OLA Jobs 2026
United Nations Office of Legal Affairs
Explore current vacancies with United Nations Office of Legal Affairs (OLA), including hiring locations, requirements, duties, salaries, grades, contracts, career insights and application links.
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About OLA
The United Nations Office of Legal Affairs (OLA) is the Organization’s legal service. Established in 1946, it provides legal advice to the Secretary-General, Secretariat departments and United Nations organs; represents the Organization in legal proceedings; and supports legal bodies and treaty processes. OLA’s work covers public and private international law, agreements and claims, the law of the sea, treaty registration and depositary functions, codification and progressive development of international law, and international trade law.
- Established
- 1946
- Global Presence
- 193 UN Member States
OLA Hiring Locations
Countries with active OLA vacancies right now.
Working with OLA
Working with OLA means applying law to decisions across the Organization. Lawyers and legal specialists advise the Secretary-General, Secretariat departments and UN organs; prepare agreements and legal opinions; support treaty processes; represent the Organization; and service legal bodies. Careers span public and private international law, law of the sea, treaty law, trade law, claims and legal administration. OLA vacancies are UN Secretariat roles recruited through Inspira; applicants need evidence matching the specialty in the notice.
Why Work at OLA?
Advise At The Heart Of UN Decisions
Help ensure that major UN action is legally sound and defensible.
Work Across Distinct Legal Specialties
Build expertise in treaty, oceans, trade, claims, public and institutional law.
Turn Legal Frameworks Into Action
Support agreements, proceedings and legal bodies that enable multilateral cooperation.
How to Apply for OLA Jobs
Once you find a suitable OLA vacancy on IGO Jobs or the OLA careers page, submit your application through OLA's official recruitment portal. Below is a guide on how to apply.
Official OLA application route ↗1Start from OLA’s official employment page
OLA states that its job openings are managed by the United Nations Office of Human Resources Management and directs candidates to UN Careers. Use that official route, then search **Department/Office: Office of Legal Affairs**. Do not submit speculative applications by email: applications are considered only through a live UN Careers vacancy and its online application path.
2Identify the OLA unit and legal specialization
Read the organizational setting before applying. A role may sit in the Office of the Legal Counsel, General Legal Division, Treaty Section, Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea, Codification Division or International Trade Law Division. Match your experience to the named function, rather than treating OLA as a single general legal practice.
3Check the vacancy’s specific eligibility criteria
Review the required education, legal experience, languages, grade, duty station and contract type. Legal Officer roles may have a different focus from Legal Assistant, administrative or internship opportunities. The job description—not a general OLA profile—sets the criteria for shortlisting, so confirm that you meet each required qualification before investing time in the application.
4Complete your Inspira profile and application
Select **Apply** in the UN Careers listing to open Inspira. Create an account if required, complete **My Profile**, and enter your education, employment history, skills, achievements, competencies and motivation. Use precise examples of legal research, drafting, negotiation, treaty work, advisory practice or institutional-law experience relevant to the unit. A separate CV does not replace the online application unless requested.
5Submit a tailored application before the deadline
Address the vacancy’s legal subject matter and responsibilities directly in your motivation statement and achievement entries. Review all dates, qualifications and statements before submission; a submitted Inspira application cannot be changed for that opening. Keep the confirmation email and check the application status in Inspira, using the same primary email throughout the process.
6Prepare for a role-specific legal assessment
Candidates who meet the requirements may be invited to a written test, legal drafting exercise, case study, recorded video interview or another assessment, followed by a competency-based panel interview. The format varies by vacancy. Prepare clear examples showing legal analysis, concise drafting, professional judgement, confidentiality and the ability to advise diverse UN stakeholders.
Recruitment safety: No. The United Nations does not charge fees for applications, interviews, processing, training or any recruitment stage, and it does not ask for bank-account information. Check that the listing is on UN Careers and identifies Office of Legal Affairs as the Department/Office. Treat payment requests or unverifiable offers as fraudulent.
OLA Market Insights
Current vacancy activity and the career areas represented across active OLA listings.
Active jobs
2
Added this month
2
+2 vs last monthTypical posting age
10 days
Most active month
August
Least active month
August
Most active duty station
New York
Based on IGO Jobs internal index data. See methodology and sources.
Top Job Functions
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Frequently asked questions about OLA careers
Where do I apply for OLA jobs?+
OLA staff vacancies are managed through the United Nations Careers Portal. Search Department/Office: Office of Legal Affairs, then filter by job family, level and duty station. The OLA employment page directs candidates to UN Careers, while the vacancy description identifies the relevant unit and opens the official Inspira application.
What types of jobs does OLA recruit for?+
OLA is the United Nations central legal service. It advises the Secretary-General, Secretariat and UN organs; handles agreements, claims and litigation; undertakes treaty registration and depositary functions; works on law of the sea, codification, international trade law; and supports legal bodies. Each vacancy states the expertise required.
Where does OLA operate?+
OLA serves the United Nations system and its 193 Member States through a central legal mandate. Its work is global even when a post is based at Headquarters or another duty station: treaty, law-of-the-sea, trade-law and legal-advice functions can support States, UN organs and operations across regions. Always follow the location in the notice.
Do I need an Inspira profile for an OLA vacancy?+
Yes. For an OLA Secretariat vacancy, select Apply in the UN Careers listing and complete your Inspira My Profile. The online form records education, employment, skills, achievements, competencies and motivation. It is used to assess eligibility and suitability; a separate CV does not replace it unless the notice specifically requests documents.
What happens after I submit an OLA application?+
Candidates meeting an OLA opening’s requirements may be invited to a written test, legal drafting exercise, case study, recorded video interview or other assessment, followed by a competency-based panel interview. The process is vacancy-specific. Keep your primary email valid and monitor Inspira for the official outcome or next-step invitation.
Does OLA charge an application fee?+
No. The United Nations does not charge fees for applications, interviews, processing, training or any recruitment stage, and it does not ask for bank-account information. Check that the listing is on UN Careers and identifies Office of Legal Affairs as the Department/Office. Treat payment requests or unverifiable offers as fraudulent.