Legal Advisor
Position: Legal Advisor
Location: Based in Ukraine or remote with travel to Ukraine
Contract Type: Consultancy Contract
Compensation: Conform to NGO market levels and commensurate with experience
Term: 12 months
About Project Expedite Justice
Project Expedite Justice (PEJ), founded in 2016, is a United States-based NGO with 501(c)(3) charitable organization designation.
PEJ's mission is to use all available legal options to seek justice for individuals inadequately protected under the law, who cannot access legal resources, and who are exploited by governments, corporations, or others.
PEJ applies a novel, victim-centered approach to addressing mass atrocities. PEJ's 3-step model includes training, mentoring, and providing independent legal consulting. We partner with and train local lawyers and investigators to collect, analyze, and preserve evidence according to international legal standards. Without evidence, there can be no accountability. We further build local capabilities and advance the justice process through case-specific mentoring and strategic guidance to local legal practitioners and investigators. Finally, we partner with local NGOs, pro bono law firms, and legal clinics to represent victims of international crimes and serious human rights abuses in court or alternative judicial mechanisms.
PEJ has projects in several countries. Our inclusive team includes people working remotely from Africa, Asia, Europe, South America, and the US. We are deeply committed to increasing opportunities for lawyers and other human rights defenders from the global majority or global south to participate in international rule-of-law-based nonprofit work. People from countries from the global majority are encouraged to apply for this role.
PEJ Ukraine Program
PEJ is implementing in Ukraine an international assistance project (PEJ Ukraine Program) with a hybrid team of Ukrainian and international lawyers, with a mission to support accountability avenues and directly investigate international crimes committed since at least Feb. 24, 2022.
PEJ Ukraine Program is articulated around the following priorities:
Ensure support to victims' communities by facilitating the collection, preservation, and transmission of evidence on the crimes suffered.
Harvest, process, consolidate, and analyze evidence to prepare factual and legal packages and briefs in support to accountability procedures.
Contribute to the global effort to address the plunder of resources, starvation tactics and food security issues associated with the conflict.
Facilitate and contribute to accountability options through legal submissions to appropriate accountability mechanisms in Ukraine and third-party states or international jurisdictions.
Contribute as relevant to strengthening the national justice system's capacity to address pillage and other crimes against property through training and support to Judges, Prosecutors, and law enforcement actors.
Duties and deliverables
Under the overall supervision and strategic guidance of the Legal and Program Director (Ukraine) and the daily coordination of the Program Coordinator, the Legal Advisor will work directly with the other legal advisors and assistants, the investigation and analysis teams, and with the support of the Senior Legal Advisor to manage and implement the activities of Phase II and achieve the goals of the project. They will be responsible for the implementation of the project and for the preparation, drafting and coordination of legal products.
The Legal Advisor will be responsible for the following deliverables:
Drafting, consolidating and overviewing the preparation of legal briefs and packages to support accountability and advise victims’ communities with legal avenues and concrete options to seek reparation and compensation.
Coordinating the legal analysis to build cases in support to national and foreign investigations and prepare judicial and sanctions submissions.
Contribute to supporting Ukraine national and regional prosecutorial and law enforcement authorities in their case management and case building strategies to identify crime patterns and relevant modes of liability.
Providing legal guidance to investigators and analysts in the preparation of legal products of relevance to the investigation.
Drafting legal memos on issues of relevance to the project and overviewing/consolidating the legal research done by legal assistants.
Contributing to capacity building and training for judicial authorities.
The Legal Advisor will also participate as relevant in the following general PEJ activities:
PEJ organizational meetings.
Contribute to concept development, proposal writing and other fundraising activities.
Conduct research and drafting legal analysis memoranda on a variety of issues to support partners; and
Assist with and prepare analytical/factual input for the regular reporting needs.
Report and document all activities related to the project or the organization.
Qualifications
A minimum of 7 years of relevant experience in international humanitarian law, international criminal law, public international law, or international human rights law.
A university degree in international law, criminal law, human rights law or related fields is required. An advanced university degree in one of these fields is desired.
Work experience in monitoring/investigating violations of IHL/ICL/IHR, advocacy, and investigation of international crimes.
Work experience in drafting legal memoranda and legal documents, including legal briefs for filing in judicial or similar procedures.
Experience in evidence analysis, case building and case management.
Experience working with a team of lawyers, analysts and investigators with diverse expertise and background, delivering joint legal products and mentoring junior colleagues.
Experience in contributing to strategic litigation and advocacy strategies in support to criminal law or transitional justice processes is desired.
Experience contributing to conducting and delivering training on international humanitarian/criminal law and procedures.
Pre-requisites
Ability to work independently and in high-pressure or complicated situations and with diverse and multinational teams.
Availability to travel on mission as required; field investigation work experience an asset.
Technological awareness, willingness and ability to learn new technology and work with technology relevant to the job.
Working fluency in English is required. Fluency in Ukrainian and/or Russian would be an asset.
Analytical, planning and organization skills.
Cultural, gender, religion, and age sensitivity and adaptability.
How to Apply
Email recruitment@projectexpeditejustice.org with "Application: Legal Advisor - Ukraine" in the subject line, and attach:
CV/resume (maximum of two pages);
Cover letter; and
Writing sample.
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.