performance with a maximum cumulative length of two years.
• This vacancy announcement is available in English only.

Additional testing/interviewing may be used as a form of screening.

• *Please refer to WIPO's Staff Regulation and Rules for detailed information concerning salaries, benefits and allowances.

Applications from qualified women candidates are encouraged.

• *The Organization reserves the right to make an appointment at a grade lower than that advertised.
• *Initial appointment is subject to a satisfactory medical examination.
• *Not applicable for interns and to Individual Contractual Service subscribers.

For further instructions regarding the online application process, please visit the WIPO internet page at: http://www.wipo.int/erecruitment/en/