Derechos: Human Rights Listings

CJA uses two civil laws to hold perpetrators of international human rights abuses accountable in the United States: the Alien Tort Statute (ATS) and the Torture Victim Protection Act (TVPA). CJA also pursues criminal human rights cases before the Spanish National Court which has initiated investigations into abuses around the world.

CJA has pioneered a survivor-centered approach to the quest for justice that combines legal representation with medical and psycho-social services to both empower and heal torture survivors and their communities. CJA partners with pro bono law firms and other pro bono experts to help litigate our cases.

CJA is now the leading NGO that brings cases against individual human rights abusers in the U.S. and Spain. We have filed cases against human rights violators from Bosnia, Chile, China, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Indonesia and Somalia. We are currently investigating human rights abuses from Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East.

CJA authors or signs onto amicus briefs in human rights cases filed with appellate courts and the U.S. Supreme Court, including those that deal with the treatment of prisoners at Guantánamo Bay, and the importance of keeping U.S. courts open to international human rights cases.

In addition to our litigation docket, CJA participates in outreach and public education and is developing a human rights litigation training program for prosecutors from countries that are transitioning from periods of abuse. CJA currently has six full time staff positions; we are in a period of growth and expect to add two to three new positions in the next year. The Legal Department has three full-time positions, Legal Director, International Attorney and Staff Attorney, and one to two law student interns. The International Attorney has primary responsibility for our litigation in Spain.

Duties and Responsibilities: The Legal Director oversees the legal team and has primary responsibility for overseeing the participation of pro bono law firms in our cases. The Legal Director also handles her/his own docket of investigations and cases and serves as lead attorney, co-counsel or supervising attorney depending upon the circumstances of each case. The Legal Director reports to the Executive Director.

Management: The Legal Director participates in CJA's management team, helps develop and implement strategic goals for the legal team, helps develop the legal budget and promotes the legal staff's professional development and well-being.

Legal Services: In collaboration with the Executive Director and the legal team, the Legal Director develops and implements goals, policies and processes for investigating and litigating impact cases on behalf of survivors of torture and other severe human rights abuses. The LD oversees the investigations, selection of cases, progress of litigation and related advocacy work. The LD oversees and is ultimately responsible for the quality and performance of CJA's legal work and work with associated pro bono counsel. The LD is responsible for the overall management of the litigation docket and management systems. The LD works with staff to ensure that the clients' needs (including therapy and social services) are met and that their interests are safeguarded.

Fundraising: In collaboration with the Development Department and the Executive Director, the Legal Director helps develop overall fundraising strategies for the legal program. The LD reviews grant proposals and reports as needed, and participates in fundraising events. The LD ensures that legal staff prioritizes and contributes to fundraising efforts when appropriate.

Education/Outreach/PR: The Legal Director engages in public speaking and media interviews. The LD reviews written materials to ensure their accuracy and consistency with legal strategies. The LD ensure that the legal staff prioritizes and contributes to education and outreach efforts when appropriate.

Relationship with Board and other Organizations: The Legal Director prepares regular reports on the legal docket and presents at board meetings as requested. The LD builds relationships with sister organizations and maintains communications with attorneys, professors, human rights organizations, immigrant and refugee groups and government contacts as appropriate.

Qualifications: The following qualifications are required:
Minimum 7 years of trial and appellate litigation experience and membership in at least one State Bar (will consider less experience with strong demonstration of litigation skill set).
Demonstrated commitment to human rights.
Excellent legal research, writing and analytical skills.
Supervisory/management experience.
Strong oral and written communication skills.
Excellent organization skills.
Desire to work with clients from the torture survivor community.
A team building, collegial approach to work and a sense of humor.
The following qualifications are preferred:
Experience with international law and human rights cases, including the ATS and TVPA.
Familiarity with universal jurisdiction litigation in Europe.
Experience working with diverse communities, clients and coalition partners.
Foreign language skills.
Experience working with a volunteer board of directors.
Salary: Salary is commensurate with experience within the guidelines of CJA's scale. Generous benefits.

Application: Please send cover letter, resume, references and recent writing sample to:

Pamela Merchant
Executive Director
870 Market Street, Suite 688
San Francisco, CA 94102

Applications will be reviewed as they are received; the deadline will remain open until the position is filled. CJA is an equal opportunity employer that actively recruits people of color, women, persons with disabilities, and persons with diverse gender and sexual identities.

Center for Justice and Accountability

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email: center4justice@cja.org
phone: 415-544-0444
web: http://www.cja.org