Legalexpert for companies
rolein a work context:
Due to the characteristics of the degreeprogramme, the knowledge provided can be applied to an international context.In fact, the course is aimed at providing legal knowledge, mainly gearedtowards learning about international, transnational and comparative legalphenomena. From this perspective, it fills an educational gap in the Italianuniversity system, which seems to be more focused on domestic law.
On the other hand, the characteristics ofthe course – with a first year during which the approach to the legalphenomenon as outlined above is defined, and a second year of specialisation inwhich this approach is strengthened – allow both those who have had previoustraining in the legal field (however, as is normally the case for Italiandegrees in the legal field, geared towards a strictly domestic approach to thelegal phenomenon) and those who have a non-legal degree, but who have gained 30university educational credits in legal subjects (thus having solid basicknowledge of the legal phenomenon, which, once again, is interpreted from amainly domestic point of view) to acquire the necessary knowledge in order towork as legal experts in international settings.
The profession of legal expert forcompanies consists in managing and coordinating the legal department of thecompany operating in a highly internationalised sector, as well as in dealingwith all the legal aspects related to the company's activities, monitoringactivities, procedures and acts and ensuring that they comply with the rules oflaw, with special regard to the international context in which the companyoperates; drawing up contracts and other legal acts, both national and,especially, international; providing legal consultancy and legal analysis froman international, supranational and comparative perspective; drawing up acts,paperwork or administrative measures; handling relations with external bodiesor parties (external lawyers), including private and public bodies(intergovernmental, governmental or non-governmental); managing and verifyingthe legal aspects of the body; ensuring support for the administrativeactivities of other offices; being part of institutional bodies (commissions,advisory bodies, etc.).
competenciesassociated with the role:
Knowledge of the sources and of legal andpractical guidelines is required, with special emphasis on the comparative,transnational and international aspects of the legal phenomenon, as well as theability to contextualise and qualify the particular case in question in aglobal scenario, supported by constant updating as well as by:
- ability to draw up advice and acts;
- ability to oversee activities related tobusiness administration and management;
- knowledge of administrative and officeprocedures;
- knowledge of the principles and practicesof economics and accounting;
- ability to manage staff and humanresources;
- computer skills.
The distinctive feature of a Legal Studiesmaster's degree graduate is the ability to focus on and problematize therelationship between national and other legal systems, to contextualisenational regulatory data given the supranational European context, and to beaware of the weaker forms of transnational regulation which, however, arerelevant to the legal issue under scrutiny: therefore, in general, the abilityto interact in an international context in general. Due to theinterdisciplinary approach of the course, special emphasis is also placed onthe ability to interact with non-specialists or specialists in otherdisciplines (in this case, in particular, with managers and business managementexperts) and on the aptitude for critical thinking and problem solving,therefore on an expert in legal matters who is both flexible and capable ofthinking independently.
careeropportunities:
A legal expert for companies worksprimarily as an employee or consultant for industrial and manufacturing companies,banks or insurance companies, and professional firms with a markedinternational character.
These activities can also be carried out inother types of private bodies (foundations, research institutes, associationsand bodies, including those in the voluntary sector, non-governmentalorganisations, etc.), operating not only at a national level but also atEuropean and international level.
In particular, working in internationalcontexts markedly oriented towards other legal systems, is one of the preferredcareer options for Legal Studies master's degree graduates.
Legal experts can improve their educationby attending Specialisation schools, Master's Programmes (2nd Level) andadvanced courses.
Legalexpert for public bodies
rolein a work context:
Due to the characteristics of the degreeprogramme, the knowledge provided can be applied in a mainly internationalcontext. In fact, the course is aimed at providing legal knowledge, mainlygeared towards learning about international, transnational and comparativelegal phenomena. From this perspective, it fills an educational gap in theItalian university system, which seems to be mostly oriented towards studyingdomestic law.
On the other hand, the characteristics ofthe course – with a first year during which the approach to the legalphenomenon as outlined above is defined, and a second year of specialisation inwhich this approach is strengthened – allow both those who have had previoustraining in the legal field (however, as is normally the case for Italiandegrees in the legal field, geared towards a strictly domestic approach to thelegal phenomenon) and those who have a non-legal degree, but who have gained 30university educational credits in legal subjects (thus having solid basicknowledge of the legal phenomenon, which, once again, is interpreted from amainly domestic point of view) to acquire the necessary knowledge in order towork as legal experts in international settings.
The profession of legal expert for publicbodies consists in managing and coordinating the legal department, as well asin dealing with all the legal aspects of the activities of organisations orbodies of the national Public Administration or of universal and regionalinternational organisations, monitoring activities, procedures and acts andensuring that they comply with the rules of law, with special regard to thetransnational and global context of the legal phenomenon; drawing up contractsand other legal acts, both national and, especially, international; providinglegal consultancy and legal analysis from an international, supranational andcomparative perspective; drawing up acts, paperwork or administrative measures;dealing with external bodies or parties, both private and public (other PAcomplexes or other state bodies, other international organisations,non-governmental organisations, research institutes and centres or privatecompanies); managing and verifying the legal aspects of the body; ensuringsupport for the administrative activities of other offices; being part ofinstitutional bodies (commissions, advisory bodies, etc.).
competenciesassociated with the role:
In this case, emphasis is placed on therole of an expert in legal subjects who, on the one hand, is capable offocusing on the problem in question, also in the light of comparativeconsiderations and interaction between the national and supranational legalsystems, and, on the other hand, is aware of the aspects of public ethics andof guaranteeing the rights that national and international institutions arecalled upon to implement.
Therefore, knowledge of the sources and oflegal and practical guidelines is required, with special emphasis on thecomparative, transnational and international aspects of the legal phenomenon,as well as the ability to contextualise and qualify the particular case inquestion, supported by constant updating as well as by:
- ability to draw up advice and acts;
- ability to administer and manage thebody;
- knowledge of administrative and officeprocedures;
- knowledge of archive managementtechniques;
- management skills;
- knowledge of the principles and practicesof economics and accounting;
- ability to manage staff and humanresources;
- ability to interact with differentprofessionals and to understand the dynamics of organising in-house activities;
- computer skills.
With specific reference to the Italianlegal system, the Legal Studies degree programme addresses a problem that isendemic to Italian public administration, namely the shortage of administrativestaff with legal skills who is capable of interacting on a communicative leveland on an extra-national regulatory competence level with colleagues from othercountries or working in international organisations.
careeropportunities:
A Legal expert for public bodies can pursuea professional career at national, European and international level.
1. At national level, following acompetitive exam held by the Public Administration, students may pursue careersin local government (municipalities, regions, provinces), functional bodies(local health authorities, chambers of commerce, universities, publiccompanies), national organisations (government, parliament), national agenciesor labour inspectorates.
2. At European level, through an opencompetitive exam or selection process, students may pursue positions ofresponsibility in European institutions and other bodies.
3. At international level, through an opencompetitive exam or selection process, students may pursue positions ofresponsibility in international governmental and non-governmentalorganisations.
Legal experts can improve their educationby attending Specialisation schools, Master's Programmes (2nd Level) andadvanced courses.
