Overview

International Legal Fellow

The Human Rights Foundation (HRF) is seeking an International Legal Fellow for a one-year position, with the possibility of extension. This fellowship would begin in early December 2023 or January 2024, subject to the fellow’s availability.

About the Human Rights Foundation

HRF is a nonpartisan nonprofit organization that promotes and protects human rights globally, with a focus on closed societies. HRF is one of the few international organizations focusing exclusively on promoting human rights in authoritarian regimes.

HRF’s Impact Litigation program provides international legal representation to prisoners of conscience whose cases are emblematic examples of dictatorships’ brutality. We litigate before international semi-judicial bodies, such as the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (UNWGAD) and other Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. We also make submissions to the Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR).

About the Position

The International Legal Fellow will support the Impact Litigation program and provide other research and writing support on projects relevant to HRF’s mission statement. Specifically, the fellow will perform legal and policy research, draft submissions to the Human Rights Council’s Special Procedures and UPR, conduct follow-up advocacy, and draft legal and policy briefs and memos on topics related to HRF’s countries of focus. The fellow will report to HRF’s senior attorneys and other senior members of the Legal & Policy Team.

A candidate based in New York is preferred.

Skills & Requirements

  • J.D. or LL.M. degree from an accredited law school (required)
  • Demonstrated interest and experience in human rights and international law (required)
  • Strong research, writing, and analytical skills (required)
  • Detail-oriented, self-structured, and self-motivated (required)
  • Interest and experience in political science and international relations
  • Interest and experience in the democratization field or knowledge of democratization literature
  • Knowledge of foreign languages, especially Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, or Spanish (preferred)
  • Able to work well in a collaborative environment, as well as independently
  • A strong affinity for HRF’s mission statement

Time commitment: 40 hours/week. 

Compensation:  Annual compensation between USD $75,000 to $85,000. 

Benefits: HRF offers a competitive benefits package, including fully covered medical, dental, vision, and life insurance, a generous PTO plan and company-paid holiday schedule, and many other voluntary benefits.