Jan-Dec 2008 - Organization of American States

The advisory services that the Department of Legal Services provides include:
a) Legal representation in litigation, arbitration and other disputes.
b) Preparation and negotiation of contracts and agreements with private entities, governmental
bodies, NGOs, multilateral organizations, member states, permanent observer states, etc., related
to business, real estate, cooperation, contributions, electoral observation, etc.
c) Application of international law and the laws of the member states and standards of the General
Secretariat vis-à-vis tax, employment, immigration, intellectual property, bankruptcy, privileges
and immunities, contracts, business, etc.
d) Preparation of the normative instruments of the General Secretariat and other organs of the
Organization, such as executive orders, administrative memorandums, directives, regulations, etc.
e) Conducting and participating in internal investigations.
f) Advisory services in specialized areas such as trust funds, tax law and pensions.
g) Membership on and legal advisory services to permanent and ad hoc committees like the Joint
Committee on Insurance Matters, the Advisory Committee on Selection and Promotion, the
Ethics Committee, the Publications Board, the COVENT (sales committee), the Medical Benefits
Trust Fund Committee, the Retirement and Pension Committee, and the Committee of the Leo S.
Rowe Memorial Fund. Advisory services are also provided to the Joint Disciplinary Committee
and the General Secretariat on cases submitted to the Joint Advisory Committee on
Reconsideration and the Committee on Reduction in Force.
h) Participation in conferences and contacts with public and private multilateral sectors.
Activities in 2008
In 2008, the DLS received approximately 1,900 inquiries from the General Secretariat, the political
bodies and the delegations of the member states, which included attendance at meetings. More than
900 were asking for written legal opinions (these totals do not include the verbal inquiries answered
by telephone or in person). The attorneys with the DLS attended and/or provided legal advisory
services at some 500 meetings and reviewed over 500 agreements.
The following services were among the most important:
a) To the political bodies:
• The DLS provided advisory legal services at the meetings of the General Assembly, the
Permanent Council and the CAAP, concerning administrative, budgetary, employmentrelated
and procedural issues.
• It participated in the preparatory meetings for the session of the General Assembly held in
Colombia.
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