Legal Counsel I

**Legal Counsel I (Legislative Drafting/Criminal Law/Civil Law)**:
The incumbent will be required to perform entry-level professional legal work in one of the assigned areas of Legislative Drafting, Civil Law or Criminal Law under the direct supervision of a higher-level legal professional. Duties include appearing in Court undertaking pre-trial preparation work, drafting legislation and legal documents, providing legal advice, and preparing briefs and opinions. Dependent on assignment, the incumbent may be required to perform duties in one or more of the assigned areas listed.

**Duties and Responsibilities**:
Legislative Drafting
- Conducts research into laws of TT and related laws of other countries
- Assists in the preparation of drafts of background papers, studies, reports, policies, procedures, guidelines, legislation, legislative texts and commentaries on those texts.
- Drafts simple primary and subsidiary legislation including regulations, rules, instructions, order and proclamations.
- Drafts under close supervision of a senior legal officer or assists a senior legal officer in the drafting of complex legislation and amendments of legislative enactments already in existence.
- Participates in the consolidation of statutes and subsidiary legislation of Trinidad and Tobago for use by senior officers or for guidance of client Ministries where necessary.
- Participates in the discussions on legislative drafting work and general office matters.

Civil
- Prepares less complex draft pleadings, summonses, affidavits and other legal documents for filing in court.
- Prepares briefs and instructs Advocate Attorney - at - Law in, High Court, Appeal Court and other courts and tribunals.
- Prepares, vets and certifies deeds of lease, bills of sale, consultancy contracts such as building and engineering contracts and service contracts and supervises execution of same.
- Prepares and represents the State on Bills of Costs and reviews.
- Represents the State in less complex constitutional and other civil legal proceedings by:

- Researching and reviewing laws, evidence and judgments
- Determining whether matters should be settled or whether there should be an appeal
- Appearing on behalf of the State in constitutional and other civil matters and in interlocutory proceedings at the High Court and Court of Appeal.
- Presenting oral and written legal submissions to the Courts.
- Preparing written submissions.
- Prepares advice for Cabinet, Ministries/Departments and other Government Organizations in less complex civil matters
- Drafts and vets less complex commercial documents, agreements and contracts by researching, and examining precedents relating to the specific nature of the document.

Criminal
- Prosecutes the less complex criminal matters in the Magistrate Court
- Conducts legal research and prepares briefs in preparation for Court
- Conducts preliminary inquiries.
- This includes: Revising notes of evidence from preliminary inquiries
- Preparing summaries and drafting relevant indictments in respect of the said inquiries.
- Prepares briefs and opinions for the DPP on the less complex criminal matters.
- Prepares legal advice for the Police Service, Ministries/Departments and other Government Agencies on less complex legal matters and opinions.
- Conducts lectures and workshops for the Police Service with regards to roles and responsibilities and less complex aspects of criminal law.

General
- Assists in the preparation of Cabinet Notes.
- Represents the Ministry at court, parliament, meetings, committees and/or other fora.
- Provides information to the public on legal matters in assigned area through lectures, presentations and reading material.
- Copies and collates relevant documents. Performs other duties as may be required.

**Knowledge**:

- Knowledge of the Laws of Trinidad and Tobago.
- Some knowledge of legal principles, practices and procedures. - Some knowledge of legal research methods and techniques
- Some knowledge of the court procedures and practices of Trinidad and Tobago and Rules of Evidence.
- Some knowledge of the statutes governing the functions of the following Departments: Chief Parliamentary Counsel and/or Solicitor General's and/or Chief State Solicitor's and/or Director of Public Prosecution.
- Some knowledge of the --methods and techniques of title research and property conveyancing.
- Some knowledge of legal drafting principles and methods.
- Some knowledge of the methods of initiating proceedings in the Petty, Civil and Magistrate Court and litigation in the Supreme Court.
- Some knowledge of the principles and techniques of trial advocacy.

**Skills and Abilities**:

- Proficiency in the use of Microsoft Office Suite and the internet for research purposes.
- Skill in the use of personal computers.
- Ability to use e-Government technology platforms.
- Ability to conduct legal research and to use the internet for research purposes.
- Ability to interpret and analyze the law and l