MNA Fellow

Innovation and partnership bond the five institutions of the World Bank Group (WBG): the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA), which together form the World Bank; the International Finance Corporation (IFC); the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA); and the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID).

The World Bank Group is one of the world's largest sources of funding and knowledge for developing countries. It uses financial resources and extensive experience to help our client countries to reduce poverty, increase economic growth, and improve quality of life. To ensure that countries can access the best global expertise and help generate cutting-edge knowledge, the World Bank Group is constantly seeking to improve the way it works.

Key priorities include delivering measurable results, promoting openness and transparency in development, and improving access to development information and data. Legal Vice Presidency In the context of the World Bank's broad development agenda, the Legal Vice Presidency (LEG), under the Senior Vice President and Group General Counsel (SVP-GC), is responsible for providing legal advice and support to internal and external Bank clients on operational, advisory, financial, social and environmental, international law, administrative and institutional matters.

While providing these legal services LEG plays an active role in all the World Bank's activities. In addition, LEG helps to ensure that all World Bank activities comply with the Institution’s Articles of Agreement, policies and procedures. Organizationally, the Legal Vice Presidency includes geographically based Regional Operational Practice Groups devoted to the legal and policy aspects of the respective lending portfolios, and the provision of ancillary legal guidance required by the Corporate Practice Groups on any of the foregoing topics.

The Regional Operational Practice Groups, under the oversight of the Deputy General Counsel Operations, are led by Chief Counsels covering all of the 7 Regions. The 7 geographic Regions currently are: (i) East and Southern Africa (AFE); (ii) West and Central Africa (AFW); (iii) Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan and Pakistan (MENAAP); (iv) Europe and Central Asia (ECA); (v) Latin America and the Caribbean (LCR); (vi) East Asia Pacific (EAP) and (vii) South Asia Region (SAR).

They are currently grouped in 3 practice groups based on volume of deliverables and geographic proximity, namely: LEGAM (serving AFE, AFW and MENAAP); LEGES (serving EAP and SAR); and LEGLE (serving ECA and LCR). The three regions benefiting from LEGAM’s operational legal support include a mix of low-income, lower- middle-income, and upper-middle income countries, and several fragile states.

Duties and Responsibilities

• The Fellow will assist Senior Counsels in providing legal services to project teams and Country Management Units primarily in the MENAAP Region. In this context, the Fellow, under the supervision of the Senior Counsel, will:
• Draft agreements (e.g., Loan, Financing and Grant Agreements, Guarantee Agreements, Project Agreements, and Reimbursable Advisory Services Agreements).
• Review subsidiary agreements and other on-lending and on-granting agreements, and legal opinions, and recommend appropriate changes.
• Carry out portfolio management, including drafting amendments and other project-related legal documents.
• Conduct legal research and prepare legal memoranda on pertinent legal issues, including on matters related to local law (at the national and sub-national levels) and international law.
• Participate in identification, preparation, appraisal and supervision of World Bank operations with project teams and attend any other operational meetings.
• Assist with legal and judicial reform work, if any (including analysis of local legislation, judicial system, etc.).
• Carry out any other complementary duties assigned by Senior Counsels and/or the Regional Chief Counsels.