Fall Internship at the International Legal Foundation

The ILF, an international nongovernmental organization based in New York, was founded in 2001 to assist countries emerging from conflict and transition to establish public defender systems that provide quality criminal defense services to the poor (http://theilf.org). With projects in Afghanistan, Nepal and the West Bank, the ILF currently has 250 employees worldwide and a small headquarters office in Brooklyn.

Interns will have the opportunity to:

• Document the work of the ILF in Afghanistan, Nepal and the West Bank.
• Assist in the preparation and publication of policy papers, promotional materials and reports, including posting materials on the ILF’s website and Facebook page.
• Participate in strategy meetings on the ILF’s goal to institutionalize high quality, effective indigent defense systems in post-conflict and transitional countries.
• Engage in legal research and writing (law students only).

Specific upcoming projects that interns will be able to work on include:

• Review the history of ILF-Afghanistan to gather lessons learned from its successful transition to a government-supported public defender system.
• Conduct research for new potential ILF projects in countries currently emerging from transition, including those that experienced the Arab Spring.
• Draft policy papers to be submitted to the UN, partners organizations and for publication on topics such as: the role of defense lawyers in developing the rule of law in the aftermath of conflict; a comparison of the obligation under international law to provide legal aid for civil disputes and indigent criminal defense; the appropriate role of paralegals in criminal justice systems where there is an acute shortage of lawyers; and other relevant topics as they emerge.
• Assist in the ongoing development of a case management database system used by the ILF offices in Nepal and the West Bank.

Successful candidates will:

• Demonstrate an interest and commitment to indigent defense and the ILF’s mission.
• Have an interest in developing and implementing advocacy and communications strategies.
• Demonstrate excellent research and writing skills, and superior analytical ability.
• Be able to work in a dynamic, fast paced environment with minimal supervision.
• Be fluent in English, with outstanding English writing skills.
• Possess solid computer skills, including mastery of Microsoft Office.

Proficiency in Arabic, Dari, Nepalese, Pashto, or French is an advantage. Knowledge of indigent defense practice, or justice reform issues in post-conflict countries is also helpful. Other computer skills such as graphic design using Adobe Creative Suite, familiarity with WordPress, or knowledge of Filemaker Pro are a definite advantage.

Internships are available for recent graduates, law students and students pursuing a graduate degree in international affairs, public policy, journalism, communications or a related field. Internships for undergraduate students are also available. All internships are unpaid volunteer positions, but the ILF is happy to cooperate with students to secure class credits or funding from outside sources.

Please see the full announcement at: http://bit.ly/ILFintern

Applicants should send resumes, cover letters and a concise, unedited writing sample to the ILF to info@theilf.org. Please write “Internship” in the subject field of your email.

Applications for fall internships will be considered on a rolling basis, and interviews will start immediately. Unfortunately, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

The ILF is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering a diverse, multicultural work environment.