Legal Officer

UK Anti Doping; London; Hybrid; GBP 39,000 - 42,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player in the realm of sports integrity is seeking a dedicated Legal Officer to join its mission of ensuring clean sport. This role offers a unique opportunity to engage in the prosecution of Anti-Doping Rule Violations, providing legal advice and support across various regulatory frameworks. You will work closely with senior lawyers and stakeholders, gaining invaluable experience in both contentious and non-contentious legal matters. If you are passionate about sports and have a strong legal background, this position could be your chance to make a significant impact in the fight against doping in sport.

Qualifications

• Educated to degree level with a professional legal qualification.
• Experience in litigation, sports regulation, and legal document analysis.

Responsibilities

• Assist in the prosecution of Anti-Doping Rule Violations (ADRVs).
• Draft legal correspondence and manage case files for hearings.
• Collaborate with stakeholders on investigations and legal advice.

Skills

Legal Research

Drafting Legal Correspondence

Case Management

Communication Skills

Interpersonal Skills

Microsoft Office

Education

Degree Level Education

Professional Legal Qualification (LPC, SQE, BPTC)

Tools

Microsoft Teams

Job description

Salary Range £39,500 - £41,895

Location Hybrid (WFH / London/South East)

Type of contract Full-time, Permanent

Closing Date 12pm Midday on Monday 20 January 2025

UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) is on a mission to protect clean sport and currently has an exciting opportunity available for you to join us.

The primary responsibility of the role is to assist in the prosecution of Anti-Doping Rule Violation (ADRV) matters through to conclusion, ensuring timely progression and compliance with the relevant Anti-Doping Rules.

About us

Our purpose:

To ensure doping-free sport, promoting and protecting clean sport through education, testing and enforcement.

Our values:

Integrity – We do what is right for clean sport, we are equitable and ethical, ensuring everyone is treated fairly and with respect.

Collaboration – We work together and with others, sharing knowledge and building relationships to better tackle doping.

Excellence – We strive to achieve high standards in the protection of clean sport, evolving with the times and finding solutions.

Passion – We are dedicated to keeping sport clean, are proud of what we do and know it matters.

Job purpose

The Legal Officer plays an important role in the management of ADRV cases from the outset, including advising on investigations, interpreting rules, drafting legal correspondence and preparing matters for hearings.

Where required, the Legal Officer also supports the team’s wider provision of contractual and other non-contentious legal advice to UKAD, including in relation to data protection, freedom of information and GDPR matters.

Working closely with senior lawyers and stakeholders across sport, the Legal Officer will gain valuable experience in both contentious and non-contentious legal matters.

Key result areas include

To assist in the effective and timely prosecution of alleged ADRVs and the provision of non-contentious advice, including:

Drafting

• Drafting inter-party correspondence

• Preparing independent review requests

• Drafting and serving Notice/Charge Letters and other legal correspondence

• Drafting witness statements

• Drafting written submissions

Case Management

• Interpreting rules and regulations

• Advising on investigations into potential ADRVs

• Advising on evidence gathering

• Reviewing evidence for disclosure

• Legal research

• Conducting case to answer assessments on potential ADRV matters

• Supporting the Lawyers at ADRV hearings

Collaboration with internal and external stakeholders

• Liaising with National Governing Bodies (NGBs), International Federations (IFs) and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) regarding the bringing of charges for alleged ADRVs

• Liaising with NGBs in respect of ADRV prosecutions conducted by NGBs, including attending hearings as an observer

• Liaising with the Operations Directorate, and specifically the Intelligence and Investigations Team, in relation to investigations

• Liaising with, and providing advice to, UKAD’s Communications, Results, Testing and Education teams

Non-contentious work

• Managing the provision of contractual and other non-contentious legal advice to UKAD including liaising with internal teams and external counsel

• Managing the UKAD Contracts Database, including periodic review of UKAD contracts

• Reviewing UK and NGB anti-doping rules to ensure compliance with the WADA Code, UK National Anti-Doping Policy and other standards

• Managing freedom of information and subject access requests received by UKAD

Person specification

Qualifications/experience/knowledge

• Educated to degree level with additional professional legal qualification, such as LPC, SQE or BPTC

• Demonstrable experience in-house and/or within private practice of handling or assisting in relation to:

• Litigation or arbitration;

• Working in sports regulation (preferable) and/or with other regulatory frameworks

• Preparing hearings and/or conducting advocacy before tribunals and/or lower courts;

• Commercial matters; and/or

• Freedom of Information Act and Data Protection Act/GDPR matters

• Experience of communicating and presenting to a variety of levels of seniority and backgrounds both internally and externally

• Experience of managing sensitive and confidential information

• Experience of analysing legal documents for accuracy

• In depth knowledge of legal terminology and principles

• A passion for and knowledge of sport is desirable

Skills

• Ability to build and sustain relationships with a network of key people internally and externally

• Excellent writing and presentation skills and attention to detail

• Self-aware and excellent interpersonal, influencing, negotiation and communication skills

• Ability to work proactively with internal and external stakeholders

• Ability to prioritise own workload and work under a tight schedule with competing deadlines

• Ability to use Microsoft Office efficiently

How to apply

Our values are at the heart of what we do, so if they align with you and you’re up for the fight against doping in sport, please complete the online application.

Deadline for Applications is 12pm Midday on Monday 20 January 2025. Interviews will take place during the week commencing 03 February 2025 online via Microsoft Teams.

Please note that UK Anti-Doping are currently unable to provide Visa Sponsorship.