Legal Assistant at University of Pretoria/Universiteit van Pretoria

Key responsibilities include: 

Under the supervision of the relevant Deputy-Director:

Student Discipline

• Ensuring that all reported cases of student misconduct are dealt with in accordance with the Disciplinary Code: Students; 
• Negotiating and finalising plea and penalty agreements with students who wish to plead guilty in accordance with the formal plea and penalty procedure in the Code;
• Seeing to it that the formal disciplinary procedure is followed in respect of cases which are referred to the Disciplinary Committee (Students);
• Managing the process administratively by seeing to it that the outcome of student disciplinary proceedings is communicated to all relevant stakeholders;
• Ensuring that students who face disciplinary action and require support are referred to the relevant support services;
• Providing administrative support to other legal advisors as and when requested.

Legal Advice

• Providing legal advice and draft legal opinions as and when requested;
• Reviewing of and advising on the impact of proposed and/ or new legislation / regulations / statutory and policy frameworks applicable to the University;
• Drafting letters of demand and engaging in debt collection measurers on behalf of the University and other clients, as instructed;
• Assisting with the drafting, vetting, and evaluation of tender documents to ensure that all procurement processes comply with applicable legislation, University policies, and contractual best practices;
• Assisting with University litigation as when necessary;
• Assisting with and furnishing Attorney and Counsel with any relevant documentation or information as requested; 
• Attending court proceedings on behalf of the University;
• Drafting comprehensive letters of instruction and compiling briefs to external attorneys representing the University in litigation;
• Drafting settlement agreements; 
• Compiling bundles of documents including indexing and paginating; 
• Updating relevant University stakeholders on the status of litigation relevant to their respective portfolios; 
• Assisting the relevant Deputy Director with any strategic components involving litigation as requested.
• Assisting with reviewing and drafting of wide variety of different agreements which include, but is not limited | to, the following agreements:
• Memorandum of Agreements; 
• Memorandum of Understandings;
• Service Level and Services Agreements;
• Donation, Grants and Funding Agreements;
• Sponsorship Agreements; 
• Employment Agreements and Consultant Agreements; 
• License Agreements;
• Settlement Agreements;
• Non-Disclosure Agreements; 
• Various Faculty and Department related Agreements;
• Bursary and Scholarship Agreements; 
• Barter Exchange Agreements;
• Sub-contractor Agreements;
• Various Sport Academy Agreements;
• Purchase and Sale Agreements;
• Researching, preparing and drafting of contract law related legal opinions; 
• Updating of standard contract templates in line with statutory and policy framework of the University.

Labour Relations and Training

• Compiling and or providing advice on the drafting of disciplinary charges. 
• Providing advice and opinions on case law, collective labour law, employee policies, interpretation of legislation, regulations and directives;
• Provide advice on and assist with drafting of employment contracts, independent contractor agreements, termination agreements, settlement agreements, secondment agreements, retention agreements etc;
• Assisting with providing advice on Alternative Dispute Resolution processes. 
• Assisting with providing advice on restructuring and retrenchment processes.
• Assisting with Union related matters, including the drafting and reviewing of recognition agreements, collective agreements, picketing rules, HR policies, grievance matters, strike management, etc;
• Overseeing employment litigation matters in various courts, the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) and other forums; 
• Providing legal opinions on employment matters.
• Providing general training to internal and external stakeholders in terms of the University pol legislation, disciplinary processes for staff and students, labour law and contracts. 
• Provide any other training based on development needs identified by the Director and the Deputy Directors.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS: 

• LLB degree;
• One year’s experience in the following areas: 
• Experience in a law practice or an environment in which legal advice is given and legal risks are managed, as well as responsibility is assumed for the legal outcomes of legal processes
• Experience in drafting of legal documents;
• Experience in employment related dispute resolution processes (e.g., disciplinary processes, CCMA / Bargaining Council);
• A valid driver’s licence.