The American Bar Association-Center for Human Rights is looking for an unpaid intern to join our team. Our company is working on exciting new developments and will offer educational experiences. The internship is similar to training that would be given in an educational environment. You’ll gain valuable resume experience and the necessary knowledge and skills to perform professionally. The unpaid intern will observe, gain exposure to various resources, and participate in ongoing training.
Our unpaid intern will be part of one of our regional or thematic portfolios in the Justice Defenders Program (the intern would be assigned to one of the following teams: Eastern Europe and Eurasia, Latin America and the Caribbean, South and Southeast Asia, Southwest Asia and North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa, or the Labor Rights portfolio) or to the TrialWatch Program. The unpaid intern will be responsible for conducting legal research, drafting memos, petitions, and reports, conducting fact-finding, attending press conferences, meetings with partners, or webinars, and monitoring human rights abuses in focus countries or issues for our cases and campaigns working with human rights defenders and on key human rights issues. Ultimately, the unpaid intern will receive enriching experience to help develop their insight into international human rights law and advocacy and the use of legal tools to assist human rights defenders.
Please indicate your regional and/or project preference in your cover letter.
• Justice Defenders Program: Mobilizing the global legal community to support human rights defenders around the world who face retaliation for their work. Intern would be assigned to one of five regional teams (Eastern Europe and Eurasia, Latin America and the Caribbean, South and Southeast Asia, Southwest Asia and North Africa, and Sub-Saharan Africa) or to our labor rights portfolio.
• TrialWatch Program: Monitoring criminal trials in cases in which there appears to be a significant risk of fair trial violations, with a focus on trials brought against journalists, political opposition members, human rights defenders, and members of marginalized communities. Intern would support the Legal Advisor of the Program.
The intern is expected to begin in early September 2023 for a 12-to-16-week internship period. Intern is expected to commit a minimum of 10 and a maximum of 20 hours per week to this part-time opportunity. Application deadline is August 11, 2023.
Eligibility: Candidates must be 18 years old or older and:
• currently enrolled in (or in a deferred enrollment/gap year status recognized by) a post-secondary academic institution (i.e. undergraduate, graduate) and in a program/area of study directly related to the purpose of the internship program; or
• a recent (i.e. up to one (1) year) graduate of a post-secondary academic institution (i.e. undergraduate, graduate) with a degree in a program/area of study directly related to the purpose of the internship program.
Desired Relevant Program/Area of Study:
• Currently enrolled in a JD or LLM program at an U.S.-based institution or a recent (less than one year) graduate of a JD or LLM at an U.S.-based institution.
Additional Desired Qualifications:
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in a second language is preferred. Knowledge of Arabic, French, Spanish, or Russian is a plus.
• Demonstrated commitment to public interest and knowledge of international law.
• Prior experience working on issues of human rights and/or human rights defenders in one or more of our five region and/or thematic programs.
How to apply
Interested applicants should send a CV and cover letter to https://us231.dayforcehcm.com/CandidatePortal/en-US/aba/Posting/View/4249