Internship for Human Rights Lawyers, London

Deadline: 15 October 2012
Open to:  Lawyers with experience working on human rights in Europe
Remuneration:  £1,300

Established in 1982, INTERIGHTS works to promote respect for human rights through the use of law. Thematically, INTERIGHTS’ priorities are equality, security and the rule of law (including counter-terrorism), and economic and social rights. INTERIGHTS currently focuses its activities in Africa, the Commonwealth, Europe, the Middle East and North Africa.

Objectives

The precise nature of internship activities will depend on organisational and programme priorities at the time of the placement; however, it is likely that the main areas in which experience will be offered will include:

• Legal research on international and comparative human rights law and practice to support the preparation of legal submissions in cases to be lodged with or pending before the European Court of Human Rights, as well as other legal work depending on INTERIGHTS’ needs at the time
• Preparation of materials for INTERIGHTS’ training workshops
• Assistance on INTERIGHTS’ publications
• Where possible, attendance at meetings with human rights practitioners, lectures, or visits to other international/national human rights organisations based in London

Eligibility

This internship is only open to a practising human rights lawyer. Non-lawyers or lawyers without experience in human rights law should not apply.
Essential criteria

• Degree in law
• Good experience of working as a human rights lawyer/legal advisor,
  whether affiliated with an NGO or independently, within Central and
  Eastern Europe or the former Soviet Union
• Knowledge of Russian or another language of a country from the
  Central and Eastern Europe or the former Soviet Union
• Demonstrable experience of working with the European Convention
  on Human Rights and the jurisprudence of the European Court of
  Human Rights
• Familiarity with regional and international human rights instruments
  and mechanisms
• Demonstrable strong research, analytical and writing skills
• Good spoken and written English
• Ability to build and maintain excellent working relationships and
  work as part of a team
• Confident and proficient in the use of MS Office
• Flexible approach to managing and prioritizing a high workload and
  multiple tasks with tight deadlines
• Sensitivity to working in a multi-cultural environment and
  commitment to equal opportunities
• Commitment to the values and mission of INTERIGHTS

Desirable criteria

• Familiarity with issues relating to disability and/or LGBT human
  rights, or to equality and non-discrimination more broadly.
• Human rights litigation experience either before domestic courts, or
  before the European Court of Human Rights
• Knowledge of civil society and the legal culture in Central and Eastern
  Europe and the former Soviet Union.

Remuneration

INTERIGHTS will arrange and pay for travel.  The intern will receive a monthly grant of £1,300. Accommodation is not provided but INTERIGHTS can advise on finding a suitable place to stay. The six-month internship will begin on 2 January 2013 and will be based in London.

Application process

To apply please send a covering letter, a curriculum vitae indicating two referees, a recent writing sample of no more than two thousand words and a completed equality and diversity monitoring form. Short-listed applicants may be interviewed by telephone. Due to the high number of applications for our internships we are unable to contact applicants that have not been short listed.
Applications should be sent to Chloë Marong by email to jobs@interights.org. Please enter the title of the internship you are applying for in the subject heading of your email. The closing date for applications is 15 October 2012. Interviews will take place in the week commencing 29 October 2012.
The official website.