Internal Litigation Counsel

Vacancy Notice 1911

INTERPOL is the world’s largest international police organization, with 196 Member Countries. Created in 1923, it facilitates cross-border police co-operation, and supports and assists all organizations, authorities, and services whose mission is to prevent or combat international crime.

INTERPOL actively encourages applications from women and nationals of member countries that are currently unrepresented among our staff (please click on this link to access the list of countries). Candidates from these countries are particularly encouraged to apply.

INTERPOL’s recruitment process is merit-based hence all hiring decisions are made considering the applicant’s qualifications and the needs of the Organization.

Job Title: Internal Litigation Counsel
Reporting To: Deputy General Counsel / Director, Institutional Affairs
Location: Lyon
Type of contract: Fixed-term Contract
Duration (in months): 36.00
Grade: 4
Number of post:
Level of Security screening: Enhanced
Deadline for application: 22 July 2026

Conditions applying for all candidates

Only professional experience for which candidates can provide official proof of employment will be considered. Candidates could be requested to provide copies of such official documents prior to interviews/test.

* Subsequent extension to this post will be subject to the terms of the Organization’s Staff Manual, to satisfactory performance and to availability of funds.

Tests/interviews in connection to this selection procedure will take place approximately 1/3 weeks after the deadline for applications. Applicants are kindly requested to plan their availability during this period accordingly, in case they are short-listed.

​Selected candidates will be expected to report for duty approximately one to three months after receiving an offer of employment at the latest.

This selection exercise may be used to generate a reserve list of suitable candidates that may be used to address Organization's similar staffing needs in the future.

SUMMARY OF THE ASSIGNED DUTIES, INCLUDING GOALS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE POST

The Executive Director Legal Affairs (EDLA) assists the Organization in achieving its aims by ensuring that all its activities and programmes are conducted in accordance with INTERPOL's legal framework. The core mission of EDLA consists in protecting the Organization's legal interests through the provision of substantive and impartial legal advice to the Secretary General, to the bodies of the Organization and to other Executive Directorates of the General Secretariat; in order to promote and develop the rule of law in all aspects of INTERPOL's activities. OLA defends INTERPOL against claims arising from its activities and programmes.

The incumbent will assist the Deputy General Counsel or his/her designee primarily in the provision of legal services related to employment law within the Organization, including ensuring the defense of the Organization in staff litigation procedures. He/She will supervise the work of the Paralegal serving on employment law issues.

The incumbent will also assist the various departments of the General Secretariat, INTERPOL's governing bodies and Member Countries in a wide range of institutional, policy and administrative matters related to the Organization's activities and functioning.

PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND ACTIVITIES

DUTY 1: Defense of the Organization in any employment litigation or pre-litigation disputes

Be the subject matter expert in staff litigation cases, including dispute resolution procedures and settlement negotiation;

• Conduct legal and factual research to assess and advise on legal risks, strategies, and recommended course of action;
• Ensure updates and appropriate distribution of information is maintained on all legal and relevant developments of litigation files, and keep hierarchy informed of developments and their implications on cases;
• Advise the Human Resources Directorate on claims, grievances and request for reviews;
• Manage litigation and provide strategic advice and assessment on cases;
• Draft memoranda assessing legal risks and litigation strategy recommendations for the Deputy General Counsel and senior leadership;
• Draft case-related memoranda;
• Negotiate separation agreements;
• Prepare submissions in internal appeals before the Joint Appeals Committees and in disputes brought before the Administrative Tribunal of the International Labour Organization (ILOAT);
• Work with and oversee outside counsel as necessary or appropriate.

DUTY 2: Development of mitigation strategies

• Develop, implement and continuously improve internal processes and procedures for addressing employment litigation and pre-litigation disputes, including tools to assess and manage matters effectively and consistently;
• Work with cross-functional teams on institutional matters, human resources, policing capabilities, external litigation and other legal issues.

DUTY 3: Legal advice and services on employment and international public administrative law related matters

Serve an organization-wide advisory role on employment law and international public administrative law related issues and provide legal services in a wide range of complex or novel substantive and procedural questions of international civil service law, including:

• Prepare notes and research legal issues relevant to the Organization, particularly with regard to international civil service law and relevant case law;
• Handle requests related to the application, interpretation and revision of the Staff Manual;
• Draft or review new legal documents (legal memoranda, policy, SOP, Staff instruction, guidelines, agreements or correspondence) at the request of his/her hierarchy and based on instructions received;
• Advise on disciplinary cases;
• Advise the Human Resources Directorate on individual cases;
• Represent EDLA before the Staff Committees, in coordination with the Human Resources Directorate as appropriate;
• Provide guidance to less experienced attorneys and support staff as needed;
• Provide legal support in the development of internal legislation and procedures, and associated directives, policies and processes, and reviewing legal issues arising in connection with their implementation;
• Handle, in an autonomous way, legal files assigned to him/her based on general guidance received from his/her hierarchy: Ensures follow up and reporting.

DUTY 4: Supervision of Paralegal work

• Direct and supervise the work of the Paralegal assigned to staff litigation and control the quality and accuracy of the work performed to ensure employment litigation and pre-litigation disputes are well managed and internal processes and procedures are in place and followed;
• Ensure coordination with other Litigation Counsels and Legal Officers working with the Paralegal;
• Checks the quality and accuracy of the documents he/she produces as well as the quality of the final products delivered by the Principal Administrative Attache.

DUTY 5: Advice and Legal research on public international law

Provide legal services in a wide range of complex or novel substantive and procedural questions of public international law, including:

• Advising on legal issues arising in the context of the governing bodies, including supporting the drafting and review of draft decisions, reports and other relevant documents;
• Preparing legal opinions and studies as requested by the Deputy General Counsel and departments of the General Secretariat on the interpretation of INTERPOL's Constitution, Regulations and rules, relevant decisions of the governing bodies and agreements with Host Countries;
• Providing legal support in the development of internal legislation and procedures, and associated directives, policies and processes, and reviewing legal issues arising in connection with their implementation;
• Performs any other duties as may be required.

Perform any other duties as may be required

QUALIFICATIONS, COMPETENCIES AND SKILLS

EDUCATION

• Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent degree) in Law with emphasis in the area of public international law;
• A specialization and/or a complementary Master's degree in the law of international organizations and/or international civil service law would be a strong asset.

EXPERIENCE REQUIRED

• At least five years of working experience as a lawyer in the field of international civil service law and/or public international law and/or law of international organizations.

LANGUAGES

• Fluency in English or French is essential and a working knowledge of the other is highly desirable;
• Knowledge of a third working language of the Organization (Arabic or Spanish) would be an asset.

SPECIFIC SKILLS

• High analytical skills with the capacity to identify high-level risks and potential liabilities and to precisely articulate the critical issues in a case;
• Excellent litigation skills;
• Highest standards of ethics and professional integrity;
• Excellent drafting skills;
• Excellent organizational skills;
• Maturity, with effective oral and written communication skills, particularly in an international/multicultural and multidisciplinary environment;
• Good computer skills. As a minimum proficiency in standard office word-processing, spreadsheet, database and presentation software.

As part of our commitment to transparency throughout our recruitment process, INTERPOL's Staff Manual Regulation 11.4: Age-limit, which states that:

'Officials of the Organization shall not normally be retained in service beyond the age of 65 years. The Secretary General may, in exceptional cases and in the interests of the Organization, extend this age limit, in which case he shall inform the official concerned sufficiently in advance.'

Given this Regulation and in case candidates reach the age of 65 during the potential duration of the appointment, should they be selected for the position and the process proceed to appointment, the employment period may be affected by this regulatory limit and may therefore not extend for the full standard contract duration as published in the vacancy notice.

We are sharing this information to ensure transparency at this stage of the process.