Associate Legal Officer (P-2) - JPO - Republic of Korea

Organisational Context

The International Criminal Court (ICC), governed by the Rome Statute, is the first permanent, treaty based, international criminal court established to help end impunity for the perpetrators of the most serious crimes of concern to the international community. (https://www.icc-cpi.int/)

The ICC is composed of the following four Organs; the Presidency, the Chambers, the Office of the Prosecutor and the Registry. The Registry deals with non-judicial aspects of the administration and servicing of the ICC.

Under articles 34(b) and 36(1) of the Rome Statute, the Chambers are composed of 18 judges, distributed between three divisions: Pre Trial, Trial and Appeals. The Presidency decides on the assignment of judges to judicial divisions following consultation with them, assigns situations and cases to the Pre­ Trial and Trial Divisions, and manages the overall budgetary and staffing requirements of the Judiciary as a whole.

Pre ­Trial Division

The Pre Trial Division handles all requests regarding either the initiation of an investigation or the preservation of evidence during the investigation and the entire first phase of judicial proceedings, up to the confirmation of the charges on which the case against the person(s) charged proceeds to trial.

Trial  Division

The Trial Division is composed of the Trial Chambers, whose mandate is to conduct trials, following confirmation of charges by the Pre Trial Chambers. The mandate continues until the conclusion of  the reparation phase. In conducting the trials, the Chambers are required to ensure, in accordance with article 64 of the Rome Statute, that a trial is fair and expeditious and is conducted with full respect for the rights of the accused and due regard for the protection of victims and witnesses.

Appeals Division

The principal statutory function of the Appeals Chamber is to hear final appeals against decisions on acquittal or conviction and sentence, and potentially reparations at the end of a trial, as well as interlocutory appeals against certain decisions of the Pre Trial and Trial Chambers made in the course of proceedings.

The prime responsibility of the Chambers as a whole is to ensure the conduct of fair, effective and transparent proceedings in accordance with the Statute and other relevant legal instruments, and in so doing to safeguard the rights of all parties and participants.

Selection criteria for the JPO programme funded by the Republic of Korea:

Candidates must:

• Have the Korean citizenship; 
• Have completed a first level university degree (Bachelor's or equivalent);
• Be proficiency in Korean and English and have a minimum of: (i) IBT TOEFL score of 100 (or PBT TOEFL 600 and above) or (ii) NEW TEPS score of 430 or (iii) IELTS 7 or (iv) TOEIC 900 (TOEFL 'My BestScores' is not accepted);
• Be no older than 32 years of age as of 31 December 2021 (i.e. born after 1 January 1989)*;
• Have completed the Korean military service or be exempted from it (for male candidates)**;

*The maximum age limit for those who served in the military will be extended in accordance with the Support for Discharged Soldiers Act and the military service law. The age limit for male candidates who have completed the service: (i) less than one year, will be extended for one year; (ii) between one year and less than two years, will be extended for two years; (iii) two years or more, will be extended for three years.

**To-be discharged from the military service in the year of the application may apply.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the general guidance of the Head of Chambers' Staff and under the direct supervision of the relevant Division Legal Adviser, the incumbent will be responsible for the following duties:

• Assist the Division, Chamber or Single Judge (as appropriate) in the drafting process of legal memoranda, decisions and orders;
• Provide support to the Division, Chamber or Single Judge in preparation of and during court sessions, and assist the Chambers in their case management;
• Assist in and provide specific analyses of fact and law as presented in filings or court sessions by the participants to the proceedings;
• Where required, assist in and provide in-depth analysis of large volumes of evidence and documents presented by the participants;
• Attend meetings and discussions within the Division or Chamber and formulate minutes and draft materials as required;
• Conduct and provide legal research on questions of international criminal law, international humanitarian law, public international law, international human rights law, principles of national laws, and other areas of law, using multiple research sources to support the Chambers in their judicial activities;
• Perform other duties or provide other assistance as requested by the Judges or the Legal Adviser of the Division.

Essential Qualifications

Education:

An advanced university degree in law; a specialization in international criminal law, public international law, international humanitarian or human rights law would be considered an asset. A first level university degree in law in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience is accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Experience:

A minimum of two years (four years with a first level university degree) of relevant work experience in a national judicial system, an international court / tribunal or in academia active in the fields of law mentioned above.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Excellent knowledge of law and demonstrated analytical skills;
• Ability to conduct comprehensive research and provide analyses on complex legal questions not always enlightened by precedent;
• Ability to conduct in-depth analysis where required of large volumes of evidence/documents;
• Excellent drafting skills in at least one of the working languages of the Court (English or French);
• Effective organizational skills and ability to handle a large volume of work in an efficient and competent manner, even under time pressure;
• Ability to rapidly prioritize tasks;
• Ability to work as part of a team and/or independently;
• Proficiency in computer skills (MS Office package, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook);
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills;
• Ability to work in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity;
• Sound judgment, attention to detail, utmost discretion, reliability, motivation, and willingness to learn new skills.

Knowledge of languages:

Proficiency in Korean is required. Proficiency in one of the working languages of the Court, English or French, is essential. Working knowledge of the other is desirable. Knowledge of another official language of the Court (Arabic, Chinese, Russian, Spanish) would be considered an asset.

Documents

All applicants are asked to attach the following documents to their profile in the e-recruitment (documents may be attached to the field named: "Copy of Dependants' passport(s)"):

• A scanned copy of the applicant's Resident Register;
• A scanned copy of the applicant's university degree(s);
• A scanned copy of the applicant's certificate of English language proficiency (IBF TOEFL, NEW TEPS, IELTS or TOEIC);
• A scanned copy of the applicant's certificate of Korean Military Service (only for male applicants);
• A scanned copy of the applicant's National Basic Livelihood Security Recipients Certificate issued in Korean and its unofficial English translation (only for low-income applicants);
• A scanned copy of the applicant’s certificate of person with disability issued in Korean and English (if applicable).

How to apply:

Applicants should submit their application electronically directly to the ICC via the ICC e-recruitment system, using the link below.  All documents should be in English. Deadline: 06 August 2021.

ICC - Associate Legal Officer (P-2) - JPO - Republic of Korea (20600)

For general information on the Korean JPO Program and additional conditions see the following website: https://UNrecruit.mofa.go.kr