Job

Job Opportunity: Chief Legal Officer

Published on Fri Jan 31 2025

Location: Europe
Reports to: Executive Director
Line Management: Senior Legal Officers – currently five in various locations across Europe
Contract: Full-time, with flexible working available
Salary Package:

  • €57,894 – €60,000 per year, depending on experience
  • €2,000 End of Year Bonus
  • €750 Staff Support Fund and support with home working equipment
    Start Date: 1 April 2025, or as soon as possible

How to Apply:
Please send your CV and cover letter to application@elsc.support with the subject line: “Chief Legal Officer.”

Deadline: February 28, 2025

About the European Legal Support Centre

The European Legal Support Centre (ELSC) is an initiative of the Palestinian NGO Network, comprising 200 Palestinian civil society organisations, developed in response to the widespread repression in Europe of advocacy for Palestinian rights. Founded in January 2019, we provide free legal advice and assistance to individuals who face unjust smears, disciplinary investigations, criminal sanctions, and other repressive measures aimed at shrinking the space for Palestinian rights advocacy in mainland Europe and Britain.

We are movement lawyers. In every case we take on, we are accountable not only to the individual client but also to our civil society partners; and we work hand in hand with local stakeholders in the movement, from trade unions to civil liberties groups. We aim to defend and empower the movement to organise for justice without fear of repression.

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. 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.

Main Purpose of the Role

As the Chief Legal Officer, you will coordinate and oversee the legal strategy, caseload, and be the Department Head of the ELSC Legal Department. The role is a senior management level role and will join the Executive Management Committee. You will line-manage the Senior Legal Officers who coordinate the ELSC work teams: Germany, The Netherlands, Britain, Europe, and Crimes and Complicity Work Teams.

You will convene and lead the Senior Legal Committee and Legal Department meetings. The role will supervise and drive the implementation of an ambitious 2025 Sectors of Repression Strategy for each work team. You will maintain legal strategy alignment and connection across work teams by attending work team meetings where necessary, identifying gaps in resources, and connecting legal officers with external partners and legal networks.

Required Experience and Skills

  • Three years executive management and line-management experience of legal staff.
  • Four years experience as a practicing lawyer/solicitor/barrister in a relevant jurisdiction (The Netherlands, Germany, Italy, England and Wales).
  • Law degree (LLB) and/or Master’s (LLM) in a relevant jurisdiction.
  • Experience in a role which requires coordination of multiple projects and/or workstreams concurrently, and the ability to manage relationships with partner organisations, coalitions, and counsel, preferably within a law firm or an NGO specialising in strategic litigation.
  • Excellent written and oral communication skills in English, 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 develop strategies that serve broader political objectives.
  • Track record of collaborating well with other lawyers, academics, and civil society organisations.
  • Highly organised with strong attention to detail, strategic planning, and problem-solving skills.

Other Requirements

  • Willingness to travel and work occasional out-of-business hours as needed.
  • Commitment to anti-racism, anti-discriminatory practices, and equal opportunities.
  • Demonstrable understanding of and commitment to the well-being of the staff.
  • Excellent computer skills, particularly Microsoft packages.
  • Knowledge and understanding of the Palestinian solidarity movement and of movement lawyering.

Desirable Experience and Skills

  • Understanding of and experience working with a variety of local, national, and international jurisdictions, including those governed by common law or civil law.
  • Experience working with campaigning and advocacy organisations.

Job Description

  • Oversee and lead the ELSC Legal Department.
  • Line-manage Senior Legal Officers.
  • Member of the Executive Management Committee.
  • Supervise the implementation of the Sectors of Repression Strategy for each work team.
  • Develop and advance new legal strategies for challenging state and non-state repression of advocacy for Palestine in consultation with our legal networks, partners, and experts.
  • Support the development of effective advocacy campaigns to increase the impact of litigation outside the courtroom.
  • Attend online work team meetings where necessary.
  • Maintain legal strategy alignment and connection across work teams by identifying understaffed areas and providing them with the appropriate resources.
  • Where necessary, meet in-person with team members in Amsterdam, London, and Berlin offices.
  • Facilitate a yearly in-person departmental retreat for the ELSC Legal Department.
  • Convene and lead the Senior Legal Committee and Legal Department Meetings.
  • Support Senior Legal Officers to undertake comprehensive risk assessment of campaigns and cases.
  • Maintain a comprehensive overview of the legal work using the ELSC Case Management System (CMS) and prepare reports for the ELSC Board where necessary.
  • Facilitate exchanges between work teams on similar legal matters.
  • Review legal opinions, notes, memos, and summaries in coordination with the Senior Legal Officers.
  • Maintain effective communication with each work team.

Application Process

To apply, please send your CV and cover letter to application@elsc.support with the subject line: “Chief Legal Officer.”

Deadline: February 28, 2025.

This position presents an opportunity to lead legal strategies at a pivotal time. We look forward to receiving your application.

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