Counsel

Job #: req513
Organization: ICSID
Sector: Legal
Grade: GF
Term Duration: 3 years 0 months
Recruitment Type: International Recruitment
Location: Washington, DC
Required Language(s): English
Preferred Language(s): French, Spanish
Closing Date: 10/3/2018 (MM/DD/YYYY) at 11:59pm UTC


Description

The International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) is one of the five intergovernmental organizations that make up the World Bank Group (Bank Group). Established in 1966 by the Convention on the Settlement of Investment Disputes between States and Nationals of Other States (the ICSID Convention), ICSID is the global leader in international investment dispute settlement. To date, 154 countries are ICSID members.

ICSID consists of an Administrative Council and a Secretariat. The Administrative Council is the governing body of ICSID. It is composed of one representative of each ICSID member State and is chaired by the President of the Bank Group. The Secretariat carries out the day-to-day work of ICSID. It consists of a Secretary-General, two Deputy Secretaries-General and staff who are organized into teams. Four legal teams administer the more than 250 cases pending before ICSID. A fifth team in the Secretariat’s front office oversees ICSID’s institutional affairs, including membership, publications, communications, outreach and technical assistance. The sixth team manages the institution’s administrative and financial operations.

The mandate of ICSID is to foster increased flows of international investment by providing an impartial and effective international forum for the resolution of disputes between host governments and foreign investors.

ICSID administers arbitration and conciliation under the ICSID Convention and the ICSID Additional Facility Rules. It also administers investor-State proceedings under other sets of rules such as the Arbitration Rules of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law, and acts as an appointing authority under various arbitral rules and international treaties.

In addition to its dispute settlement activities, ICSID has an active publications program in the areas of foreign investment law and international dispute resolution. Its publications include a semi-annual law journal and multi-volume collections of investment laws and treaties. ICSID also maintains a website providing access to extensive information on its operations and cases, including ICSID arbitral awards and decisions.

Further information about ICSID can be found on its website at www.worldbank.org/icsid.

ICSID wishes to hire two experienced Counsel to join its legal teams. The positions require fluency in English. Fluency in French or Spanish is highly desirable and will be considered in assessing candidates. Fluency in other languages is also an asset.

The selected candidates will operate under the general guidance of an ICSID Deputy Secretary-General and will work under the supervision of a Team Leader. As legal team members, the Counsel will act as Secretaries in arbitration and conciliation cases, offering a wide range of support and expertise to disputing parties, arbitrators, conciliators and ad hoc committee members. As Secretaries, the selected candidates will be involved in all aspects of the process and assist at hearings. They will also participate in and lead a variety of institutional projects, and will represent ICSID at conferences and meetings.

Duties and Accountabilities

  • Analyze requests for conciliation and arbitration, and applications for post-award remedies.
  • Assist in the constitution of conciliation commissions, arbitral tribunals and ad hoc committees.
  • Administer the subsequent proceedings, which may be conducted in English, French or Spanish, or a combination of such languages, including complex and novel proceedings.
  • Supervise the financial aspects of proceedings, including advances of funds, reimbursement of arbitrator and other costs, and refunds to parties.
  • Provide procedural advice to conciliators, arbitrators, committee members and parties.
  • Assist conciliators, arbitrators and committee members in the preparation of procedural orders, and review of decisions and awards, as well as translations.
  • Assist conciliators, arbitrators and committee members to identify necessary legal and practice materials.
  • Assist parties in ICSID proceedings with information about proceedings.
  • Act as Secretary in fact-finding and mediation proceedings.
  • Participate in and lead institutional projects, including the ongoing amendment of the ICSID rules.
  • Deliver presentations and represent ICSID at conferences and meetings with State representatives and the public.
  • Undertake legal research in the fields of conciliation, arbitration, alternate dispute resolution and foreign investment law.
  • Assist in the development and implementation of internal best practices.
  • Assist with identification of trends and issues in cases, and where appropriate, develop and implement measures to address such issues.
  • Contribute to knowledge creation and knowledge sharing related to ICSID's activities, both within and outside the Bank Group.
  • Mentor and oversee the work of junior staff.
  • Work on other matters, initiatives and programs as the Secretary-General, Deputy Secretaries-General or Team Leader may assign.

Selection Criteria

  • Law degree (JD, LLB, LLM or equivalent) and admission to the Bar (or equivalent) in at least one jurisdiction.
  • Minimum of 5 years of relevant experience. Preference will be given to candidates who have significant experience as arbitration counsel or as a tribunal secretary in investment or commercial arbitration.
  • Advanced knowledge of international investment law and public international law.
  • Advanced knowledge of arbitration practice and procedure.
  • Excellent skills in organizing, prioritizing and coordinating work.
  • Capacity to deliver a substantial and proficient level of work independently.
  • Sense of responsibility, integrity and positive attitude.
  • Initiative: Volunteers to undertake tasks and lead projects.
  • Professional Maturity: Listens well to others and communicates in a respectful manner. Takes the time to clarify others' points of view and reach consensus.
  • Leadership and Mentoring: Strong leadership skills and ability to lead by example. Shares own expertise with others regarding task accomplishment and general legal and ICSID knowledge. Ability to supervise more junior colleagues (e.g., Paralegals and Legal Assistants) and provide constructive feedback.
  • Legal Drafting and Research: Excellent legal drafting skills. Demonstrated ability to research complex arbitration and investment law questions, and draft documents in a clear and precise manner with limited supervision.
  • Legal Reasoning: Able to anticipate and address complex and novel issues. Able to analyze a problem or situation by breaking it down into its component parts and articulating its implications in a step-by-step manner.
  • Flexibility: Demonstrates the ability to adapt plans, tasks and resources to meet objectives and work with others. Ability to adapt effectively to shifting work demands and institutional directives in a rapidly changing work environment. Willingness to work flexible hours to meet client needs.
  • Service Orientation: Is accountable for timely responses to internal and external queries, requests or needs, working to remove obstacles that may impede execution or overall success. Tact and discretion in dealing with internal and external stakeholders.
  • Drive for Results: Pro-active approach to case management and is accountable for meeting deadlines and achieving agreed-upon results.
  • Teamwork (Collaboration) and Inclusion: Excellent interpersonal skills, including the ability to work effectively in a team. Collaborates with other team members and contributes productively to the team's work and output, demonstrating respect for different points of view. Ability to deal sensitively in multicultural environments and build effective working relationships with clients and colleagues.
  • Communication, Knowledge and Learning: Excellent oral and written communication skills in English. Fluency in French or Spanish would be a significant advantage. Fluency in other languages is also an asset. Actively seeks knowledge needed to complete assignments and shares knowledge with others, communicating and presenting information in a clear and organized manner.
  • Judgment and Analytical Decision Making: Analyzes facts and data to support sound, logical decisions regarding own and others' work.

Core Competencies

  • Lead and Innovate - Develops and encourages innovative solutions with and by others.
  • Deliver Results for Clients - Achieves results and identifies mission-driven solutions for the client.
  • Collaborate Within Teams and Across Boundaries - Initiates collaboration across boundaries and broadly across WBG, and brings differing ideas into the forefront.
  • Create, Apply and Share Knowledge - Creates, applies and shares knowledge from across and outside ICSID to strengthen internal and external client solutions.
  • Make Smart Decisions - Recommends and takes decisive action.

The World Bank Group values diversity and encourages all qualified candidates who are nationals of World Bank Group member countries to apply, regardless of gender, gender identity, religion, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or disability. Sub-Saharan African nationals, Caribbean nationals, and female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.

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