Assistant Legal Officer
AI summary
Justice Defenders is hiring an Assistant Legal Officer based in Jinja District with regular field visits to project sites. The role provides day-to-day legal and administrative support to the Legal Officer, including inmate support, paralegal network oversight, file tracing, and rights education within prisons. The position is full-time for one year, subject to renewal based on performance and funding.
- Full-time role based in Jinja District with regular field visits
- One-year contract subject to renewal based on performance and funding
- Supports legal aid delivery and prison-based paralegal networks
- Requires LLB degree and 1–2 years of relevant legal experience
- English and Luganda language skills required
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Original source description
Duty Station:
Jinja District (With regular field visits to project target sites)
Reports To:
Legal Officer (Jinja)
Contract Duration:
1 Year (Subject to renewal based on performance and funding)
About Justice Defenders
The global
justice gap
disproportionately affects the poorest and most marginalised populations, particularly those in
custodial settings
. We are living amidst a global justice crisis. We believe that everyone has the right to tell their side of the story before being convicted of a crime or punished.
Justice Defenders
works with defenceless communities to provide world-class legal education, training, and practice. Training paralegals within defenceless communities provides access to free legal services at the point of greatest need. We work for justice for everyone, without breaking fellowship with anyone. Incarcerated people, formerly incarcerated people, and prison staff offer unique perspectives on legal systems. Yet their experiences are rarely listened to. Bringing them together with prosecutors, the police, judges, experienced lawyers, and academics creates remarkable possibilities for good.
ABOUT THE PROJECT
Justice Defenders
, in partnership with the
International Development Law Organisation (IDLO)
, is implementing a two-year project titled “Enhancing access to fair trial and timely justice delivery for inmates at Jinja and Kalangala prisons” under the Community Justice Program Phase II (CJP II), 2025–2030. This sub-project aims to strengthen access to fair trial rights and timely justice delivery for inmates by addressing the legal, procedural, and institutional barriers that contribute to prolonged detention, particularly for remand prisoners, including women and other vulnerable groups.
Job Summary
The Assistant Legal Officer will provide day-to-day operational and administrative legal support to the Jinja-based Legal Officer. This role focuses on hands-on inmate interfacing, primary file tracking across local justice institutions, managing the daily operations of the prison paralegal network, and running primary preparation clinics for self-representation.
Key
Responsibilities
- Legal Officer Support:
- Directly assist the Legal Officer in preparing case files, drafting preliminary legal documents (bail and other forms of applications, appeals mitigation statements), and scheduling court fixtures/appearances.
- Self-Representation Support:
- Lead Justice Defenders prison based legal offices and coach inmates on self-representation, guiding them through basic court etiquette, mock trial sessions, and building confidence.
- Paralegal Network Oversight:
- Serve as the primary, on-ground contact for prison-based paralegal networks (inmates and staff) in Jinja; coordinate their daily logs, handle basic legal queries, and track their performance.
- File Tracing & Surety Verification:
- Conduct field visits to local Jinja police stations, court registries, and state attorneys’ offices to trace missing files and locate sureties.
- Rights
Education
- Campaigns:
- Organize regular on-site rights awareness sessions inside prisons and distribute simplified legal information materials.
- Case Tracking & Data
- Management
- :
- Maintain up-to-date, accurate, and highly confidential database logs of all inmate files, tracking system responses and identifying delayed cases.
- Feedback Mechanism Coordination:
- Assist in organizing structured feedback dialogues and accountability sessions between inmates and local duty bearers.
- Required Qualifications &
- Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree from a recognized university. A Post-Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice from LDC is an added advantage but not mandatory.
- : Minimum of 1–2 years of relevant
Experience
- working in legal aid delivery, within the prison community, paralegal management, or criminal law practice in Uganda.
- Language Skills:
- Professional mastery of English, alongside high working fluency in Luganda.
- Skills
- : Strong interpersonal skills, passion for social justice, high empathy, and proficiency in basic data management tools (Excel, Word).
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- Method of Application
- Applicants should submit:
- A current CV;
- A cover letter clearly indicating the position and
Preferred Qualifications
- duty station;
- Copies of relevant academic and professional qualifications; and
- Send your application details by email to;
- [email protected]
- Application
- Deadline:
- Sunday, 23 August 2026
- SAFEGUARDING, CONFIDENTIALITY & PROFESSIONAL INTEGRITY
- Justice Defenders is committed to safeguarding, confidentiality, professional integrity, and the protection of the rights and dignity of all persons with whom it works. Successful candidates will be expected to uphold these principles at all times.