Senior Lawyer at Center for Rights Education And Awareness (CREAW)

Job Description

JOB SUMMARY

The Senior Lawyer will report to the Project Coordinator with dotted reporting lines to the E.D and will be responsible for the overall supervision of all CREAW’s legal activities in all programs and in compliance with CREAW standards and operating procedures. They will provide assistance and legal technical guidance on behalf of CREAW as and when needed.

Tasks and Responsibilities

1. The senior Lawyer will provide leadership and direction to CREAW’s Legal department.
2. Access to Justice Programme

• Oversee the implementation of all the legal activities (Legal Representation, Pro bono Lawyers Scheme, Mediation, Counseling, Self- Representation and Informal Justice Systems).
• Oversees the day to day running of the department
• Coordinate and implement litigation processes.
• Provide legal advice and referrals clients.
• Approve draft pleadings and prepare pleadings and court documents on behalf of clients.
• Represent clients in various courts.
• Conduct pre-trial briefings for self-representation clients.
• Conduct mediations between disputants.

3.  Knowledge Management

• Monitor and evaluate of activities (prepare and oversee the preparation of team’s work plan, result based management reports, monthly team reports, activity reports).
• Participate in the preparation of the organizations’ Information, Education and Communication (IEC) materials.
• Issue and oversee the issuance of IEC material developed by the organization and other partners.
• Liaise and partner with other NGOs, Government departments or relevant bodies in gender related cases at national, continental and international level (participating in partner meetings, engaging in capacity building trainings and joint strategies on protection of women’s rights).
• Makes interventions and petitions on behalf of the public in gender related issues including press briefings.

4.  Finance:

• Authorize expenditure at the sector/departmental level through approving requisitions, approving litigation fund.
• Oversee timely and effective submission of financial returns.

5.  Human Resource

• Appraise legal team members.
• Ensure that staff meetings are held as required and minuted.
• Coordinate and approve staff leave under legal department

6.  Program Management

• Oversee operational management of assigned programs.
• Ensure proper planning, implementation, and reporting of projects.
• Ensure that program objectives/interventions and budget compliance are met;
• Coordinate and support high quality research, in order to generate knowledge on women rights, law and governance.
• Coordination of research under the legal advocacy program and projects; and
• Any other duty that may be assigned from time to time to further the vision and mission of CREAW

Additional Information

Close interaction with the strategic litigation team, the project coordinator, legal officers, case managers and other support staff. The external interactions include but are not limited to Women Rights Organizations, government institutions, Stake holders, Law Society of Kenya and suppliers of CREAW.

Experience required: 

1. Educated to a degree level, preferably a Bachelor of laws degree and having been admitted to the Bar. Preferably an LL.M in international legal practice .With at least six years’ proven litigation experience in Family law and sexual & gender based violence.
2. Fluent in spoken and written English and Swahili.
3. Proven writing/ drafting, communication and analytical skills.
4. A good understanding of women’s and children’s human rights issues and a commitment to women’s rights.
5. Ability to organize, plan and prioritize activities.
6. Proven ability to lead a team under program
7. Demonstrate skills in computer applications and data entry
8. Must have demonstrated interest in women’s rights matters and have a good understanding and appreciation of the plight of the women.
9. Working experience in project implementation and evaluation will be highly desirable
10. Must be able to work comfortably and effectively with people of different national and cultural backgrounds and to establish and maintain constructive working relations in multi –cultural environment.
11. Ability to organize work and prioritize, commitment, research skills and loyalty.

Desired qualities

1. Must have excellent oral, presentation and written communication skills.
2. Excellent interpersonal skills.
3. Have a personal commitment to work as a reliable, honest and trustworthy team member.
4. Good judgement, tact, analytical and negotiation skills.
5. Have customer relations skills and to deal patiently with all categories of staff.
6. Good time management skills and be able to deliver with minimal supervision.
7. Ability to work under competing priorities with strict deadlines.
8. Ability to handle clients who have sometimes been victims of gender based violence.
9. Ability to contribute to the overall objectives, mission and goals of CREAW operations

Desirable

1. Knowledge and understanding of programmatic reporting
2. Demonstrated experience in developing and implementation of quality assurance plans and systems. 

Personal Skills 

1. Be able to demonstrate that they are technically very able across a sufficiently wide area, able to work without significant supervision and have developed a particular strength and reputation in their work area.
2. Must be able demonstrate a respectable character to others in the organization and must have developed a good repute in their field
3. People Skills: Ability to work both independently and as a team player.
4. Integrity: Works with trustworthiness and integrity and has a clear commitment to CREAW’s core values.
5. Resilience/adaptability and flexibility: Ability to operate effectively under difficult circumstances and to interact effectively with a geographically dispersed multicultural team.
6. Please include  details for the application process and submission deadline.