Legal Services Officer (UM 8)

About the role

The University of Malawi is seeking a qualified Legal Services Officer to manage its legal affairs. The role involves providing legal advice, handling litigation, and ensuring compliance with statutory requirements across the university's operations.

Key responsibilities

• Conduct litigation initiated by or against the university in appropriate courts, coordinating closely with relevant university functions.
• Provide legal advice to university management and staff on official matters and proactively resolve potential legal issues.
• Prepare cases for submission to outsourced legal service providers and liaise with them to ensure obligations are met.
• Draft, vet, and review legal letters, contracts, and agreements, and monitor obligations under those agreements.
• Set up systems to ensure compliance with statutory requirements and maintain a database of court matter statuses.
• Represent the university at arbitration, mediation, negotiations, and relevant committee meetings.
• Guide the university in interpreting laws affecting its functions and produce related reports.
• Manage institutional legal risks and support risk mitigation strategies.

Required profile

• Bachelor of Laws (Honours) degree.
• Admission to the Malawi Bar with a valid practising licence.
• Minimum of three years relevant post‑admission work experience.
• Ability to provide clear legal advice and handle litigation effectively.