Legal Counsel

The Office of the Information and Data Protection Commissioner (“IDPC”) is currently looking for a Legal Counsel (full-time) to join its team.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

• Provide accurate and timely counsel to the Office of the Information and Data Protection Commissioner on data protection issues.
• Thoroughly investigate local and cross-border data protection complaints.
• Provide legal advice and support on the legal analysis of personal data breaches and of other technical matters.
• Handle complaints under the Freedom of Information Act and other laws regulated by the IDPC.
• Respond to written and telephone queries concerning the interpretation of laws regulated by the IDPC, and handle requests for assistance by data subjects on how to exercise their rights under the GDPR.
• Represent the IDPC by attending and actively contributing to international and European fora and expert groups, both remotely and in person.
• May be required to represent and defend the IDPC in judicial proceedings before the Information and Data Protection Appeals Tribunal, the Courts of Appeal and any civil, criminal or other case as may be required.
• Cooperate with other local, European and international regulators and authorities.
• Collaborate and exchange information with supervisory authorities of other countries and participate in joint programmes, meetings and conferences, both in Malta and abroad.
• Regularly monitor developments in the data protection field, including researching national and European case law and analysing the impact thereof on IDPC’s work.
• Deliver lectures, presentations and awareness-raising sessions on the laws regulated by the IDPC.
• Propose innovations and improvements to the current practices and systems with the objective to enable the IDPC to achieve better and more effective results in its operations.
• Any other ad-hoc duties that may, from time to time, be assigned by the IDPC. 

Requirements

• Hold a law degree from the University of Malta (Doctor of Laws or Master of Advocacy), or a comparable degree from such other competent authority in accordance with the principles of mutual recognition of qualifications, after having read law in Malta or in another Member State.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills both in Maltese and English, whilst other languages will be considered advantageous.
• Proven experience as a legal counsel for a minimum of two (2) years.
• Detailed understanding of the data protection laws and principles, and previous experience in the field of data protection.
• Ability to take ownership of projects and tasks and drive them to successful completion. 
• Ability to work under pressure and to manage sensitive and confidential information.
• Self-motivated with high-performance standards, able to work independently and as part of a team.
• Be a quick learner and possess excellent communication skills together with the energy to be proactive in identifying better ways how to improve certain work processes.
• Strong attention to detail.
• IT literate and excellent Microsoft skills including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.

Preference will be given to candidates who have previously held a role in the data protection field or served as a data protection officer, and could demonstrate a strong foundation in information security fundamentals. Candidates who hold a warrant to practice law in Malta will be given preference. 

As part of the recruitment process, shortlisted candidates may be requested to provide their written legal views and interpretation on one or more data protection mock complaints or use cases. 

JobsPlus Permit Number: 748/2023