Ministry of Defence
Port of Spain
Job Description
The incumbent is required to supervise junior legal officers performing legal work in the Legal Services&nbsp;<span style="letter-spacing: 0.4px;">Unit/Division of a Ministry/Department. Duties include appearing in court, providing legal advice and opinions and&nbsp;</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.4px;">drafting legal documents on the more complex legal matters involving the Ministry/Department. The incumbent&nbsp;</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.4px;">also assists in planning, organizing and preparing the work programme of the Unit/Division.</span>
Key and Critical Responsibilities
<ul><li>Supervises junior legal officers and other staff providing legal support work. </li><li>Assigns and reviews the work of junior legal officers while providing training, advice, guidance and direction on legal matters.</li><li>Plans, organizes and prepares the work programme of the Legal Services Unit/Division. </li><li>Represents the Ministry/Department in court and before other tribunals on the more complex legal matters. </li><li>Drafts the more complex legal documents including contracts, leases, and agreements. </li><li>Reviews systems, policies and procedures and makes appropriate recommendations to improve productivity and quality service.</li><li>Confers with relevant official of Ministries/Departments and attends meetings to give professional legal advice.</li><li>Prepares and /or reviews legal opinions. </li><li>Reviews legal/court documents for completeness and accuracy. </li><li>Advises on the more complex legal issues related to the administration, interpretation and enforcement of laws pertaining to the operations of the Ministry/Department.</li><li>Participates in or supervises the preparation of instructions for submission to state central legal agencies on legal matters involving the state.</li><li>Participates in or supervises court case preparation work such as interviewing witnesses, taking depositions and preparing pre-trial briefs and preparing draft pleadings for filing.</li><li>Supervises the conduct of research and analysis on legal matters pertinent to the Ministry's/Department's operations.</li><li>Participates in and/or supervises the review of existing legislation, rules, and regulations pertaining to the Ministry/Department and recommends/formulates appropriate amendments.</li><li>Reviews systems and procedures and recommends or devises strategies/ mechanisms to improve the effectiveness of legal services delivery.</li><li>Leads or participates in negotiations/consultations with external/internal parties. </li><li>Prepares Cabinet/Ministerial Notes, memoranda, letters, and other documents on legal matters. </li><li>Represents the Ministry/Department on committees and in meetings and other fora. </li><li>Performs other related duties as required.</li></ul>
Key Competencies
<ul><li>Considerable knowledge of the Laws of Trinidad and Tobago. </li><li>Considerable knowledge of legal principles and practices. </li><li>Considerable knowledge of the laws and regulations pertinent to the operations of the Ministry/Department.</li><li>Considerable knowledge of legal drafting principles and practices. </li><li>Considerable knowledge of legal research skills and techniques. </li><li>Considerable knowledge of court procedures and practices and of rules of evidence.</li><li>Proficiency in the use of Microsoft Office Suite. </li><li>Skill in the use of personal computers. </li><li>Skill in drafting legal documents/instruments. </li><li>Skill in negotiation, mediation and arbitration. </li><li>Ability to use e-Government technology platforms. </li><li>Ability to use the internet for research purposes. </li><li>Ability to supervise legal officers performing professional legal work. </li><li>Ability to analyse and interpret laws and regulations. </li><li>Ability to present and explain statements of facts and the law, and to argue clearly and logically, orally and in writing.</li><li>Ability to maintain confidentiality. </li><li>Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with fellow employees and members of the public.</li></ul><p><span style="letter-spacing: 0.4px;"><br></span></p><p><span style="letter-spacing: 0.4px;"><b><u>MINIMUM EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING</u></b></span></p><ul><li><span style="letter-spacing: 0.4px;">Minimum of eight years' experience as a practicing Attorney at Law.&nbsp;</span></li><li><span style="letter-spacing: 0.4px;">Bachelor of Law Degree from a recognized institution. </span></li><li><span style="letter-spacing: 0.4px;">Legal Education Certificate or equivalent from a recognized institution. </span></li><li><span style="letter-spacing: 0.4px;">Admission to practice law in Trinidad and Tobago.</span></li></ul>