The European Personnel Selection Office (EPSO) has just released their EPSO/AD/304-307/15 Notice of Competition - that is Lawyer-Linguists with Bulgarian, Spanish, French or Italian as their main language (AD7). The deadline for registration is 23 June 2015, giving applicants just over one month to apply.
As a lawyer-linguist working at the Court of Justice, you will translate legal texts into your main language and provide legal analysis in cooperation with other departments.
Successful applicants will be based at the Court of Justice in Luxembourg. New staff will be provided with support and assistance to relocate and offered a comprehensive remuneration package, including pension and health insurance. The following reserve lists have been advertised:
- EPSO/AD/304/15 — Bulgarian-language (BG): 10
- EPSO/AD/305/15 — Spanish-language (ES): 15
- EPSO/AD/306/15 — French-language (FR): 15
- EPSO/AD/307/15 — Italian-language (IT): 12
This notice covers several competitions and as such, applicants can ONLY apply for ONE of them. It is important to note that applicants will not be able to change their choice once they have confirmed and validated their online application form.
Eligibility Criteria
Candidates will need to have:
- EU citizenship.
- A suitable law degree in your main language.
- A perfect command of Bulgarian, Spanish, French or Italian (C2).
- A thorough knowledge of two other official EU languages (C1), including French – when different from the first language.
Please see the Notice of Competition for details on the language combinations and qualifications needed per competition.
Pre-Selection
Pre-selection is based on qualifications. The eligibility requirements will be checked for each candidate, based on the data provided in the candidates’ online application. Each selection criterion is weighted and those candidates who score the highest total marks (those with profiles that best match the duties to be performed) will be invited to the preliminary tests.
Preliminary Tests: Translations
Candidates are invited to take two computer based translation tests where their competency with each language selected will be tested. The marks obtained in these tests, together with the marks obtained during the Assessment Phase, will count towards the final mark.
Assessment Phase
Those who scored the highest on the Preliminary Tests will be invited to the Assessment Phase. The Assessment Phase is comprised of a series of computer-based multiple-choice questions and competency-based tests.
The computer based multiple-choice question tests will contain the following:
| Tests | Language | Question | Duration | Pass mark |
| Verbal Reasoning | Language 1 | 20 questions | 35 min | No minimum pass mark required |
| Numerical Reasoning | Language 1 | 10 questions | 20 min | No minimum pass mark required |
| Abstract Reasoning | Language 1 | 10 questions | 10 min | No minimum pass mark required |
The marks obtained in these tests will count towards your final mark. In addition, eight general competencies and the specific competencies required for these competitions will be tested during the Assessment Phase through three tests: general and specific competency-based interviews and group exercise. The marks scored in the translation tests will be added to the Assessment Phase score to give candidates their overall score.
Make sure to ALWAYS check the official Notice of Competition and understand the rules relating to the exams. For full details on the profiles and the selection procedure read the official Notice of Competition and the General Rules Governing Open Competitions to ensure you have the required qualifications and satisfy the eligibility criteria before applying.
Online EU Training offers a wealth of practice materials for all stages and levels of the EU institutions’ selection exams, as well as FREE E-books, webinars and e-learning materials to help you excel. If at any point you have a question or need additional help in understanding the EPSO processes, please do not hesitate to contact us. So plan your preparation and start practicing right now!
Want to see what these EPSO exams look like? Try our free EPSO AST Exam Demo.
Useful reading:
The Classical Way Of Singling Out Wrong Answers: Abstract reasoning - finding the wrong answer
The Magic Of Rounding And Estimating: One Numerical Reasoning Tip That Will Save You 20 Seconds per Question
Words Won’t Bring You Down: How To Become An Expert In Verbal Reasoning
The Visual Way Of Singling Out Wrong Answers: Abstract reasoning - finding the flow
Secrets Of EPSO Numerical Reasoning: Percentages and Percentage Points
How To Solve Those Abstract Reasoning Nightmare Questions: Abstract Reasoning - Visual Overload
Download FREE E-books on reasoning tests of the AD exams.