Legal policy officer

Description

Legal affairs policy officers research, analyse and develop policies related to the legal sector and implement these policies to improve the existing regulation around the sector. They work closely with partners, external organisations or other stakeholders and provide them with regular updates.

Other titles

The following job titles also refer to legal policy officer:

policy officer, legal and compliance
legal policy advisor
policy officer, legal affairs
legal policy specialist
legal policy analyst
policy analyst, legal affairs
legal affairs policy officer

Minimum qualifications

Bachelor’s degree is generally required to work as legal policy officer. However, this requirement may differ in some countries.

ISCO skill level

ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:

  • the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
  • the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
  • the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.

Legal policy officer is a Skill level 4 occupation.

Legal policy officer career path

Similar occupations

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to legal policy officer.

housing policy officer
regional development policy officer
labour market policy officer
legislative drafter
recreation policy officer

Long term prospects

These occupations require some skills and knowledge of legal policy officer. They also require other skills and knowledge, but at a higher ISCO skill level, meaning these occupations are accessible from a position of legal policy officer with a significant experience and/or extensive training.

Essential knowledge and skills

Essential knowledge

This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of legal policy officer.

Legal studies: The study of law, the situations and causes that elicit responses from institutions in the form of laws and regulations. This includes cultural, economic, and political factors. Some areas of law are civil, business, criminal, and property law.

Government policy implementation: The procedures related to the application of government policies at all levels of public administration.
Legal case management: The procedures of a legal case from opening to closing, such as the documentation that needs to be prepared and handled, the people involved in different stages of the case, and the requirements that need to be met before the case can be closed.
Legal research: The methods and procedures of research in legal matters, such as the regulations, and different approaches to analyses and source gathering, and the knowledge on how to adapt the research methodology to a specific case to obtain the required information.

Essential skills and competences

These skills are necessary for the role of legal policy officer.

Compile legal documents: Compile and collect legal documents from a specific case in order to aid an investigation or for a court hearing, in a manner compliant with legal regulations and ensuring records are properly maintained.
Analyse legal evidence: Analyse evidence, such as evidence in criminal cases, legal documentation regarding a case, or other documentation that can be regarded as evidence, in order to obtain a clear image of the case and reach resolutions.
Advise on legal decisions: Advise judges, or other officials in legal decision-making positions, on which decision would be right, compliant with the law and with moral considerations, or most advantageous for the adviser’s client, in a specific case.
Advise on legislative acts: Advise officials in a legislature on the propositioning of new bills and the consideration of items of legislation.
Provide legal advice: Provide advice to clients in order to ensure that their actions are compliant with the law, as well as most beneficial for their situation and specific case, such as providing information, documentation, or advice on the course of action for a client should they want to take legal action or legal action is taken against them.
Manage government policy implementation: Manage the operations of the implementation of new government policies or changes in existing policies on a national or regional level as well as the staff involved in the implementation procedure.

Optional knowledge and skills

Optional knowledge

This knowledge is sometimes, but not always, required for the role of legal policy officer. However, mastering this knowledge allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

Insurance law: The law and legislation concerning the policies of transferring risks or losses from one party, the insured, to another, the insurer, in exchange for a periodic payment. This includes the regulation of insurance claims and the business of insurance.
Election law: The regulations concerning the procedures during elections, such as voting regulations, campaign regulations, which procedures candidates must follow, how votes are counted, and other electoral procedures.
International human rights law: The aspect of international law which deals with the promotion and protection of human rights, the related treaties and agreements between nations, the binding legal effects, and the contributions made to the development and implemenation of human rights law.
Intellectual property law: The regulations that govern the set of rights protecting products of the intellect from unlawful infringement.
Business law: The field of law concerned with the trade and commerce activities of businesses and private persons and their legal interactions. This relates to numerous legal disciplines, including tax and employment law.
Family law: The legal rules that govern family-related disputes between individuals such as marriages, child adoption, civil unions, etc.
Education law: The area of law and legislation that concerns education policies and the people working in the sector in an (inter)national context, such as teachers, students, and administrators.
Government policy: The political activities, plans, and intentions of a government for a legislative session for concrete causes.
Contract law: The field of legal principles that govern written agreements between parties concerning the exchange of goods or services, including contractual obligations and termination.
Customs law: The legal regulations that govern the import of goods in a country.
Anti-dumping law: The policies and regulations that govern the activity of charging a lower price for goods in a foreign market than one charges for the same goods in a domestic market.
Immigration law: The regulations to follow to ensure compliance during investigations or advice in immigration cases and file handling.
Criminal law: Th legal rules, constitutions and regulations applicable for the punishement of offenders.
Insolvency law: The legal rules regulating the incapacity to pay debts when they fall due.
Consumer law: The area of law that regulates the relationship between consumer and businesses providing goods or services, including consumer protection and regulations on irregular business practices.
Employment law: The law which mediates the relationship between employees and employers. It concerns employees’ rights at work which are binding by the work contract.
International law: The binding rules and regulations in the relations between states and nations, and legal systems dealing with countries rather than private citizens.
Air transport law: Know air transport laws and regulations. Due to the nature of aviation, knowledge of air transport laws partially overlaps with knowledge of international law.
Labour law: The field of law that is concerned with the regulation of the relationship between employers, employees, trade unions, and the government.
Social security law: Legislation concerning the protection of individuals and the provision of aid and benefits, such as health insurance benefits, unemployment benefits, welfare programs and other government-provided social security.
Civil law: The legal rules and their applications used in disputes between different parties.

Constitutional law: The regulations dealing with the fundamental principles or established precedents which govern a state or organisation.
Competition law: The legal regulations that maintain market competition by regulating anti-competitive behaviour of companies and organisations.
Commercial law: The legal regulations that govern a specific commercial activity.
Corporate law: The legal rules that govern how corporate stakeholders (such as shareholders, employees, directors, consumers, etc) interact with one another, and the responsibilities corporations have to their stakeholders.
Scientific research methodology: The theoretical methodology used in scientific research involving doing background research, constructing an hypothesis, testing it, analysing data and concluding the results.
Public law: The part of law which governs relationships between individuals and the government, and the relationships between individuals which concern society directly.

Optional skills and competences

These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of legal policy officer. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

Create solutions to problems: Solve problems which arise in planning, prioritising, organising, directing/facilitating action and evaluating performance. Use systematic processes of collecting, analysing, and synthesising information to evaluate current practice and generate new understandings about practice.
Advise legislators: Give advice on various government and legislative duties, such as policy creation and the inner workings of a governmental department, to government officials in legislative positions, such as members of parliament, government ministers, senators, and other legislators.
Perform scientific research: Gain, correct or improve knowledge about phenomena by using scientific methods and techniques, based on empirical or measurable observations.
Analyse legislation: Analyse the existing legislation from a national or local government in order to assess which improvements could be made and which items of legislation could be proposed.
Apply immigration law: Apply immigration legislation during the checking of a person’s eligibility to enter a nation, in order to ensure legislation is complied with upon entry or to deny the person access.
Develop professional network: Reach out to and meet up with people in a professional context. Find common ground and use your contacts for mutual benefit. Keep track of the people in your personal professional network and stay up to date on their activities.
Liaise with politicians: Liaise with officials fulfilling important political and legislative roles in governments in order to ensure productive communication and build relations.

ISCO group and title

2422 – Policy administration professionals

 

 


 

 

References
  1. Legal policy officer – ESCO
Last updated on August 8, 2022