The Senior Legal Officer will be responsible for providing legal and corporate advice and services to the Board and Management of the South-West Regional Health Authority.
SENIOR LEGAL OFFICER
JOB SUMMARY
The Senior Legal Officer will be responsible for providing legal and corporate advice and services to the Board and Management of the South-West Regional Health Authority. He/she will manage the Authority’s litigation portfolio as well as take responsibility as the designated officer for issues under the Freedom of Information Act.
Provides leadership, guidance and direction to staff in the Legal Department and makes contributions as a member of the Executive Management team.
The Senior Legal Officer will also be required to draft/review contracts, prepare briefs for litigation matters, conduct litigation (Civil, Industrial and at other tribunals), advise and appear at mediation/arbitration hearings, sit on interview panels, research laws, regulations and legal opinions and provide advice on industrial relations and disciplinary matters.
Key Duties:
- Manages the Legal Department of the South-West Regional Health Authority
- Provides legal advice and opinion with a view to protecting the Authority from legal liability and ensuring the compliance with statutory and common-law requirements.
- Conducts both instructing and advocacy work and attends matters in Courts and Tribunals to illuminate litigation.
- Drafts, prepares reviews, assesses and negotiates contracts, conveyances, leases and other legal documents associated with policy decisions of the Authority in a timely manner.
- Prepares budgets estimates for the Department and operates within the department budget.
- Ensures fiscal prudence in negotiations when outsourcing legal representation.
- Establishes a delegated operating system for the Freedom of Information queries in keeping with the Freedom of Information Act.
- Liaises with external attorneys as approved by the Board of Directors.
- Interprets laws, ordinances, regulations and agreements and advises on implementation.
- Participates in consultations/negotiations and provides on the spot advice in matters related to the business of the Authority.
- Represents the Authority at meetings, conferences, workshops and committees and provides guidance and support to the CEO and other Executive and Managerial members.
- Advises/appears at Mediation/Arbitration hearing.
- Submits throughput reports to the CEO on all matters before the Court on a monthly basis.
- Liaises with the Human Resources Department (Industrial Relations Unit) with regards to HR/IR matters in the Court and produces a report on these matters.
- Reviews all clinical base policies and agenda.
- Participates in Executive Management team meetings, Board Committee meetings and serves as Secretary to the Legal/Risk Sub-Committee of the Board.
- Ensures that there is compliance with the SOPs and Policies within the department.
- Performs any other relevant tasks that may be assigned in keeping with the requirements for the job.
Key Knowledge, Skills And Abilities
- Working knowledge of the RHA Act and Knowledge of Health Related Laws.
- Sound knowledge of the Rules and Regulations governing the Public Service, Sound knowledge of court procedures and Knowledge of the Labour laws of Trinidad and Tobago and relevant ILO conventions.
- Knowledge of Contract Laws and Industrial Relations Law, Knowledge and experience in Arbitration/Mediation procedures and Knowledge of the Code of Corporate Governance for the Health Sector and the Patient’s Charter of Rights and Obligations.
- Excellent oral, written, analytical, management and leadership skills.
- Negotiation, mediation and arbitration skills.
- Computer Literate.
- Ability to work on a team and multi-task.
- Ability to use initiative and work with limited supervision
Required Qualifications, Training and Experience:
- A Bachelor of Law Degree
- Legal Education Certificate (LEC) or Legal Practice Certificate (LPC)
- Admission to practice as an Attorney-at-Law with a minimum of eight (8) years’ experience with five (5) years’ experience managing a Legal Department in a medium or large enterprise.
- Management training will be an asset.
- Qualification, Training and Experience in Arbitration and Mediation will be an asset.