Summer Legal Associate, U.S. Human Rights

Job Title: Summer Legal Associate, U.S. Human Rights

Department: U.S. Programs, U.S. Human Rights

Center Background: The Center for Reproductive Rights (the Center) is a global human rights organization working to ensure that reproductive rights are protected in law as fundamental human rights around the world. With offices in New York City, New York; Nairobi, Kenya; Bogota, Colombia; Geneva, Switzerland; and Washington, D.C., the Center is a non-profit, non-partisan organization changing law and policy throughout Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, and the United States. Our 230+ diverse professionals are committed to advancing the Center's human rights mission through game-changing litigation, legal policy, and advocacy work. This has powered the Center's exceptional growth to an operating budget of over $50 million and won the respect of law firms in countries around the world, with an additional $29 million annually of donated legal services, representing the work of countless lawyers from more than 46 countries.

The Center's Strategic Plan sets a high mark for impact: By 2030, half of the world's population will be living under stronger protections for reproductive rights than they are today. The Center has a track record of success to back up this ambitious goal. Since our founding in 1992, the Center has transformed how reproductive rights are understood and applied by courts, governments, and human rights bodies worldwide on issues including maternal health, abortion, assisted reproduction, and adolescent sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). We have won groundbreaking cases before national courts, U.N. Committees, and regional human rights bodies. Additionally, the Center has led the development of historic, proactive legislation advancing robust protections for reproductive rights and has built the legal capacity of women's rights advocates in more than 65 countries and counting.

The Role: The Center's U.S. Human Rights team is looking for an enthusiastic, resourceful, and highly organized Summer Legal Associate with a commitment to reproductive rights issues to engage in a variety of projects grounded in international human rights law. Summer Legal Associates will be immersed in the Center's U.S. human rights work, which includes state and federal policy advocacy on maternal health and assisted reproduction issues, and engagement with international and regional human rights mechanisms. The Summer Legal Associate will have an opportunity to hone their legal research and writing skills while also participating in social events, networking opportunities, and other activities.

The Summer Legal Associate is full-time for up to 10 weeks. The position will be hybrid in a Center office. Summer Legal Associates are highly encouraged to seek outside funding for their placement. The Center will supplement external funding to bring all Associates to our pay rate of $7,000 for the ten week program.

Covid-19 Vaccination is required for all U.S.-based Center employees.

Primary Responsibilities:

Summer Legal Associates will have the opportunity to gain valuable reproductive rights experience. The scope of the position will include, but is not limited to:

Legal analyses of international human rights law, state and federal legislation, statutes and regulations;
Conducting legal and factual research and writing memos in connection with active and potential campaigns to promote human rights-based approaches to maternal health or assisted reproduction through legislation and/or litigation;
Participating in meetings with Center attorneys, clients, and partners; and
Contributing to the Center's strategic approach to human rights advocacy and advancing human rights-based approaches to law and policy involving maternal health and assisted reproduction.

Qualifications:

Completed at least one year of law school by June 2024;
Commitment to racial justice;
Interest in reproductive health, rights, and justice; gender justice; and/or other public interest issues; and
Strong legal research and writing skills.

Don't meet every single requirement? At the Center, we are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace, so if you are excited about this role but your past experience does not align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.

Behavioral Competencies:

Develop & Manage Self & Others: Takes ownership of individual growth in order to achieve full potential; recognizes the value of team members and helps them develop their full potential while also achieving set objectives.
Collaboration (People First): Works intra- and/or cross-departmentally to support the goals and overarching strategies of the Center and its strategic plan.
Feedback (Improve & Innovate): Actively engaged in feedback cycles: Gives and requests feedback to and from peers, supervisors and direct reports about work products, behaviors, values, style, and approaches with a view on how this impacts self, other individuals, and teams.
Accountability: Follow-through on each commitment made to individual contributors, teams and partners and proactively informs others of any delays that occur along the way.

Work Competencies:

Project Management: Works effectively on project teams in order to achieve long-term project goal and objectives.
Problem Solve & Make Decisions: Identifies, analyzes and resolves existing and anticipated problems, using common sense to make timely decisions in order to reach the best solutions for the organization.
Internal/External Focus: Anticipates internal and external partner's needs; assesses requirements and identifies new solutions that align with overall goals and objectives of the organization.
Communication & Influence: Communicates with and influences others to gain agreement and commitment to the strategic goals of the organization.

Compensation: Summer Legal Associates are highly encouraged to seek outside funding for their placement. The Center will supplement external funding to bring all Associates to our pay rate of $7,000 for the ten week program.

Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

The Center is committed to inclusive hiring and dedicated to diversity in our work and staff. We strongly encourage people from all communities to apply. If you are excited about this role and unsure about whether your past experience aligns with the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be the right candidate for this or other roles.

Our hiring processes and our work culture offer support and flexibility for staff with a variety of needs. Should you face an accessibility barrier in the application and interview process please let us know by contacting [email protected]. We will work with you to provide the accommodation that works best for you.

To learn more about the Center's commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), please visit Diversity, Equity and Inclusion | Center for Reproductive Rights

Learn more about the Center for Reproductive Rights, go to www.reproductiverights.org

How to Apply: Please complete the application below to apply. A cover letter, resume, and a writing sample of no more than 10 pages must be included in your application. Please include these application materials as attachments.

Please note that all genuine Center openings must be applied through the Center website. The Center does not charge a fee at any stage in the recruitment process (application, interviews, or selection). Nor does it request any medical examinations or bank account information as part of this process. If someone contacts, you on behalf of the Center requesting payment for your application please notify [email protected] before taking any further action.

Summer Legal Associate, U.S. Human Rights at Center for Reproductive Rights

Job Description

Share job