The Department of Social Protection (DSP) is seeking a full-time Legal Advisor at Assistant Principal grade to work as part of the Department’s legal unit.

The Department is the largest Department of State in Ireland with a budget of just under €30bn serving over 2.5m clients through services delivered both directly by its own staff and indirectly via agencies and service partners. Its remit covers employment services, welfare services, community services, pensions, citizen’s information, public services identity, and civil registration.

DSP operates one of the largest IT systems in the State and employs over 7,000 staff in a diverse range of roles including operations, policy, economics, statistics, finance, actuarial services, HR, communications, logistics/procurement and legal services

The Legal Unit

The role of the legal unit is to provide advice and assistance in the management of issues of law, legislation and litigation relating to the work of the Department as requested by Department management. The unit may also provide advice and assistance, on request and subject to service level agreements, to agencies of the Department. Where appropriate any Legal Advisor appointed pursuant to this competition may, while remaining an employee of the Department of Social Protection and a member of the legal unit team, be assigned to work full-time on legal affairs for an agency under direction of the agency concerned.

The unit works closely with the Office of the Attorney General and the Chief State Solicitor’s Office.

Given the remit of the  Legal Unit  - encompassing commercial, procurement/contract, property, employment, tax, pension, social welfare, administrative and constitutional law and often involving recourse to all levels of the Courts system up to an including the European Courts of Justice – appointment as a legal advisor in the legal unit affords an opportunity to gain and build expertise across  a wider and more varied field of work than is generally typical in other offices.

The Role of Legal Advisor

The person appointed to the role will be expected to provide advice and legal assistance on any matters assigned to them by the Head of the legal unit which may include but is not limited to:

• Contributing to the work of the DSP by─
  • applying professional expertise as a qualified legal professional to support operational, policy, legislative and strategic priorities of the Department and the agencies under its aegis;
  • seeking to achieve strategic and policy-focussed decision-making in relation to legal issues, with due respect to the State Litigation Principles.
• Dealing with areas of legal dispute and responding to litigation commenced against the DSP or its agencies.
• Statutory Interpretation.
• Assisting with legislative drafting.
• Furnishing legal advice and assistance  relating to matters such as the following:
  • administrative law;
  • civil & criminal law;
  • commercial law;
  • constitutional law;
  • data protection;
  • employment law;
  • EU law;
  • pensions law;
  • practice & procedure;
  • procurement & Contract law;
  • property law;
  • social welfare law;
  • tax law.
• Preparation and enforcement of compliance orders.
• The initiation of judicial proceedings including prosecutions.
• Preparation of briefs for consideration of counsel
• Instructing external solicitors and counsel, as required.

Carry out other duties as may be assigned from time to time

Essential Entry Requirements, Qualifications and Experience

Candidates must, on or before the closing date hold a certificate as a practising solicitor from the Law Society of Ireland, or be admitted to and hold membership of the Bar of Ireland or, if not a member of the Law Society or the Bar of Ireland:

a) hold a Level 7, or equivalent, third level   qualification with law as a major subject; and

b) have completed and passed the final examination (FE-1) of the Law Society of Ireland or, if holding a Barrister-at-law degree from the Bar of Ireland/Honourable Society of Kings Inns, have completed, and passed the Essentials of Legal Practice Course  of the Law Society

and, ideally,

c) have successfully completed the 2-year training period with a practicing solicitor as required by the Law Society of Ireland as a condition precedent to undertaking Professional Practice Course of that society.

d) have successfully completed the Professional Practice Course of the Law Society and the required in-office period of practice.

Ideally candidates should be capable of demonstrating that they have experience in managing sensitive and complex litigation, including judicial review, and/or drafting legislation and/or dispute resolution.

In particular, applicants must establish within their application, that they possess those qualities, skills and knowledge required for the role of Legal Advisor at Assistant Principal level as identified by the Capability Framework below, further information in the Information Booklet   

These are:

• Strategy, Change, Reform & Innovation
• Delivering Excellence
• Analysis, Judgement & Decision Making
• Leading, Motivating & Developing
• Communicating, Influencing & Collaborating