Job Description

Title: Legal Officer (PLARC Project)

Company Name: Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (BLAST)

Vacancy: 8

Job Location: Cox's Bazar (Ukhia)

Employment Status: Full-time

Educational Requirements:
∎ Bachelor of Laws (LLB)/Masters of Laws (LLM).

Experience Requirements:
∎ At least 3 year(s)

Job Context:
∎ BLAST is the largest specialized national non-governmental legal services organization in the country. It provides access to a full range of legal services, including information, advice, referral, mediation, and litigation in both the informal and formal justice systems, based on a means and merit test. It also conducts research, advocacy, strategic litigation, and capacity building. It works with 300+ staff, including lawyers, researchers, and paralegals, across 21 district offices, and through community legal clinics in informal settlements in Dhaka city and a pro bono network of 2600+ lawyers.
∎ BLAST is looking for a Legal Associate for Cox`s Bazar Office under the project of PLARC. The Legal Associate should have previous experience in dealing with legal matters at the district court and can be currently enrolled for the local BAR examination. The project aims to provide legal services - legal literacy, legal advice, information, referral, mediation, and where appropriate litigation - in Cox`s Bazar to ensure access to justice for individuals in the community as well as to provide increased responsiveness of local justice actors - by capacity building training to project staff, community volunteers (Self-help group) and local government representatives.
∎ This incumbent will handle legal issues for the project beneficiaries. S/he will appear in the court regularly. The incumbent will manage the client`s files/documents properly and produce those as per need as and when required. S/he will supervise and maintain register and case diary regularly and assist Panel Lawyers to deal cases for BLAST clients.

Job Responsibilities:
∎ Provide legal counseling regarding all legal matters/issues to the refugees and follow up.
∎ Conduct mediation sessions for dispute resolution within the refugees and follow-up.
∎ Organize and conduct awareness sessions within the refugee community, refugee leaders, and religious leaders.
∎ Draft FIR, GD, Complaint, etc. and file the same with the relevant police station and court and follow up.
∎ Intervention with law enforcing agencies in order to rescue victim/survivors as needed and Conduct monitoring visits to detention centers and interventions made to release individuals from detention including legal support where appropriate by the Laws.
∎ Organize and provide training to staff of different sectors under BLAST in order to orient the staff about the legal sector’s activities and organize and provide training to the refugee volunteers in order to build capacity.
∎ Attend CiC coordination meetings, sector meetings, and other meetings at the field level as a responsibility of the Legal protection activity.
∎ Responding to cases of SGBV, trafficking, abduction, violence, and other major cases of human rights violation, particularly focusing on emergency response to grave offenses at a camp level as needed in accordance with UNHCR’s Standard Operating Procedure and Legal Assistance Guidelines on respective issues.
∎ Organize and participate in the observance of different important days.
∎ Maintain and Supervise Junior Legal Officer in every activity like Recordkeeping, different register maintains fill up application form /CMS update/ different file maintained in a systematic way. Maintain all necessary books and records provided by the office regularly and accurately.
∎ Prepare a camp-based activity report in a timely manner about protection issues and be submitted to the supervisor and other relevant persons.
∎ Follow up and supervise all activities of paid volunteers and of Junior Legal Officer of the project.
∎ Keep a record of cases in a systematic way and prepare a report on each case.
∎ Monthly reports and other reports shall be prepared in a timely manner and He / She will closely coordinate his or her work with the legal coordinator/reporting Coordinator.
∎ Notify the relevant refugees about the court hearing date so that refugees are present in their time and ensure safe transportation of the refugees from camps to the court and return to the camps, including securing of camp pass. To help the concerned person to find out the legal aid issues of the Rohingya community. Keep confidentiality of the information. Collect and provide the necessary information by proper guidance from the beneficiary.
∎ The legal officer will assist in refugees visiting their relatives in the prison, in post mortem issues, OCC Issue and in representation at Court.
∎ The other additional job responsibilities are to be assigned as and when required as per the direct instruction of the supervisor/organization.

Additional Requirements:
∎ At least 3 years of experience in the relevant field.
∎ Enrolled Bar Council as an Advocate including at least 3 years practical experience in respective local courts.
∎ Applicants, the residence of Chattogram, and Cox's Bazar will be given preference.
∎ Applicants who have earlier working experiences/currently working at legal aid will be given preferences.
∎ Earlier working experience/currently working at Rohingya Crisis will be given preference.
∎ Experience in dealing with clients/beneficiaries.
∎ Experience in managing case documents properly.
∎ Good skill in speaking/reading/writing in Bangla and English.
∎ Good computer knowledge in MS Office.
∎ Flexibility to handle varied and demanding tasks and ability to balance priorities.
∎ Ability to work independently, as well as a member of a team, and to be flexible to accommodate the needs of stakeholders.
∎ Ability to lead the assignment and the team with remote supervision.
∎ Women are encouraged to apply.

Salary:
∎ Tk. 60000 (Monthly)
∎ Costs in relation to any fieldwork will be borne by the organization.

Job Source: Bdjobs.com Online Job Posting.

Application Deadline: 8 Dec 2021

Company Information:
∎ 30 Nov 2021
∎ Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (BLAST)
∎ Address : YMCA Development Center, 1/1 Pioneer Road, Kakrail, Dhaka-1000.
∎ Web : www.blast.org.bd
∎ Business : BLAST is one of the leading legal services organizations in Bangladesh, and the only one that provides access to legal aid across the spectrum, from the frontlines of the formal justice system to the apex court. It prioritises support to women, men and children living in poverty or facing disadvantage or discrimination. It also provides legal aid, advice and representation across a range of areas, including civil, criminal, family, labour and land law, as well as on constitutional rights and remedies, providing access to judicial remedies alongside alternative dispute resolution wherever appropriate. Alongside individual legal aid, BLAST undertakes strategic litigation, or public interest litigation, as a key part of its advocacy for law and policy reforms to ensure effective legal protection of rights.

Category: NGO/Development

: BLAST is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages qualified candidates from all religious, gender and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of our organization. However, qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply to achieving significant gender equality at all levels of the organization.