Jobs & Internships

The University Network for Human Rights is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and actively recruits people of color, people with disabilities, LGBTQI+ and gender non-conforming people, and women.

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Full-Time Law Fellow Positions for Recent Law School Graduates

The University Network for Human Rights seeks highly motivated candidates with a passion for social justice who are seeking to develop their skills in the fields of human rights documentation and advocacy, project development, and supervision of students to join a small, dynamic, and growing team dedicated to promoting social change through supervised engagement of university students in the United States and abroad.

Description:

The full-time law fellow position will be located at the headquarters of the University Network for Human Rights on the campus of Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut; or, in some cases, may be based in the field. The law fellow(s) will work closely with James (Jim) Cavallaro, Thomas Becker, and Sofía Galvan, as well as other staff and students, on factual and legal research and writing on matters of human rights abuse. They will work under the direct supervision of senior human rights practitioners in the development of new and ongoing projects and management of small student teams. Projects generally involve close work with stakeholders to: define representational and advocacy goals; undertake research, fact-finding, and documentation (often in difficult circumstances and/or overseas); assess and apply relevant legal standards, and develop advocacy strategies and products. Projects often require representation before domestic and international legal and non-legal fora, as well as follow up advocacy, including the production of short videos and/or other materials. The fellows may work with supervisors to guide and edit student work while on campus and during field travel, which may take place for periods of several days or a week or two at a time. They should be available for such travel.

Responsibilities:

Fellows will be responsible for factual and legal research, as well as occasional field work on human rights projects.

Requirements:

A law degree and interest in human rights and/or social justice advocacy; ability to work on teams.

Preferred Skills:

  • Fluency in English. Fluency in at least one other language highly desirable.

  • Exceptional research and writing skills

  • Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills

  • Flexibility and ability to respond to difficult situations and circumstances in the course of human rights fact-finding and advocacy

Compensation:

We expect that fellow applicants will receive substantial support from their law schools. Depending on the base amount provided by the law school, the University Network should be able to provide additional funding to reach an annual salary of $50,000. The University Network will provide fully paid health insurance for successful candidates who would not otherwise have excellent health insurance.

To Apply:

Interested in being a law fellow? Email sofia@humanrightsnetwork.org, using the subject line: Law Graduate Fellow.

Application materials:

  • A statement/cover letter of up to two (2) pages describing the applicant’s:

    • relevant background and experience;

    • interest in, and potential to supervise students in non-law disciplines; and

    • an updated CV

  • A list of two professional references (with relevant contact numbers, email addresses, etc.)

  • A brief writing sample, in English

Applications will be considered on a rolling basis until the positions are filled. The initial term of the appointment is expected to be one year from the start date. The position is subject to renewal, extension, or modification after the initial one-year period.