Assistant Director, Legal Services, AP

About This

Role Role

Purpose We are looking for enthusiastic and motivated people to join our team who are interested in a purpose driven role and want to make a difference in cutting edge areas of law. You will be working on a wide range of matters including working cross-functionally, representing Coimisiún na Meán nationally and internationally and driving societal change.

An Coimisiún is seeking to recruit a number of Assistant Directors at Assistant Principal grade in the LSD. This is an exciting opportunity for experienced lawyers to support in the delivery of legal services in a dynamic values driven organisation.

The purpose of this role is to:-

• Support the Legal Services Division in providing high-quality, solution-focused legal advice and support on all aspects of An Coimisiún’s functions;
• Support the strategic priorities of An Coimisiún and provide advice on legal matters affecting its national and European work including in relation to its Online Safety regulatory functions, including Digital Services Coordinator responsibilities;
• Advise on ensuring that Ireland’s media landscape remains thriving, diverse and safe;
• Engage with external barristers and solicitors to advise on a variety of legal matters, such as regulatory litigation or appeals, investigations and other statutory procedures;
• Advise on a range of legal areas including public and regulatory law, media law, supporting litigation before courts, enforcement powers and procedures, and supporting legislative change
• Represent An Coimisiún at meetings both at a national and European/international level.

The scope of your work may include advising on the Online Safety and Media Regulation (OSMR) Act 2022, Digital Services Act, Broadcasting Act 2009 as amended, Terrorist Content Online Regulation, European Media Freedom Act, and AI Act and the TTPA (Regulation (EU) 2024/900 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 March 2024 on the transparency and targeting of political advertising).

An Coimisiún is committed to supporting your CPD (Continuing Professional Development) through any activities that develop and widen your knowledge in areas that further support our work.

About the Team

The Legal Services Division ("LSD") at An Coimisiún plays a crucial role in ensuring that the Commission is aware of legal issues and risks and acts in accordance with relevant legislation and fair procedures. Reporting to the Directors, the Assistant Director will work with, and support, the organisation, ensuring that An Coimisiún effectively carries out its statutory functions under national and European law and works towards its objectives as described in its Strategy Statement.

We are a dynamic, experienced team of lawyers working in a central LSD which is expanding. Led by a General Counsel, we currently have three Legal Directors working closely with a team of Assistant Directors, each supporting a range of areas central to the Commission’s objectives. Our team is supported by a Legal Analyst who provides research and supports the sharing of knowhow across the team.

Areas of Advice

Our team advises on the following broad areas:

Enforcement and Policy: All aspects of our Online Safety Regulatory Framework, which includes, the Digital Services’ Act, the Online Safety Code, the Terrorist Online Content Regulation, and all aspects of our regulatory remit under the Broadcasting Act relating to broadcasting and licensing of Media Service Providers, including Public Service Media and Video On Demand services.

Broadcasting and Media Development: On Journalism Schemes, Digital Transformation Schemes, media funding, complaints under the Broadcasting Act, including conducting investigations into broadcasters and Video On Demand services and advising on the impact of legislation including European Media Freedom Act.

Litigation and Investigations: On challenges brought against decisions through High Court judicial review, legislative review mechanisms or statutory appeals and advice on all fair procedures aspects of initiating and conducting investigations.

Organisational Advice: On a range of matters including governance issues such as protected disclosures, regulation of lobbying requirements, freedom of information issues, conflicts of interest issues, data-related matters, contracts, and imposition of levies on regulated entities.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide clear, concise, practical and strategic legal advice to inform and guide An Coimisiún;
• Minimise legal risk in respect of any proposed regulatory measures, ensuring that it is supported by the facts and consistent with applicable law and the administrative process ensuring that the proposed measure is properly conducted;
• Analyse new areas of the law and solve problems by thinking strategically and creatively and collaborate with others by building relationships with colleagues from a range of disciplines;
• Contribute to the management of litigation as required, particularly in the context of appeals/judicial review and enforcement, including advice on correspondence, affidavits, expert reports and other documents required in Court proceedings;
• Liaise with legal and other staff in government departments, public bodies and national and European regulatory authorities both as required; and
• Contribute to organisation-level legal and regulatory policy issues.

The above is intended as a guide to the general range of duties and is intended to be neither definitive nor restrictive and is subject to review and change.

About You - Experience, Skills, Knowledge & Qualifications

Essential Criteria

As an excellent barrister or solicitor, you’ll have the desire to develop your expertise in new areas of law and the agility to operate in a stimulating and fast-moving environment. You will provide solutions focused advice and be highly collaborative and supportive of your colleagues.

Ideally you will have experience and skills in some of the following areas regulatory law, public law, enforcement (civil or criminal), technology law, privacy law, broadcasting and media law, human rights and litigation. We will expect you to be committed to our mission.

• Candidates must have been called to the Bar in the State or have beenadmitted and be currently enrolled as a solicitor in the State or hold aprofessional qualification in law which would be acceptable to An Coimisiún,as being equivalent to the above and have at least 3 years’ post-qualification experience as a practising barrister/solicitor;
• Relevant work experience either in a law firm, as a practising barrister, as in house counsel, in the public, private sector or third sector, with a strong record of professional achievement;
• Experience within an environment of similar complexity;
• Ability to provide clear, solutions focused and strategic legal advice in ‘Plain English’;
• Experience in one or more of the following areas of law: regulatory law, public law, technology law, broadcasting law, privacy law, human rights and litigation.

Desirable Criteria

• Qualifications and/or experience in law above the essential requirements;
• Up-to-date specialist legal knowledge relating to the work of An Coimisiún, including knowledge of Irish and EU legislation and willing to pursue this as part of CPD;
• Experience of administrative enforcement regimes and investigations (civil and/or criminal) including any experience of litigation arising from enforcement or investigations
• Proven ability to operate collaboratively at all levels within an organisation providing accurate and timely advice on a variety of legal topics;
• Experience in drafting and/or reviewing complex legal documentation such as regulatory decisions or procedures, legislation or consultation documentation.

Key Information

Benefits, Package & Pay

• This position is offered on a Permanent basis.
• Full time, 35 hrs per week
• Annual Leave: 30 days per annum
• The role will be a hybrid role combining home and office working. Our current hybrid policy is 2 days in the office.
• Our office is located at One Shelbourne Buildings, Shelbourne Road, Dublin 4, D04 NP20.
• For a full list of benefits see our website here
• This position is graded at the Assistant Principal scale
• Successful candidates will be appointed on the first point of the scale

Application Process

If you are interested in applying for this position, please submit:

• A CV (max 2 pages) and a Cover letter/personal statement (max 1 page) outlining why you believe your skills, experience and values meet the requirements of the position
• Appointment to this role is subject to the candidate's eligibility to work in Ireland. All positions require candidates to live in the Republic of Ireland or Northern Ireland.
• Candidates who engage in canvassing will be disqualified and excluded from the process

ReasonableAccommodations

​Reasonable accommodations will be provided, if required, during the recruitment process. To discuss and request reasonable accommodations in confidence please contact amckiernan@cnam.ie

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