THE POSITION
At LAW our goal is to empower victims and survivors to identify and articulate their rights and their justice needs, reduce impunity and increase accountability, supporting victims and survivors to advocate for victim-centred truth seeking and justice and assist them to select the appropriate mechanisms. Our approach is creative, inclusive and responsive and we work with the most vulnerable in fragile and conflict affected contexts.
The ideal Legal Advisor will be a self-starter that can help deliver the highest quality legal advice and services to some of the most marginalised victims and survivors. They will work closely and collaboratively with LAW’s senior management and taking advice from programme managers as well as partners and community groups.
They will help support programme teams in the regions to develop and implement an integrated approach to legal aid and empowerment; legal representation, high level advocacy and strong referral pathways encompassing holistic services. They will coordinate and produce hard hitting evidence-based reports and increase LAW’s visibility and advocacy.
BACKGROUND ABOUT LAW
LAW is an independent, non-profit organisation comprised of human rights lawyers and jurists working in fragile and conflict affected areas in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia. LAW has a particular focus on gender equality and sexual and gender-based violence, the rule of law and accountability and transformative justice – working to bring justice to those who need it most.
LAW’s portfolio includes multiple ground-breaking cases, which utilise creative legal strategies on behalf of victims and survivors from some of the most challenging contexts, representing more than 1000 clients. LAW’s ground-breaking work has received international media coverage, including in the New York Times, the Times of London, the Guardian, Al-Jazeera, BBC News, France24, The Independent, Voice of America, Huffington Post and Foreign Policy.
MORE ABOUT THIS POSITION
Where? The position will be based at LAW’s Head Office in Geneva.
Duration? This position is funded and available for 12 months on a full-time basis with possibility to be extended subject to funding.
Salary: Competitive rates of pay apply
More detail: You are a team player with solid legal experience in international criminal law and human rights law. You can communicate, verbally and in writing, in a compelling manner on legal issues to a wide range of audiences.
Role overview: The Legal Advisor will support litigation and accountability measures, you will draft and contribute towards ground breaking reports and policy notes; and ensure LAW is consistently producing high quality materials for advocacy proposals as well as undertaking capacity building where necessary. Your duties will include:
Legal:
- 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 high quality legal documents including submissions, position papers, reports and legal briefs;
- Conduct interviews with individual survivors and witnesses of international crimes and human rights violations, and draft statements and build casefiles as required;
- Screen for protection concerns and support field staff in making urgent, informed interventions in vulnerable cases;
- Collaborate with relevant service providers and stakeholders to ensure appropriate referrals for clients and beneficiaries;
- Conduct capacity-building sessions for practitioners, humanitarian actors and LAW staff;
- Monitor and provide updates on key developments in international law, especially as it relates to LAW’s work.
Programmatic:
- Develop and maintain strong relationships with key actors including governments, partners, community groups and INGOs;
- Coordinate policy, research, and advocacy initiatives and help identify cases for strategic litigation and other legal interventions;
- Ensure high quality programming and robust monitoring and evaluation tools kits are implemented;
- Develop outputs that can be shared with both internal and external stakeholders, based on evidence gathered from the programme;
- Deliver technical assistance to partners in client and case methodologies and evidence collection, monitoring and evaluation, and risk analysis and management;
- Liaise with the Executive Director and regional teams as grants/proposals are being developed to ensure alignment with the donor requirement and LAW strategy;
- Draft and review funding proposals, write donor reports;
- Coordinate with LAW’s Senior Management Team, and other programme managers as needed.
Advocacy and Communications:
- Promote LAW’s innovation and thought-leadership, including through LAW’s expert roundtables;
- In collaboration with colleagues, develop LAW’s policy and positioning on key thematic issues;
- Promote the profile and visibility of the organisation and represent LAW on national and regional platforms, when required;
- Establish networks with local and international NGOs and participate in coordination mechanisms at a regional level;
- Coordinate and ensure that the website and social media content related to our work is up to date and engaging audiences.
- Any other duties as specified by LAW’s Senior Management Team.
ABOUT YOU
- A degree in law and preferably bar membership, with post-graduate experience in human rights law, criminal law or refugee law;
- 5 years’ demonstrated experience in a similar role, providing technical advice;
- Minimum 1 years’ experience interviewing survivors and witnesses of human rights violations and abuses;
- Significant experience in drafting proposals and reports within the not-for-profit sector
- Demonstrated knowledge of human rights law, international criminal law, humanitarian law and public international law;
- Excellent organisational skills, with an ability to effectively manage individual and project workplans in a fast-paced environment and to effectively problem solve and troubleshoot;
- Exceptional written and oral communication skills in English, French is an advantage;
- 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 a sound judgment.
Preferred / desired requirements:
- Demonstrated knowledge or experience of working with survivors of sexual and gender based violence;
- Demonstrated experience in fundraising for international donor funded legal projects in complex or conflict affected environment and liaising with donors preferred;
- Demonstrated experience in drafting pleadings, proposals, briefings and reports;
- Experience in advocacy and public speaking.
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. The closing date for applications is 17:00 hours (Geneva time) on 14th February 2023. Please submit your CV and covering 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 ‘Legal Advisor’.
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. Women lawyers with experience representing at-risk clients are particularly encouraged to apply.
To learn more about LAW please visit our website: www.legalactionworldwide.org.