UNPAID VOLUNTEER - Principal / Senior / Legal Advisor (UK-based candidates only) in London

This is an unpaid volunteering role.

Location: Home-based

The Blockchain & Climate Institute (BCI) is an international volunteers-led think tank supporting and advocating the application of blockchain technology in the global fight against climate change. We are looking to recruit highly motivated and enthusiastic Legal Advisor volunteers to join our Director-General's Office (Legal Advisory Section). The ideal candidate is driven and experienced, and looking to make a difference in international climate change governance. The successful candidate will provide expert and strategic legal advice to the Director-General, Chief of Staff, Company Secretary, and all BCI divisions, concerning the legal obligations and operations of BCI and assist in the minimization of any legal risk exposure, including employment law, contract law, privacy law, and competition law.

Responsibilities:

• Managing the Legal Advisory Section and supervising legal advisors;
• Providing advice on legal matters;
• Evaluating and weighing multiple inputs and impacts of any decision or course of action;
• Supporting the formulation or review of internal governance policies and managing the impact of external factors;
• Drafting legal opinions, memoranda, and briefing documents;
• Formulating formalities regarding settlements of disputes;
• Monitoring the implementation of the legal clauses;
• Advising members on legal issues and risks, including corporate and charity governance, fundraising, marketing, competition, data protection, trademarks, copyright, defamation, and litigation matters.

Core competencies:

• Strong analytical and research skills including critical thinking, organizational and problem-solving skills;
• Effective interpersonal and communication skills;
• Ability to work well within a team and individually;
• Seeking a complementary range of specialisms (charity, commercial, corporate, contract, employment, litigation, and others).

Skills & Abilities:

• Excellent English writing skills, including the ability to develop effective working relationships, work flexibly across professional and operational boundaries, and communicate professionally with internal and external stakeholders at all levels;
• Proven ability to effectively multitask and prioritize work;
• Excellent problem-solving skills;
• Excellent attention to detail and a proactive attitude are indispensable skills required for this role.

General & Specialist Knowledge:

• Excellent use of Microsoft Office 365 suite (including Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint) is essential to perform in this role;
• Some knowledge on topics central to the BCI such as climate change, climate finance, and blockchain technology preferred.

Education & Training:

• (Legal Assistant) Minimum requirement: Bachelor's Degree / Postgraduate Degree in Law (e.g. LLB or GDL);
• (Legal Advisor) Minimum requirement: Qualified solicitor/barrister in the UK with some post-qualification experience in either private practice or in-house (ideally, some in-house experience is highly preferable);
• (Senior Legal Advisor) Minimum requirement: Qualified solicitor/barrister in the UK with a minimum of 3 years post-qualification experience in either private practice or in-house (at least some in-house experience is highly preferable);
• (Principal Legal Advisor) Minimum requirement: Qualified solicitor/barrister in the UK with a minimum of 7 years post-qualification experience in either private practice or in-house (at least some in-house experience is highly preferable).

Relevant Experience:

• Proven general counsel experience in a not-for-profit environment;
• Overall broad legal knowledge (corporate law, contract law, employment law, or litigations);
• In-depth understanding of how legal issues affect organizations;
• Ability to develop legal strategy and objectives;
• Experience in building constructive relationships with stakeholders;
• Experience in working independently and with teams to drive forward blockchain-related projects using your own initiative.

Benefits:

• You will hone or learn new skills including research, presentation, writing, professional etiquette;
• Your mind will be mentally stimulated, hence providing you with a sense of purpose;
• You will advance and boost your professional career by helping you to make professional connections and giving you real-world experience at the intersection between climate and emerging technologies;
• Help you develop long-lasting professional relationships with others.

Selection Process:

As a voluntary organization, we are pleased to open the door for candidates who may not have the prior experience they need to start, progress, or switch their careers. To recruit the most suitable, talented, or potential new members out of the volume of applications received, it is the BCI's policy to also consider inexperienced candidates to fill our voluntary unpaid roles as long as they can demonstrate the skills required in the written assessment. In the selection process, most candidates will be invited to complete the following assessment:

• Section A: Verbal and Numerical Reasoning (20 multiple-choice questions)
• Section B: Situation Judgement Test (20 multiple-choice questions)
• Section C: In-Tray Exercise (An open-ended assessment relevant to the duties of the role)

Candidates who pass all three sections will be invited to attend a phone screening, first interview, and final interview online.