UNPAID VOLUNTEER - General Counsel

The Blockchain & Climate Institute (BCI) is an international volunteers-led think tank supporting and advocating the application of blockchain technology in the global fight against climate change. 

We are looking to recruit a highly motivated and enthusiastic General Counsel to join our Director-General’s Office to oversee its Legal Advisory Section comprising a number of senior and junior legal advisors. The ideal candidate is driven and experienced, and looking to make a difference to international climate change governance.

The successful candidate will provide expert and strategic legal advice to the Director-General, Chief of Staff, Company Secretary and all BCI divisions, concerning the legal obligations and operations of BCI and assist in the minimisation of any legal risk exposure, including employment law, contract law, privacy law and competition law, etc.

Responsibilities

• Managing the Legal Advisory Section and supervising legal advisors;
• Providing advice on legal matters;
• Evaluating and weighing multiple inputs and impacts of any decision or course of action;
• Supporting the formulation or review of internal governance policies and manage the impact of external factors;
• Drafting legal opinions, memoranda, and briefing documents;
• Formulating formalities regarding settlements of disputes;
• Monitoring the implementation of the legal clauses; and
• Advise members on legal issues and risks, including corporate and charity governance, fundraising, marketing, competition, data protection, trademarks, copyright, defamation, and litigation matters, etc.

Core competencies 

• Strong analytical and research skills including critical thinking, organisational and problem-solving skills;
• Excellent command of interpersonal and communication skills;
• Capable of leading, mentoring and motivating legal team members;
• Ability to work well within a team and individually; and
• Seeking a complementary range of specialisms (charity, commercial, corporate, contract, employment, litigation, and others).

Education &
Training

• Formal/Professional Education (e.g. LLB or GDL); and
• Qualified solicitor/barrister in the UK with a minimum of 10 years’ post-qualification experience either private practice or in-house (at least some in-house experience is highly preferable).

Relevant 
Experience

• Proven general counsel experience in not-for-profit environment;
• Overall broad legal knowledge (corporate law, contract law, employment law, or litigations, etc.);
• In-depth understanding of how legal issues affect organisations;
• Ability to develop legal strategy and objectives;
• Experience of building constructive relationships with stakeholders; and
• Experience of working independently and with teams to drive forward blockchain-related projects using your own initiative.

Skills & Abilities

• Excellent English writing skills, including the ability to develop effective working relationships, work flexibly across professional and operational boundaries, and communicate professionally with internal and external stakeholders at all levels;
• Proven ability to effectively multitask and prioritise work;
• Excellent problem-solving skills;
• Excellent attention to detail and proactive attitude is an indispensable skill required for this role

General &
Specialist Knowledge

• Excellent use of Microsoft Office 365 suite (including Outlook, Word, Excel, Powerpoint) is essential to perform in this role; and
• Some knowledge on topics central to the BCI such as climate change, climate finance and blockchain technology preferred.

Blockchain and other emerging technologies. Climate change and sustainability. These are two hot topic groups that have been headlining media outlets, dominating conferences & events, and gaining increasing traction in research and pilot projects. BCI is here as an expert platform to help governments, inter-governmental and regional organizations as well as relevant corporates to negotiate the complex landscape of emerging technologies for environmental good. We cement our expertise by putting in the hard work in researching, identifying, and analyzing the applications of emerging technologies so that informed decisions can be made by the stakeholders in the climate change and action network.

Benefits you will get from volunteering with BCI are enormous and some include:

• Your mind will be mentally stimulated, hence providing you with a sense of purpose;
• You will advance and boost your professional career by helping you to make professional connections and giving you real-world experience at the intersection between climate and emerging technologies; and
• Help you develop long-lasting professional relationships with others. People who come together to make the world a better place forge a close connection.

Before you apply

Please apply with your CV and cover letter. If shortlisted, you will be contacted by one of our recruiters to complete assessments related to the role. If successful, you will be asked to complete an in-tray exercise based on the role you have applied for prior to an interview with the hiring manager. Please note that your details will be held in respect of GDPR compliance, for future volunteering opportunities with the BCI.