Application Deadline:  April 11, 2008

EarthRights International (ERI) announces the creation of the EarthRights International Justice Fellowship Program. Each spring, a recent law school graduate will be selected to spend a year working with ERI’s Legal Program.  The Fellowship will begin in late August or early September.

ERI’s Legal Program develops and employs legal strategies to promote and protect human and environmental rights and to hold corporations and governments accountable for earth rights abuses.  Working with ERI’s Legal Director and Litigation Coordinator, the Fellow will work on ERI’s litigation in U.S. courts as well as non-litigation legal advocacy, litigation or quasi-litigation in international fora, and legal analysis and research.

Fellowship responsibilities:

Litigation:

• Work on ERI’s cases in U.S. courts, especially on researching and briefing issues particular to transnational corporate accountability litigation
• Research and write amicus briefs in cases that may affect ERI’s work
• Assist in initiating new litigation in U.S. courts and quasi-litigation processes in international fora, and help identify new legal fora and new sources of law to serve as bases for new lawsuits protecting earth rights

Legal advocacy, outreach, and training

• Assist in researching and write reports on Alien Tort Statute litigation and international law
• Assist ERI’s schools in developing and revising training materials on international law and legal advocacy
• Promote earth rights lawyering in other countries by assisting in trainings of lawyers and judges in countries around the world in international and domestic human rights and environmental litigation

Campaigning and Administrative:

• Assist ERI’s campaigns in investigating and publicizing earth rights abuses, including helping to write publications, especially where relevant to ERI litigation or other legal work
• Along with ERI’s staff, help with collective administrative and office work duties where necessary

Desired Qualifications:

The applicant must be fluent in English, and a recent U.S. law school graduate (ideally, within the past three years).  Additionally, the ideal applicant will have:

• Strong academic record
• Language ability, especially Spanish
• Demonstrated commitment to human rights and/or environmental protection and a deep understanding of their interrelationship
• Familiarity with legal issues that arise in transnational corporate accountability litigation, including caselaw under the Alien Tort Statute, international human rights and environmental law, and issues of choice of law and forum non conveniens
• Familiarity with international bodies and processes relevant to the protection of human rights and the environment, such as the UN system, regional systems, treaty bodies and mechanisms, international financial institutions, and/or foreign domestic legal systems
• Experience working with and relating to indigenous peoples and threatened populations in the global South, especially concerning human rights, environmental degradation and development
• Excellent interpersonal and intercultural communication skills; excellent oral communication and ability to participate in public speaking events
• Excellent written communication, research, and organizational skills
• Interest, enthusiasm, and affinity for using the law as a vehicle for social change 
• Judicial clerkship (desired but by no means required)

The successful applicant will work well in multicultural teams and with diverse constituencies. S/he will be self-motivated, work well under pressure and be able to handle several projects at one time. S/he will have good judgment and a sense of humor.  ERI offers an informal, friendly work environment with highly committed staff.

Compensation

EarthRights International will provide a salary of approximately $40,000 and benefits including health insurance.

To Apply:

Please send a cover letter summarizing what you would bring to this position and why you want to work with ERI, along with the following materials:

• Resume or CV 
• Two writing samples (one legally-oriented and one non-legal; should not be edited by others)
• Three references (at least two of whom should be familiar with your legal experience)
• One to two letters of recommendation (may overlap with references)

Email applications are highly preferred.  Letters of recommendation may be sent separately, and will be accepted shortly after the application deadline.

Send email applications by April 11, 2008, to: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it . This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it  

Send regular mail applications to:

Attn: Fellowship Committee

EarthRights International
1612 K Street, Suite 401
Washington, 20006

Women and people of color are strongly encouraged to apply. EarthRights International is an equal opportunity employer.

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