Office of the Legal Counsel

The Office of the Legal Counsel (OLC) is responsible for providing legal advice and assistance to the Director General, to the bodies of WIPO Member States, and to the Secretariat on constitutional, administrative, contractual, and general legal matters, consistent with statutory requirements, applicable law and general legal principles.  In the provision of its services to internal and external stakeholders, OLC protects, develops and advances the international legal and regulatory framework in which WIPO operates, and contributes to promoting the rule of law and to maintaining an enabling environment to assist WIPO in delivering state-of-the-art services.

OLC also applies its legal expertise externally to lead and/or engage in legal diplomacy to advocate WIPO’s position on matters of wider significance, including with respect to issues pertaining to the United Nations common system and the law of international organizations more generally, as well as to contribute to a robust development of international law.

Our activities include:

• Providing advice on legal matters relating to the functions, structure, and activities of WIPO and its constituent bodies, and on the interpretation and application of WIPO’s regulatory framework;
• Performing the depositary functions of the Director General of WIPO in respect of WIPO-administered treaties  and providing advice on public international and treaty law questions;
• Advising on, and assisting in the preparation and conduct of meetings of WIPO’s constituent bodies as well as diplomatic conferences, including serving as the secretariat thereof, as relevant;
• Processing requests for observer status at WIPO;
• Providing advice on the legal status of WIPO in the countries in which its headquarters and external offices are located and on the legal status of staff and related privileges and immunities;
• Developing and reviewing policies to ensure consistency and compliance with the WIPO regulatory framework specifically, and reflect principles and practices of good governance;
• Advising internal stakeholders entrusted with a role in WIPO’s internal justice system and defend the Organization before the competent judicial and quasi-judicial bodies;
• Drafting and reviewing contracts and cooperation agreements to be entered into by WIPO with private and public entities;
• Advising internal stakeholders with a view to ensuring compliance of WIPO’s activities with its regulatory framework, including information technology issues, property management, procurement activities and financial/banking matters;
• Providing advice and managing claims and complaints filed by third parties against the Organization, and by the Organization against third parties;
• Guarding against risks to the Organization’s brand identity;
• Liaising and coordinating with legal advisers of other international organizations and organizations of the United Nations common system.