Legal Fellowship with International Bridges to Justice

International Bridges to Justice seeks legal activists with criminal defense backgrounds who are committed to strengthening criminal justice systems and improving the quality of criminal defense services worldwide. 

International Bridges to Justice was founded in 2001 to give every person the right to fair trial, the right to be free from torture, and the right to release from arbitrary detainment.  IBJ has programs in China, Cambodia, India, Burundi, Rwanda, and Zimbabwe.  Lawyers within these countries are seeking to implement existing laws within their legal framework, supporting the rights of the accused.  IBJ seeks to expand its program worldwide and is soliciting in-country Legal Fellows to build a criminal defense legal aid system within their own countries. 

Responsibilities

Under the supervision of the International Programs Director, Fellows will carry out programs and activities consistent with IBJ’s overall goals and mission:

• To strengthen the role of the rule of law in societies where it is not currently upheld;
• To increase protection of basic legal rights and access to justice for ordinary citizens;
• To ensure more fair, equitable and just legal proceedings for all citizens, especially those who are particularly vulnerable and marginalized, including women, children and members of minority groups;
• To increase citizens’ awareness of their legal rights and their ability to implement them; and
• To eliminate opportunities for torture to arise.

Legal Fellows will employ proven defender-training methodologies to build, and enhance criminal defense infrastructure within their home country.  Depending upon the needs identified in each country, and in conjunction with Institute staff, Fellows’ will be responsible for:

• Completing a country legal needs assessment, which will identify gaps between written laws and the actual implementation of these laws in daily practice. The Fellow will collect and analyze baseline data related to legal needs such as early access to counsel by the accused; legal skills on which training is needed; programs to improve delivery of effective criminal defense for every man, woman, and child; and legal rights awareness campaigns. The assessment will form the foundation for a strategy for improving the quality and application of existing criminal laws to strengthen domestic criminal justice systems.
• Developing a country legal defense delivery strategy for every man, woman, and child, including ethnic minorities and dispossessed members of society.
• Implementing training programs to improve the quality of criminal defense and legal aid services; training future trainers in modern training methodologies.
• Assisting in developing training manuals and resource materials for the use of criminal defense lawyers and others who work in the criminal justice system.
• Assisting in the implementation of a legal accreditation program to begin to increase legal proficiencies of the criminal defense attorneys within the country. 
• Conducting Advisement of Rights campaigns to improve citizens’ understanding of their legal rights.
• Organizing judicial roundtable discussions to facilitate communication and effective working relationships among members of the criminal justice community.
• Identifying the legal defenders within the country and initiate outreach to other criminal defenders or organizations to strengthen the criminal justice system. 
• Establishing Defender Resource Centers, where defense lawyers can work, prepare their cases, and meet with clients and witnesses.
• Establishing effective partnerships with governmental officials, law firms, universities, bar associations, human rights advocates, judiciary, and prosecutor offices.
• Helping to set up Country Advisory Councils.

Qualifications

Ideal Fellows should have the following qualifications, skills and abilities:

• A Law degree
• Background and work experience in criminal defense
• Familiarity with issues and problems facing criminal justice systems and the ability to offer innovative but realistic solutions
• Experience designing, delivering and evaluating training programs
• Ability to speak and write English and at least one working language of the country at a professional level
• Ability to write well and generate high-quality training materials and manuals
• Ability to work with computers and word processors, including use of internet and e-mail
• Ability to work optimistically and effectively under challenging circumstances
• Sufficient poise, maturity and diplomacy to work with high-level governmental officials and other constituencies, including members of the judiciary, prosecution, police and the public
• Ability to work independently and without direction when necessary
• Ability to work effectively as a respectful, contributing member of an international team composed of members located in different geographic areas of the world
• Ability and willingness to accept direction and guidance from program administrators
• Ability to supervise and mentor other employees 

Compensation

Fellows will be eligible to receive renewable one-year contracts after completing a six-month probationary period. Compensation will be based on local rates and on previous salary history.

The Legal Fellowship is awarded to the most promising individuals or organizations identified for their commitment to representing the criminally accused. Interested applicants should contact Internationalbridges@IBJ.org