We’re Hiring: Legal Officer – Germany

MAIN PURPOSE OF THE ROLE     

The Legal Officer will join our legal team and work on all our cases in Germany initially under the supervision of the Senior Legal Officer, and then covering the work of the Senior Legal Officer while they are on parental leave for one year from September 2026, when they will report directly to the Director of Legal. The role requires a qualified lawyer with experience of working on litigious cases.   
  
Our main practice areas in Germany are: (i) administrative law, (ii) migration law, (iii) assembly law, and (iv) constitutional law/fundamental rights. The post-holder will have particular expertise in at least two of these areas developed through academic training or practical legal experience. Our cases also involve criminal law, police law, and Freedom of Information law.   
  
The post holder will work within a team that consists of a Senior Legal Officer and a Junior Legal Officer. In addition, our German work team has an Advocacy and Communications officer and two Monitor and Research officers who monitor anti-Palestinian racism. 
 
We welcome and encourage applicants from all backgrounds and do not discriminate on the basis of age, disability, LGBT or relationship status, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion and belief, sex, or social class. We particularly welcome applications from Palestinians and those who identify as part of the Palestinian diaspora.  

REQUIRED EXPERIENCE & QUALIFICATIONS  

• 3-5 years’ experience working in a similar role with a good eye for a story and clear instincts about audience, channels, and purpose, and a track record of successfully placing stories in the media, including: pitching stories, writing press releases, and placing op eds.   
• Demonstrated commitment to anti-racist organising, in particular justice for Palestinian people and the intersectional struggles connected to the Palestinian struggle for liberation. 
• Experience (professional or volunteer) with campaigning; involvement in activist groups, grassroots, non-profit or electoral political organisations.  
• Experience convening coalitions and building relationships.  

REQUIRED SKILLS & ABILITIES     

• Qualifications: qualified lawyers with working experience as practitioners in a law firm or legal aid organisation/legal NGO for at least 2 years (second state exam).  Undergraduate or postgraduate or masters (with first state exam) or with at least 4 years of experience as practitioner in a law firm or legal aid organisation/ legal NGO are also welcomed to apply.   
• Experience of working on a variety of contentious and non-contentious matters in Germany, particularly in at least two of our key practice areas: (i) administrative law, (ii) migration law, (iii) assembly law, or (iv) constitutional law/fundamental rights.   
• Experience of line managing at least one member of staff.   
• Excellent client care and consultation skills, particularly in relation to vulnerable or marginalised clients.  
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, with the ability to provide clear and concise legal advice on complex issues in a comprehensible and appropriate format.   
• An ability to engage with the law critically and help to develop strategies that serve broader political objectives.   
• Track record of collaborating well with other lawyers, academics and civil society organisations.  
• Ability to manage relationships with partner organisations, coalitions and counsel.  
• High level of German and English-language proficiency.   

OTHER REQUIREMENTS 

• Demonstrate a commitment and sensitivity to the ELSC aims and objectives. 
• Commitment to anti-racism, anti-discriminatory practice and equal opportunities.    
• Willingness to travel and work occasional unsocial hours as required.    
• Abide by all organisational policies, codes of conduct and practices and legal requirements. 
• Treat with confidentiality any personal, private, or sensitive information about individual organisations, clients, donors and supporters, staff, and projects. 

DESIRABLE EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS    

• Experience working with case management systems. 
• Experience working with Microsoft Office 
• Experience working with campaigning and advocacy organisations. 

MAIN DUTIES AND TASKS  

• To work on all litigious and advisory casework in German under the supervision of the Senior Legal Officer. Provide legal advice and representation to individual clients and movement partners; 
• Carry out legal research and draft legal documents; 
• Responsible for case intake and related administrative tasks;  
• Conduct interviews with clients and liaise with them to gather relevant document;    
• Conduct referrals of cases to external lawyers in our legal network in Berlin and throughout Germany;  
• Manage the Junior Legal Officer, providing training and feedback to them as appropriate; 
• Collaborate closely with our legal network of lawyers with the goal of strengthening the wider movement; 
• Support the Senior Legal Officer to develop and advance new legal strategies for challenging state and non-state repression of advocacy for Palestine in consultation with our legal network, national partners and experts; 
• Support the Senior Legal Officer in devising the annual country strategy;    
• Support the development of effective advocacy campaigns to increase the impact of litigation outside the courtroom; and 
• Support ELSC’s outreach and public engagement initiatives. 

ELSC recognises that applicants from marginalised communities are less likely to apply for jobs if they do not fulfil every single qualification. We encourage you to consider applying even if you do not meet every attribute listed. Our priority is to find the right candidate for the position.