The work of the Legal Officer involves making full use of the international human rights available to people living in the Kurdish regions. This includes:
1. European Convention litigation
Day-to-day management of caseload of applications under the European Convention on Human Rights, including:
• Conducting European Convention cases, including drafting and settling applications and submissions to the European Court, providing advice on evidence, drafting pleadings, carrying out legal research, instructing experts, drafting briefs to counsel, preparing for hearings;
• Communicating with and co-ordinating the work of the KHRP legal teams & partner organisations working on the cases in the region and Europe;
• Giving direction to the work of the legal consultants in the region;
• Attending European Court hearings in Strasbourg;
• Maintaining a database of cases and monitoring progress at all stages;
• Making recommendations on legal strategy for the organisation as a whole;
• Implementing strategies decided by board, and developed in consultation with legal team and advisory board.
2. Use of other international human rights mechanisms
• Making full use of international human rights legal mechanisms other than the European Convention including but not limited to the ILO, OSCE, UN, European Social Charter, ECJ;
• Preparing communications to United Nations bodies, to supplement the casework;
• Preparing papers for submission to the Human Dimension of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe;
• Identifying legal mechanisms to call states to account in instances where they are failing to comply with their international human rights obligations.
3. Other legal & institutional work
Any other legal work as may be required by KHRP including, but not limited to:
• Providing information for and in some instances preparing reports on the progress of KHRP assisted cases and other legal work, for the purpose of general public awareness-raising, including the dissemination of information in the KHRP regular news bulletin, the website and the annual report, and for reporting back to funders;
• Identifying potential funders for KHRP’s legal work, assisting in the preparation of funding proposals;
• Co-editing the bi-annual KHRP publication Legal Review;
• Monitoring developments in international human rights law: assisting with devising information materials, including free updates, for distribution to the KHRP legal teams in the region and Europe;
• Participation in the planning and conduct of trial observations and fact-finding missions where necessary;
• Taking the lead in preparation of training programmes and seminars on international human rights law in the region,
• Supervising legal volunteers, interns and fellows and assisting with selecting candidates for KHRP’s fellowship programme;
• Expanding KHRP’s legal expertise through the development of the legal team and establishing subcommittees within the team;
• Ensuring KHRP’s cross-cutting thematic areas of work are included in the implementation of legal strategy, including women’s rights, minority rights and environmental rights
All members of KHRP staff are encouraged to attend, participate in and act as ambassadors for the KHRP at public engagements. This means that from time to time, you will be asked to attend &/ or speak at relevant events or assist others in speech-writing and publication sales. In addition, as a small charity, all staff members are asked to contribute to interdepartmental projects and institution building tasks. Although mostly a London-based position, some travel within Europe and to the Regions is also required.
PERSON SPECIFICATION
The post-holder will have an understanding of the important role strategic litigation can play in effecting practical change in the day-to-day life of the ordinary citizen. S/he will be interested in making both a technical and theoretical contribution to the international discourse on human rights principles. S/he will have a comprehensive grasp of the role legal thought and principles can play in work areas outside of litigation and will be interested in and seek out ways to contribute to the growth of our small charity.
Essential
• Legal qualification granting authority to practise in one of the member states of the Council of Europe
• Minimum of 3 years experience working with the European Convention and United Nations’ mechanisms
• Practical experience of managing a heavy caseload
• Highly developed organisational, liaison and communication skills
• Ability to work under own initiative but as part of a small team
• Ability to work under pressure
• Ability to be administratively and secretarially self-sufficient
• Fluency in English, working knowledge of French
• Commitment to the promotion of human rights
• Proficiency in standard computer software (word-processing, excel, databases, power point and internet)
• Interest in developing holistic legal approaches to tackling questions of human rights violations
Additional Qualifications:
Highly Desirable
• Interest in women’s rights
• Practical litigation experience
• Public speaking experience
• An understanding of the issues facing people living in the Kurdish regions
• Experience of working in the non-government sector
Conditions of service
• The Legal Officer will be based in the KHRP office in London
• Office hours: 9am to 5.30pm, Monday to Friday
• Annual leave: 21 working days plus bank holidays
• There will be a six month probationary period and a confidentiality clause in the contract of employment
How to Apply:
An application form is available on our website – www.khrp.org
Please contact us if you would like to receive it by post.
Please submit a completed application form together with your CV and a cover letter.
Kurdish Human Rights Project
11 Guilford Street
London WC1N 1DH
Tel: +44 20 7405 3835
Fax: +44 20 7404 9088
khrp@khrp.org