Lawyers (several positions) In different organisational areas EPO Munich (DE)

The European Patent Office (EPO) - the second-largest public institution in Europe, with 7 000 staff members and a self-financed annual budget of EUR 2bn - is looking for several lawyers focusing on international employment law. Opportunities in different organisational areas are available as follows:

Human Resources (HR) Legal Support
In HR, the lawyers will provide advice and draft documents on employment law, working to strict deadlines and covering topics such as:
• pre-litigation and amicable conflict resolution
• implementation of legal and judicial decisions
• disciplinary measures
• circulars, communiqués, guidelines and other implementing texts.
• Additionally, they will provide legal support and expertise to various HR departments on:
• HR operations and allowances
• HR services to management and business areas
• case management.

1 permanent position – likely to arise
1 Euro-contract (initially for 3 years).

Employment Law
This directorate is part of Principal Directorate Legal Services, the EPO's central legal service for non-patent law matters. The team reports to its director, and provides advice to management and HR on employment law. Its responsibilities include representing the EPO in internal appeals, complaints before the Administrative Tribunal of the International Labour Organization and other external litigation, as well as providing advice, support and drafting and legal-vetting services in connection with regulatory texts relating to EPO employment law.

1 Euro-contract (initially for 3 years) – likely to arise
2 non-renewable contracts (NRCs) (initially for 2 years; any extension could not exceed one year).

Appeals Committee Secretariat
The secretariat provides legal and administrative assistance to the EPO’s Appeal Committee in its work. The committee itself under the Service Regulations is part of the legal protection system that the EPO makes available to its staff for the settlement of employment law disputes. It is an advisory body which ensures peer review of administrative decisions as part of the formal procedure for settling disputes between the EPO and its serving or former staff and issues opinions on such cases. In addition to providing legal advice, the secretariat’s lawyers are involved in communicating with the parties to the appeal proceedings.

3 NRCs (initially for 2 years; any extension could not exceed one year).

The following duties are generic, although the emphasis in each of the three units will vary. Candidates must also be prepared for job mobility between these units.

Main duties
• Advising on implementation of the EPO's employment-related legal framework, and helping to develop that framework by drafting legal opinions, submissions and regulations
• Helping to settle internal and external disputes initiated by serving or former EPO staff, by preparing meetings, drafting legal opinions or submissions, and making oral pleadings
• Providing legal advice on new policies, reforms and reform projects
• Advising EPO management or statutory bodies on a range of strategic and operational questions whilst ensuring alignment with EPO rules and business objectives
• Conducting proceedings under EPO employment-law rules, and preparing decisions
• Other tasks as needed.

Salary and benefits
The EPO offers a competitive net salary, after deduction of internal tax, ranging between EUR 4 400 and 6 500 per month, depending on experience. Staff members of the EPO are further provided with various benefits and allowances as part of their conditions of service, such as family allowances, support for education, private medical insurance, pension scheme, relocation benefits.

Procedure and timeframe
Successful candidates will be selected on the basis of qualifications and relevant experience, supplemented as appropriate by interviews, tests and/or a psychometric questionnaire.

Candidates are asked to indicate, in order of preference, the areas in which they would like to work and the type of contract or position desired.

The interviews will be held in Munich, probably in calendar week 8 2015.

Please apply online, using the link, reference number MULTIPLE/5755.

Closing date: 27 January 2015

www.epo.org/jobs

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