The Office of Staff Legal Assistance (OSLA) provides legal advice and representation to UN staff members (and former staff or affected dependents) who wish to appeal an adverse administrative decision, or who are subject to disciplinary action.
If you need legal assistance, please submit an online form using the OSLA case management application. The instructions are available on their website.
If OSLA cannot represent you for any reason, the Staff Union may assist and provide you with an external lawyer.
On 1 January 2012, the Union contracted a lawyer, Mr. Jeffrey Dahl, who is an expert in UN rules and regulations. He advises staff on general legal issues. His services also include assistance in the submission, representation, and management of individual staff members’ cases in the UN Administration of Justice system.
Additional external lawyers listed below may also be hired to provide legal assistance.
If you are a dues-paying member of the Staff Union, the Union may cover the fees pertaining to the external lawyer's services. Below are the guidelines for accessing the service:
Staff member needs to have been a dues-paying member for at least six months. In the case of newly recruited staff they have to have joined upon arrival.
Staff member needs to submit their request for assistance in writing and address it to (any member of) the Staff Committee (the executive committee of the Staff Council). The request is then discussed by the Staff Committee members, who ultimately may approve or decline it.
The Staff Committee will also decide whether to cover the costs after receiving an opinion from the external lawyer on the chances of success of the case.
If the appeal is successful and the Tribunal decides that the legal costs incurred by the staff member need to be reimbursed, then the staff member will return the money to the Staff Union.
Three lawyers are available for consultations on work-related issues to dues-paying members of the Staff Union. Kindly contact any one of them directly to arrange an appointment.
Ludovica Moro
Mondays, from 2:00 to 4:00 pm (by appointment only) room C0341
Tel. +43 676 685 5658
Email: contact@ludovicamoro.eu or ludovica@modu.law
Partner of Modulaw: www.modu.law
Laurence C. Fauth, Esq.
Maria-Treu-Gasse 2/15, 1080 Vienna
Tel. +43 (0) 664 205 84 58
Email: info@unattorney.com
Web: www.unattorney.com
Mr Timothy Lemay, BA, JD - Consultant/Legal Advisor
Available by phone: +43 699 11666067 or email: tlemay1090@gmail.com
The Staff Union also has the Support Fund for the representation of vulnerable groups including colleagues on precarious contracts (the so-called “non-staff” / “affiliate staff”). With the Gift Shop being the funding source for the representation of those UN colleagues, no membership dues are used or redirected for this purpose.
All project / activity / funding proposals (including requests for legal assistance) that are to be paid from the Support Fund need to be submitted in writing and addressed to any member of the Staff Committee. The proposals are discussed by the Staff Committee, who ultimately may approve or decline the request.
