Duties & Responsibilities
The International Human Rights Clinic gives second and third year law students the opportunity to work on human rights issues with clients and communities facing a broad range of challenges around the world. Through supervised practice, students learn the responsibilities and skills of human rights lawyering. The Clinical Advocacy Fellow is a legally-trained practitioner with experience in human rights. The Fellow will work with clinical supervisors to develop legal projects and manage student teams. Clinical projects include field investigations and advocacy efforts around the world, drafting human rights reports, preparing model legislation, litigation in national and international fora, advocacy and policy initiatives, and negotiating treaty protections to advance human rights.
The Fellow, under the supervision of the Clinical Co-Directors, will oversee several clinical projects and assist in supervising a team of students enrolled in the Clinic in the fall, winter, and spring terms. The Fellow will work closely with a current clinical supervisor or supervisors to develop several projects each term that will expose students to the practical realities of human rights work. The Fellow will participate in regular meetings with a team of students to guide and review their work and advise them on strategic and tactical questions that arise during the course of the clinical projects.
Enthusiasm and interest in student development and training is vital. The Fellow will be required to initiate and cultivate working relationships with non-governmental organizations in the field and to evaluate student work product. The Fellow will collaborate with clinical supervisors in ensuring the quality of student work product.
The Fellow may also be requested to assist in supervising student work during field travel that ordinarily occurs in January and March, as well as at other times throughout the term. This travel will require availability for periods between seven and twenty days.
Basic Qualifications
- Two or more years of experience in human rights.
- A J.D. degree or the equivalent earned within the last 3 years required.
- English fluency is required.
Additional Qualifications
- Significant experience in human rights and language skills relevant to the Fellow’s particular region or thematic areas of expertise are required.
- Fellows must have excellent legal, communication, interpersonal, analytical, writing, and organizational skills.
Additional Information
Applications will be due by January 15, 2014. The Fellowships will begin in August 2014 and is expected to end in July 2016, subject to departmental need and funding. Interested applicants are strongly encouraged to submit their application as soon as possible to ensure consideration.
Applications are especially encouraged from human rights attorneys from the Global South, as well as from those interested in developing human rights clinics.
To apply, please submit a cover letter, resume, law school transcript, writing sample (no more than 20 pages in length), two letters of recommendation (which may arrive separately or with the application package) and a detailed statement of interest. Due to the expected heavy volume of applications, only those applicants selected for interviews will be contacted.
This is a term appointment currently expected to extend through July 2016, subject to funding and departmental need. All offers to be made by HLS Human Resources.
