Senior Legal Advisor
Position: Senior Legal Advisor
Location: Remote with travel to Ukraine or based in 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 opinions 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
The Senior Legal Advisor will work directly with the Ukraine senior management team to manage and implement the activities of Phase II and achieve the goals of the project. Under the overall supervision and strategic guidance of the Legal and Program Director (Ukraine), and the daily coordination of the Program Coordinator, the Senior Legal Advisor will be responsible for the general oversight and coordination of the legal team and facilitate, together with the Senior Lead Investigator, the implementation of the relevant project goals. They will be responsible for the implementation of the project and for the oversight, reviewing and overview of legal products.
The Senior Legal Advisor will be responsible for:
Planning and coordinating the production of legal briefs and packages relating to the situation in Ukraine, reviewing final products and ensuring quality control of deliverables, in particular:
Requests for sanction designations to relevant authorities
Legal analysis of incidents documented, in support to Ukraine national and regional law enforcement and prosecutorial authorities in Kyiv and in relevant oblasts;
Strategic litigation briefs as relevant in support to victims of pillage and destruction.
Coordinating the legal work across geographical areas, streamlining and prioritizing the work products of the legal advisors and legal assistants in implementation of the project goals locally (Oblast level) and transversally (throughout Ukraine).
Coordinating with the Senior Lead Investigator to prioritize the work of the investigators and jointly provide guidance to the analysts to identify needs and gaps, match evidence with legal basis, build cases and prepare reports on crime patterns and responsibilities for war crimes against property committed in Ukraine.
Contributing to the identification of direct perpetrators, financers and enablers through relevant legal advice and mentoring.
Overviewing and managing the legal products in support to case development, case review, direct legal advice, and support on elements of crimes and modes of liability for regional prosecutors.
Reviewing and ensuring quality control of PEJ Ukraine training material, handouts, and expert factsheets on specific war crimes.
Initiating any other legal products relevant to foster the goals of accountability for crimes against property, pillage, plunder of agrarian and natural resources and crimes against the environment.
Overview the management and updating process of the legal guidelines and crime matrix for the teams.
Provide guidance and mentorship to legal assistants, fostering their skills and knowledge development, in particular in brief writing and case development.
Share expertise and experience to enhance the overall legal team's performance.
Evaluate the performance of junior colleagues and provide constructive feedback for improvement
The Senior 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.
Job specific qualifications
A minimum of 10 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.
Strong experience in drafting legal memoranda and legal documents, including legal briefs for filing in judicial or similar procedures; Experience with sanction designation processes an asset.
Experience in evidence analysis, case building and case management.
Experience leading legal teamwork, coordinating legal input from colleagues with diverse expertise and background, and advising and mentoring investigators, analysts and lawyers.
Experience in developing and implementing 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.
Exceptional analytical, planning and organization skills.
Cultural, gender, religion, and age sensitivity and adaptability.
How to Apply
Email recruitment@projectexpeditejustice.org with "Application: Senior 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.