Terms of Reference - Litigation Officer (Consultant)

Background

Legal Action Worldwide (LAW) is expanding and has created an exciting new post – Litigation Officer (Consultant) based in New York City.

LAW is an independent, non-profit organisation comprised of human rights lawyers and jurists working in 12 countries in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia. We focus on gender equality and sexual and gender-based violence, rule of law and accountability, transformative justice and bringing justice to those who need it most. LAW’s activities are centered around four pillars: Advocacy, Strategic Litigation, Legal Aid & Empowerment, and Technical Assistance. LAW empowers victims and survivors to identify and articulate their rights and their justice needs, reduce impunity, increase accountability, and select the appropriate judicial mechanisms. Our trauma-informed approach is creative, inclusive and responsive and we work with the most vulnerable in fragile and conflict-affected contexts.

LAW’s survivor-centred Strategic Litigation practice seeks to promote accountability for serious international crimes and human rights violations, and to change law and policy at the domestic, regional, and international levels through a variety of legal fora. The ideal Litigation Officer (Consultant) will be a self-starter that can help deliver the highest quality legal advice and services as part of our Strategic Litigation practice to some of the most marginalised victims and survivors. In particular, we are looking for someone with experience litigating universal and/or extraterritorial jurisdiction cases involving core international crimes. Given that LAW has consultative status as an NGO with the United Nations, you will also have the chance to engage in advocacy on behalf of these clients at the highest levels of the UN Headquarters in New York City.

The Position

You will work closely and collaboratively with LAW’s Head of Litigation and take advice from Programme Managers and Legal advisors, as well as litigation partners, rostered experts, community groups, and survivors themselves. LAW provides legal representation to hundreds of clients around the world and you will help ensure they receive high-quality, accurate, ethical and constructive legal advice.

You will support LAW’s investigations and legal cases brought on behalf of survivors, victims, and their communities in domestic, regional, and international courts and mechanisms, and before UN Treaty Bodies. Cases LAW supports range from filing a case before the African Commission of Human and Peoples’ Rights on behalf of Tigrayan survivors; representing Rohingya survivors before the International Criminal Court; representing an enslaved migrant domestic worker in Lebanon; representing survivors from Syria, South Sudan, and Tigray before UN Treaty Bodies; and supporting international criminal investigations in Argentina and Germany for Rohingya SGBV survivors under principles of universal jurisdiction.. You will help support all of these matters, in coordination with LAW’s lawyers on the ground and litigation partners across many time zones.

You will hold weekly meetings with country and program teams overseeing legal aid and strategic litigation cases. You review and organize case files, attend meetings and conferences with partners, conduct legal research, draft pleadings, communications, and victims’ submissions on a regular basis. While there will be a portion of administrative work in support of the Head of Litigation, the role will include significant, varied, and challenging legal work in the investigation and implementation of LAW’s Strategic Litigation practice.

MORE ABOUT THIS POSITION

Where? The position is remote with a strong preference for those in the New York City metropolitan area.

Duration? This consultancy is initially available for 12 months with the possibility to be extended subject to funding.

Salary: Competitive rates of pay apply. Estimated $79-$84,000 USD per year depending on experience.

Role Overview:

The Litigation Officer will support litigation and accountability measures on a range of complex human rights and international criminal law cases. You will report directly to the Head of Litigation, and organize and maintain electronic case files, conduct legal research and writing, develop investigation plans, help interview survivors, take notes at litigation team meetings, coordinate with litigation partners, attend conferences and roundtables on behalf of LAW. You will be travelling on mission to various countries and conflict-affected areas in support of LAW’s strategic litigation initiatives.

You are a highly organized team player with solid legal experience in international criminal law and human rights law. You have excellent written and oral communication skills. You can advocate in a compelling manner on legal issues to a wide range of audiences. You can organize and maintain diverse and complex case files electronically across a range of jurisdictions. You can build and maintain systems not just to meet deadlines, but to ensure that litigation teams are thriving. You will attend numerous regular virtual meetings with LAW country teams and litigation partners around the world in different time zones.

The Litigation Officer will perform duties in accordance with the responsibilities outlined below:

Legal & Investigations:

• Provide support to LAW’s litigation initiatives aimed at justice and accountability for victims and survivors of international crimes and human rights violations, including research, drafting, advice, and coordination;
• Develop and edit high quality legal documents including submissions, policy papers, reports and legal briefs;
• Collaborate with litigation partners (individual lawyers, lawyers’ associations, law firms, and NGOs) to progress investigations and litigation initiatives using a trauma-informed approach;
• Participating in investigations, including through drafting investigation plans, conducting open-source investigations, and assisting lawyers and investigators in their interviews of survivors;
• Going on missions to assist country teams, and the Head of Litigation, as needed, and in support of LAW’s investigations and strategic litigation initiatives;
• Investigating and identifying both individual and corporate perpetrators.

Advocacy
• Attend conferences, panels, roundtables and NGO Working Group meetings on behalf of LAW, including on UN Security Council issues as well as human rights law, international criminal law, and sexual and gender-based violence;
• Attend relevant meetings at the UN Secretariat, UN Security Council, and UN Economic and Social Council as an NGO Observer;
• Review litigation-related advocacy materials before publication online;
• Liaise with LAW communications team to ensure litigation-related updates and materials are published on LAW’s website and social media, as appropriate;

Case Management and Administration:
• Organize and maintain diverse and complex case files electronically across a range of jurisdictions;
• Build and maintain systems not just to meet deadlines, but to ensure that litigation teams are thriving;
• Attend regular virtual meetings with LAW country teams and litigation partners around the world in different time zones, including during early morning hours;
• Take meeting minutes and distribute to staff and/or partners, as needed;
• Plan and organize litigation and investigation-related missions, and conduct mission-related administrative and finance tasks;
• Any other duties as specified by LAW’s Head of Litigation and Senior Management Team.

About You:
• You must have the legal right to work in USA/New York;
• A degree in law and preferably an active bar membership in at least one jurisdiction, with post-graduate experience in human rights law, criminal law or refugee law;
• 3-5 years demonstrated experience in a similar role in litigating cases or preparing case files for domestic courts under the principles of universal and extraterritorial jurisdiction;
• Track record of Litigating civil or criminal cases involving corporate liability for international criminal or human rights violations is an asset;
• Excellent legal research and writing skills;
• Demonstrated knowledge of human rights law, international criminal law, humanitarian law and public international law;
• Excellent organisational skills, with an ability to effectively manage dozens of cases in a fast-paced international environment;
• Experience with employing an intersectional, trauma-informed approach to investigations and litigation;
• Track record of intuitive problem solving and troubleshooting skills;
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English. Other language skills such as Arabic, Burmese, Rohingya, Ukrainian, Russian, or Tigrinya is an asset;
• Flexibility and ability to work simultaneously on a wide range of tasks and projects; ability to prioritise tasks, particularly under pressure, and to meet tight deadlines;
• Excellent observation, active listening and analytical skills with an ability to make sound judgments;
• Ability to travel to conflict-affected areas

Preferred / Desired Requirements:
• Demonstrated knowledge or experience of working with survivors of sexual and gender-based violence;
• Demonstrated experience in drafting pleadings, motions, legal memoranda;
• Experience in case management (civil or criminal) in domestic, regional, or international courts

How To Apply

Our work is diverse and challenging across LAW country programmes so if you are looking for your next opportunity to make a real difference, then this position is right for you.

Please submit your CV and cover letter outlining how your previous experience and skills match this role (neither exceeding 2 pages of A4) to: recruitment@legalactionworldwide.org. The heading of the application should read ‘Litigation Officer (Consultant)’.

Deadline for applications: This position is on a rolling basis – LAW will be scheduling interviews as applications come in. Please apply at the earlies opportunity.

Start date: Immediate

At LAW we are strengthened by the diversity of our colleagues reflecting the people and communities that we represent and support. Our team includes many nationalities with diverse professional backgrounds, skills and knowledge. This enables us to deliver and understand the cultural and political contexts on the ground and to tailor our support effectively and appropriately. People of color, women, people with disabilities, and LGBTIQ+ lawyers with experience representing at-risk clients are particularly encouraged to apply.

To learn more about LAW please visit our website: www.legalactionworldwide.org.

Job Email id: recruitment(at)legalactionworldwide.org