COUNCIL OF EUROPE: Assistant Lawyer – Ireland or United Kingdom

Assistant Lawyer – Ireland or United Kingdom

Reference:  e2/2024
Deadline: 12/02/2024
Location: Strasbourg, France

Are you a young law graduate who wants to gain experience in an international Organisation working for human rights, democracy and the rule of law? Do you want to help the European Court of Human Rights to ensure respect for the human rights of 700 million Europeans? Are you interested in dealing with applications alleging violations of the rights set out in the European Convention on Human Rights interests you? If so, this Programme may be the good opportunity for you.

Who we are
With over 2200 staff representing all its 46 member States, the Council of Europe is a multicultural Organisation. We all strive towards protecting human rights, democracy and the rule of law and our three core values – professionalism, integrity and respect – guide the way we work. 

The European Court of Human Rights oversees the implementation of the European Convention on Human Rights in the member States. Individuals can bring complaints of human rights violations to the Strasbourg Court once all possibilities of appeal have been exhausted in the member State concerned. See the Court’s website for information about its activities.

The Council of Europe has its headquarters in Strasbourg (France) and has external presence in more than twenty countries. See here for more information about the Council of Europe external presence.

Your role
As an Assistant Lawyer, you will assist more senior members of staff in the preparation of correspondence with applicants and draft decisions in standard form cases. You will: 

• examine and deal with applications in prima facie inadmissible cases and in cases which can be dealt with in a standard manner;
• draft decisions, minutes, reports, notes and other documents;
• advise applicants, in correspondence or, if necessary, in interviews, on the conditions of admissibility of applications;
• attend the Court’s sessions and present applications;
• assist one or more experienced case-lawyers, where necessary, in the preparation of cases for examination by the Court.

The Junior Professional Programme opens the Council of Europe’s doors to people at the start of their career, giving them an opportunity to gain experience working with this pan-European institution. At the Court, you will benefit from regular working contact with staff members, assist senior colleagues with their daily work and benefit from the Council of Europe’s training programme, as well as deepening your knowledge of the Organisation. The length of employment of Junior Professionals is limited to a maximum of four years under this scheme.

What we are looking for
You must:

• have a higher education degree in law obtained in Ireland or United Kingdom;
• be qualified in Ireland or in one of the jurisdictions of the United Kingdom as a solicitor, barrister or advocate, and have completed your training contract or pupillage before the closing of the deadline for submission of applications for this vacancy notice.
• at the point of submitting your application, have a maximum of two years of relevant professional experience post-qualification acquired in the legal field in Ireland or United Kingdom or in international Organisations;
• have an excellent knowledge of English (mother tongue level) and the ability to draft legal texts therein clearly and precisely;
• have a good knowledge of the other official language of the Council of Europe (French);
• be a citizen of one of the member States of the Council of Europe and fulfil the conditions for appointment to the civil service of that State;
• have discharged any obligation concerning national service (military, civil or comparable);
• not be the parent, child, stepchild or grandchild of a serving staff member of the Council of Europe;
• be under 35 years of age at the closing of the deadline for submission of applications for this vacancy notice.

Demonstrate to us that you have the following competencies:                    

• Professional and technical expertise:
  –    thorough knowledge of the legal system of Ireland or of one of the jurisdictions of the United Kingdom and ability to handle cases arising in other jurisdictions;
  –    knowledge of the application of human rights law in the internal legal order.
• Drafting skills
• Concern for quality
• Planning and work organisation
• Analysis and problem solving
• Learning and development
• Teamwork and co-operation
• Adaptability

These would be an asset:

• Professional and technical expertise:
  –    knowledge of international and/or law of the European Union
• Results orientation
• Communication
• Decision making

What we offer
If successful, you may be offered employment based on renewable fixed-term contracts for a maximum cumulated duration of four years at grade B3. You will receive a basic monthly gross salary of € 4 107 which is exempt from national income tax. This salary may be supplemented by other allowances depending on your personal situation. You will be benefit from the Council of Europe pension scheme, and also from private medical insurance, annual leave, and other advantages (including flexible working hours, training and development, possibility of teleworking, etc.). 

This competition is carried out in accordance with Article 4100 of the Staff Rules. People under this article are not eligible for any subsequent internal competition or secondment, nor shall they be re-appointed under a Junior Professional Programme or appointed under the Turnover Workforce Scheme; they can nevertheless apply to external recruitment competitions carried out in accordance with Article 490 of the Staff Rules. You can consult the conditions of employment (salaries, allowances, pension scheme, social insurance, etc.) on our recruitment website. Any changes to these conditions during the recruitment process are updated on this site and will apply at the time of the job offer.

People who score highest in the assessment process will be placed on a pre-selection list, valid for four years. Being on a pre selection list does not give a right to appointment. People on the pre-selection list with the most suitable profile may be invited to an interview to assess their suitability for a specific job and may, if successful, be recommended for the appointment.

For more information on how to apply, please click the Apply button.