Legal Affairs Specialist

Job Purpose:
To delegated legal work under the direct supervision of an attorney/legal advisor in order to provide effective and high quality legal representation and services for the University of Al Dhaid.

Key Accountabilities:

• Communicate, as directed by the attorney, with the “Office of His Highness, the Ruler of Al Dhaid the State Issue Department” and “The Ministry of Justice” regarding the cases filed against the University or by the University to ensure proper legal actions are taken.
• Prepare and review official letters addressed to the Office of His Highness, in preparation to take over a legal case on behalf of the University, in addition to other letters, penalties or notices addressed to academic and non-academic staff members.
• Oversee University lawsuits by following up the progress of lawsuits filed against the University or by the University to ensure timely actions are taken.
• Provide legal consultation in light of the UODH bylaws regarding actions taken against academic and non-academic staff members.
• Communicate with the relevant colleges/departments to gather information regarding any legal issues such as student complaints, misconduct, or harassment cases from or against academic and non-academic staff members. As well as conduct investigative interviews with the relevant parties and prepare a detailed investigation report to be presented to top management.
• Ensure completion of lawsuits’ files by compiling supporting documents related to lawsuits filed against or by the University to assist the Chancellor in preparing for the case.
• Assist in gathering data about lawsuits by conducting investigation interviews with faculty members and other concerned parties and presenting the minutes to the Chancellor to ensure sufficient information is available in the lawsuit file.
• Manage legal documents by keeping copies and archiving them in a proper manner with confidentiality for ease of access as and when required.
• Ensure sufficient information is available for lawsuits through researching laws for cases in statute books, codes, policy manuals and other sources to support the relevant case.
• Ensure the security, integrity and confidentiality of any incoming or outgoing information/data.
• Prepare various reports and statistics related to the Legal Advising Department when requested.
• Complete any other job-related tasks as assigned by line manager within the expected time limit.

Job Specific Accountabilities:

Operational Plans:
• Participate in developing the department/college’s operational and business plans, and contribute in its execution, in line with the department/college’s strategy in order to support the achievement of the University’s strategic objectives.

Continuous Improvement:
• Provide input to enhance the processes and procedures that help implement the relevant best practices.
• Follow all relevant processes, standard operating procedures, and instructions accurately to ensure that job tasks are carried out in a controlled and consistent manner.

Systems, Processes and Reports:
• Generate relevant reports and ensure that they are prepared timely and accurately, and meet the department’s requirements and standards.
• Operate the required software/hardware accurately and effectively.

Key Interactions:

Internal:
• Chancellor’s Office.
• Academic and non-academic staff members.
• Colleges, departments and centers.
• Executive departments (e.g. HR, Finance, etc.).

External:
• Office of His Highness, the Ruler of Al Dhaid.
• Ministry of Justice.
• Government Organizations.
• Students/Student’s families.

Required Qualification & Experience:

• Minimum of bachelor’s degree in Law or a relevant discipline.
• A license to practice law in the UAE.
• 2-4 years of UAE experience in similar role preferably in higher education institutions.
• Priority is to UAE Nationals.

Required Skills:

• Excellent oral and written communication skills and the ability to prepare professional documents, in both Arabic and English.
• Proficiency in MS office applications.
• Good understanding of law and legal system.
• Understanding of legal practices in the Middle East and the UAE in particular.
• Experience in preparing pleadings.
• Time Management skills.
• Highly organised.
• Analytical skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to work under pressure.
• Ability to organise and prioritise multiple tasks and produce reports under strict guidelines.
• High integrity and openness combined with commitment to good governance.
• Ability to handle confidential information with discretion.
• Flexibility and ability to function effectively as part of a team.