HOW OSLA HELPS
OSLA provides independent, professional, and confidential legal advice and representation to staff members of the UN and many UN-system agencies, funds and programmes, in relation to their employment.
ADVICE
OSLA offers specialist legal advice and assistance regarding employment by the United Nations. If you feel that your contract of employment or terms of appointment have been breached, OSLA can advise you on the way forward. You can approach OSLA at any stage of a dispute, or even in anticipation of a dispute.
OSLA provides advice on the UN Staff Rules and Regulations and other Administrative issuances; entitlements and benefits; harassment and abuse of authority, investigations and disciplinary processes; assignment and recruitment; as well as separation from service and pension matters. And if you just have general questions about your legal rights or responsibilities within the UN, OSLA can help.
REPRESENTATION
Established as part of the reform of the internal justice system of the United Nations, OSLA also provides assistance with, and formal representation in, cases before the United Nations Dispute and Appeals Tribunals, and with the preparation of requests for Management Evaluation under Staff Rule 11.2. Formal representation includes preparing written submissions to the MEU or Tribunals and oral advocacy before the Tribunals, as necessary. Trials at the UNDT level include oral submissions (speeches and argumentation) and examination and cross-examination of witnesses.
NEGOTIATION
OSLA can help in other contexts as well. OSLA can assist in negotiating informal resolution of a dispute, either with or without the involvement of the Ombudsman’s office. Around 60% of our work results in informal resolution. If in doubt whether OSLA can help you or not, please get in touch with OSLA at: (email or contact form)
"In providing legal advice OSLA lawyers will take into consideration the legal framework of the client’s employing entity including the Charter of the UN, the rules and regulations of the UN Common System as well as the administrative issuances and policies of their specific organization. OSLA lawyers also bring to bear a detailed knowledge of the jurisprudence from the UNDT and UNAT regarding how those rules should be interpreted and implemented and expertise in administrative law. The Tribunals are a hybrid jurisdiction applying principles from common and civil law jurisdictions and OSLA benefits from having a range of lawyers who have practiced in these different types of jurisdiction.
Michael Adenuga, Chief of OSLA
