Title of Assignment:    Legal Consultant
Name of unit/sector:     WIPO Judicial Institute, IP and Innovation Ecosystems Sector (IES)  
Place of Assignment:    Geneva, Switzerland    
Expected places of travel (if applicable):    N/A
Expected duration of assignment:    June 1 to December 18, 2026

1.    Objective of the assignment

The Consultant will support the work of the WIPO Judicial Institute in providing judicial resources, technical assistance, and fora for judicial exchange, in the context of temporary increased workload within the Institute.
The Consultant will support the Institute’s work area on “Technical assistance on national and regional regulatory and policy considerations for the judiciary” and further the development of supporting resources, such as the IP Judicial Structures & Procedures tool.  The Consultant will also support the organization of the annual WIPO IP Judges Forum and support the Institute’s strategic partnerships with Member State judiciaries.  

The assignment is limited in duration and is intended to address the specific outputs.

2.    Deliverables/services

The Consultant shall support the delivery of the services and outputs below in accordance with agreed timelines:

a)    Lead the development and launch of the new WIPO resource, IP Judicial Structures & Procedures, designed to support understanding of how different jurisdictions structure and operate their IP adjudication systems.  The Consultant will: 
-    draft, review, and finalize country drafts of selected jurisdictions;
-    be responsible for the online publication of the country-specific content in the new tool.

b)    Support the delivery of technical assistance outputs on national and regional regulatory and policy considerations for the judiciary.

c)    Support the organization and execution of the annual WIPO IP Judges Forum, to be held on October 13 and 14, including the preparation of materials, such as case summaries of judgments, letters, speaker biographies, and the program.

d)    Support the establishment of strategic partnerships with Member State judiciaries by developing and maintaining contacts with courts and judicial institutes, as well as other relevant organizations, with a focus on Latin America;

e)    Deliver general programmatic support for the work of the WIPO Judicial Institute during the assignment period.

3.    Reporting

The Consultant will report to the Director of the WIPO Judicial Institute, in the IP and Innovation Ecosystems Sector (IES).
    
4.    Profile (e.g. area of specialization/expertise, specific knowledge/skills/experience)

Education: 
Essential: First-level university degree (in law or another field) and an advanced university degree in law.

Experience: 
Essential:  At least three years of relevant professional experience in law, including experience in legal writing.

Desirable:  Experience in intellectual property law, including court experience.

Knowledge:
Essential:  Excellent knowledge of legal issues in intellectual property.

Languages
Essential: Excellent knowledge of written and spoken English and Spanish, including ability to draft legal resources.

Essential skills:

1.    Excellent knowledge of intellectual property law at international and national levels, in particular in relation to judicial systems and jurisprudence. 
2.    Excellent analytical and legal drafting skills.
3.    Discretion and good diplomatic skills.
4.    Interpersonal skills with the ability to work well in a multicultural team.
5.    Organizational skills with the ability to work under pressure and to respect deadlines.
6.    Confident user of Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams, Sharepoint, and PowerPoint and the Internet.

5.    Duration of contract and payment

June 1 to December 18, 2026, at an activity rate between 80% and 100%.

Applicants are requested to provide an indication of their remuneration expectations as a daily rate in Swiss francs (CHF).

6.    Other information

ICS Consultants fall outside the coverage of employment contracts for WIPO Staff members and are not subject to the WIPO Staff Regulations and Rules. The Consultant has no entitlement to vacation or sick leave, except for WIPO official holidays, or to medical insurance or staff pension. Absences from work will be unpaid.