Human Rights Staff Attorney Title: Staff Attorney - International Human Rights and Access to Justice Program
FLSA Status: Exempt
Location: New York, NY
Start date: October 2024
The Cyrus R. Vance Center for International Justice The
Vance Center advances global justice by engaging lawyers across borders to support civil society and an ethically active legal profession. The Vance Center is a unique collaboration of international lawyers catalyzing public interest innovation. A non-profit program of the New York City Bar Association, we bring together leading law firms and other partners worldwide to pioneer international justice initiatives and provide pro bono legal representation to social justice NGOs.
The Human Rights and Access to Justice Program protects individuals from discrimination, violence, injustice, and corruption and supports international human rights bodies committed to such protection. The program partners with local organizations and engages in projects related to advocacy and capacity building at the local, regional and international levels in furtherance of these goals. Through the Human Rights Program, the Vance Center assists NGOs worldwide on a variety of human rights issues such as violence against women, LGBT rights, prison conditions, atrocity prevention and post-conflict transition, rights of afro-descendants, and refugees, among others. The Human Rights program also is engaged in a global project to study the causes, conditions and consequences of women incarceration. The Program undertakes research and analysis into complex international and comparative law issues to assist clients with advocacy, training, legislative reform, and international and regional human rights litigation. Our clients include U.S. based NGOs such as Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, the United Nations, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights as well as local NGOs abroad, in Latin American and in Africa. The Vance Center recruits private law firms from the Vance Center Committee to work as co-counsel with our program staff on the projects. Program staff engage in substantive legal work, including legal research and written analysis, advocacy, and litigation.
Job Description The Human Rights Staff Attorney will be an integral member, and will work on all aspects, of the Human Rights Program. Reporting to the Vance Center's Executive Director and Associate Executive Director and collaborating with other Human Rights Program staff and other Vance Center pro bono representation programs, the position will have the following main responsibilities:
- Conduct research and analysis on international human rights law and, in some cases, domestic laws.
- Research and write analyses on countries where the Program is looking to engage.
- Research and cultivate new clients, particularly human rights NGOs in Latin America, Africa, and Asia.
- Establish relationships and maintain communications with clients and law firms.
- Assist in coordinating and managing pro bono projects and grants.
- Draft materials for publication on the Program's activities, cases, or current events.
- Draft narrative programmatic reports to grant makers.
- Plan and organize events, in the United States and abroad.
- Undertake specific administrative duties related to the Program.
Qualifications - J.D. or LLM from U.S. law school. Specialization in International Human Rights Law or Public International Law is highly desirable.
- Minimum 2-3 years of experience in international human rights or public international law. Experience with the Inter-American Human Rights System and other regional or UN tribunals is highly desirable.
- Excellent research, writing, communication, and computer skills.
- Written and oral fluency in English and Spanish required, with French or Portuguese a plus.
- Strong organizational and time-management skills and great attention to detail.
- Team spirit, including facility working with colleagues and partners from varied backgrounds and collaborating in in-person and virtual groups.
- Ability to work quickly and well under pressure, to juggle multiple tasks, and to meet tight deadlines.
- Familiarity with conditions affecting vulnerable people and groups around the world, with experience living in the Global South desirable.
- Must be authorized to work in the U.S.
This is a full-time position with a salary range of $72,000 - $76,000 based on depth of skills and experience. The candidate selected for this position must be available for in-person work at our Midtown Manhattan office on a hybrid schedule, generally requiring at least 2 days of in-office work per week, with the balance of time being work-from-home. The hybrid schedule is subject to review and revision based on the Vance Center's needs. We provide a competitive benefits package including generous paid time off (vacation, personal, sick time, holidays including closing this year between Christmas and New Year's day, day off for volunteer work, extra time off in summer), choice of medical plans, dental, vision, 401K, life insurance, commuter benefits, Employee Assistance Program, std/ltd, employee discounts, and more!
Application instructions: Please apply with a resume, a short writing sample on an international human rights issue, and it is suggested to include a cover letter along with a list of three references. Candidates being given serious consideration will be informed prior to references being checked. Applicants will be considered on a rolling basis until the position is filled. No phone calls please. The Vance Center is a proud equal opportunity employer, and we particularly encourage applications from candidates belonging to communities historically under-represented in the legal profession. We actively seek a diverse applicant pool and encourage candidates of all backgrounds and unique experiences to apply. We welcome diversity of all kinds. It is our policy to ensure equal employment opportunity without discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color, creed, age, national origin, alienage or citizenship status, gender (including gender identity), sexual orientation, disability, arrest or conviction record, pregnancy, credit history, salary history, caregiver status, marital status, partnership status, or status as a victim of domestic violence, stalking and sex offenses, religion, sex, genetic information, military status, unemployment status or any other characteristic as protected by law. With regard to the Americans with Disabilities Act and other related laws, the organization will endeavor to make reasonable accommodations for persons due to their religious beliefs, disability, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical condition, or because the individual was a victim of domestic violence, sexual violence or stalking.