Background

The Malawi Legal Aid Bureau, established under the Legal Aid Act of 2011, is a national public institution mandated to provide legal aid to persons with insufficient means. In a bid to provide quality legal aid services to the nation, the Bureau invites applications from qualified candidates to fill the following vacant posts:

Vacancy Details

Vacancy Number: LAB/2/26

Title: Assistant Legal Aid Officer (3 posts)

Grade: Grade K

Reporting to: Legal Aid Officer

Salary: Salary range of Grade K in the Legal Aid Bureau

Duty Station: Zomba, Mzuzu and Lilongwe

Duties and Responsibilities

• Interview and record statements from persons seeking legal aid
• Draft legal documents such as demand letters, legal opinions, and court documents, among others
• Provide limited legal advice to persons of insufficient means
• Provide legal literacy services to the general public
• Accept service and cause the filing of legal documents in the Courts
• Compile quarterly returns in Civil and Criminal cases

Keep cases organized by creating and organizing files, monitoring calendars, meeting deadlines, documenting actions on files, inputting information into the file database and electronic case management system, and confirming case status with Legal Aid Advocates

Assist Legal Aid Advocates to develop and manage cases by:

• Maintaining contact with clients and other persons involved in a case
• Communicating case progress
• Scheduling depositions
• Organizing evidence and preparing exhibits
• Contacting and ensuring witnesses are ready when needed
• Taking courtroom notes and generating status reports

Supervise Process Servers and advise management on their needs

Attend to any other duties assigned by superiors from time to time

Qualifications and Experience

• Diploma in Law or Legal Studies from a recognized institution
• Minimum of 1 year experience

• Interview and record statements from persons seeking legal aid
• Draft legal documents such as demand letters, legal opinions, and court documents, among others
• Provide limited legal advice to persons of insufficient means
• Provide legal literacy services to the general public
• Accept service and cause the filing of legal documents in the Courts
• Compile quarterly returns in Civil and Criminal cases
• Keep cases organized by creating and organizing files, monitoring calendars, meeting deadlines, documenting actions on files, inputting information into the file database and electronic case management system, and confirming case status with Legal Aid Advocates
• Assist Legal Aid Advocates to develop and manage cases by:
  • Maintaining contact with clients and other persons involved in a case
  • Communicating case progress
  • Scheduling depositions
  • Organizing evidence and preparing exhibits
  • Contacting and ensuring witnesses are ready when needed
  • Taking courtroom notes and generating status reports
• Supervise Process Servers and advise management on their needs
• Attend to any other duties assigned by superiors from time to time

• Diploma in Law or Legal Studies from a recognized institution