Wednesday, October 24, 2012

ASIL Launches International Law 2012


ASIL has just launched International Law 2012, a web-based initiative to gather and disseminate information to the public and the news media about where the U.S. presidential candidates stand on important international legal issues. Click here to view the presidential candidates' views on issues including the intersection of the Geneva Conventions and counter-terror operations; international trade and the World Trade Organization; efforts to regulate climate change; and the continued viability of the nuclear non-proliferation regime and regulation of weapons of mass destruction.

Thursday, October 18, 2012

Internship at the UN Office on Drugs and Crime

Within the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the overall responsibility and functions relating to the prevention and fight against corruption, economic fraud and identity-related crime are vested with the Corruption and Economic Crime Branch (CEB), which also performs the functions of Secretariat to the Conference of the States Parties to the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) and its subsidiary bodies.

More specifically, the Branch performs the technical and substantive secretariat functions for the Implementation Review Mechanism of UNCAC, and is in particular responsible for organizing and supporting the individual country reviews, as well as for preparing thematic and regional implementation review reports.
 

The Branch also ensures the substantive and technical servicing of the Working Group on Asset Recovery and the newly established Expert Meetings on International Cooperation. In this context, it implements activities related to asset recovery and international cooperation, including under the joint World Bank/UNODC Stolen Asset Recovery (StAR) Initiative.
 

Furthermore, the Branch leads UNODC's work regarding all required functions to improve countries’ capacity to ratify and implement UNCAC through targeted advisory services (relying on its network of anti-corruption mentors/advisers in the field), the development of tools, the identification and promotion of good practices, and awareness raising in society at large.
 

The Branch is also responsible for providing technical and substantive services to the Working Group on Prevention and takes the lead on the development of anti-corruption educational programmes and training tools. Furthermore, the Branch spearheads UNODC's initiatives with the private sector and in the area of public private partnerships.
 

The implementation of tasks in the area of economic crime and identity-related fraud is also included in the responsibility of the Branch.
 

We are looking for highly-motivated individuals to join for up to 6 months as interns.
Typically, within our Branch, an intern will
 

* Assist in conducting legal research into States’ efforts for implementing UNCAC; select relevant material, analyze information and present findings for internal review;
* Conduct legal and background research on areas relevant to the implementation of UNCAC (in particular prevention, asset recovery and international cooperation) using multiple research sources, select relevant material, analyze information and present findings for internal review;

Assist in the review of other relevant legal documents, instruments, or other material; identify important issues, similarities and inconsistencies;
* Draft correspondence to States Parties as required;
* Perform other duties as assigned.
 

In terms of qualifications, an intern should ideally:
* Hold a first university degree (or the equivalent) and be enrolled in a degree programme in a graduate school (working towards a second university degree or higher) in the field of law, international relations or closely related field of study. Please note that all our interns need to be enrolled in a university programme at the time of application and during the whole internship.
- Be interested in the prevention and fight against corruption;
- Be fluent in English, and have an excellent working knowledge of another UN official language (Spanish, Arabic, French, Russian or Chinese);
- Have excellent research skills;
- Be familiar with Microsoft Office applications


Please note that the United Nations does not remunerate interns in any way. Costs and arrangements for travel, visas, accommodation and living expenses are the responsibility of the interns or their sponsoring institutions. Interns will not be entitled to any compensation for travel arrangements to and from the work location. Interns do not receive a salary or emoluments from the United Nations.
 

Please send your application to Ms Cecile Plunet at the following address: irg@unodc.org

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

ASIL's Helton Fellowship Program

The Arthur C. Helton Fellowship Program, established in 2004 on the recommendation of the ASIL Honors Committee, recognizes the legacy of Arthur Helton, a remarkable ASIL member who died in the August 19, 2003 bombing of the UN mission in Baghdad along with UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Sergio Viera de Mello and 20 others.

Funded in part by contributions from ASIL members and private foundations, Helton Fellowships provide financial assistance in the form of “micro-grants” for law students and young professionals to pursue field work and research on significant issues involving international law, human rights, humanitarian affairs, and related areas.

Helton Fellowship micro-grants are intended to ensure that these individuals have access to modest amounts of funding that can often stand between them and their first professional opportunities to become effective practitioners, experts, and scholars of international law.

Helton Fellowship micro-grants are intended to contribute to paying for logistics, housing and living expenses, and other costs related to the Fellow’s international law fieldwork and research in affiliation with the sponsoring organization.

Eligibility/Qualifications
Fellows must undertake their fieldwork between April 2013 and September 2013 in association with an established educational institution, international organization, or non-governmental organization working in areas related to international law, human rights, and humanitarian affairs.

The Helton Fellowship Program seeks applicants in the early stages of their academic and professional careers who demonstrate the potential to make significant contributions to the use and study of international law around the world.

Law students, practicing lawyers, human rights professionals, scholars, and other individuals seeking assistance in conducting international fieldwork and law-related research are encouraged to apply.
Applicants can be of any nationality but must be current law students or have graduated from law school (at either the undergraduate or graduate levels) no earlier than December 2010.

As mentioned above, applicants must also be sponsored or affiliated, for purposes of completing their project, in some way with an educational institution, international organization, or non-governmental organization working in international law, human rights, humanitarian affairs, or related areas.

Applicants should have contacted the sponsoring organization to discuss their proposal prior to applying for the Helton Fellowship. The name of the sponsoring organization and contact information for its representatives must be included in the application.

Individuals pursuing independent research or fieldwork are not eligible for Helton Fellowships.
Applicants should also identify other potential sources of funding, including their own, to cover costs related to their fieldwork. ASIL does not assist in securing organizational sponsoring or alternative funding for Fellows.

In acknowledgement of Arthur Helton’s commitment to human rights and humanitarian affairs in the field, preferential consideration may be given to applications demonstrating a significant fieldwork component as well as those involving the human rights of refugees, internally displaced persons, and other vulnerable populations. Applications for fieldwork in the area of international criminal law and international humanitarian law are also encouraged.

Application Materials
Completed applications will consist of the following materials:
  • Online application form, including description of intended project, career statement, and funding sources
  • Writing Sample
  • Current CV or resume
  • Confirmation of law student status and/or date of graduation from a law school
  • Two letters of recommendation/support, including one from sponsoring organization
Writing Sample: The writing sample may take the form of any published or unpublished document which demonstrates in-depth research, critical thinking, and analysis of a topic related to international law. Excerpts of more lengthy documents may also be submitted. However, writing samples should be no longer than 10 pages.

Current CV or Resume: All applicants must submit an updated curriculum vitae or resume, which includes contact information, education, professional employment or volunteer history, and special skills and interests.

Student Status/Date of Graduation: Applicants are required to provide documentation indicating current status or date of graduation. The following documentation will be accepted: photocopy of valid student identification; photocopy or facsimile of current official or unofficial transcript indicating student status; photocopy or facsimile of official or unofficial transcript indicating graduation date; photocopy or facsimile of diploma.

Letters of Recommendation/Support: One letter of recommendation should come from any individual who is in a position to assess academic performance, professional skills and expertise, and any other qualifications for selection as a Helton Fellow (e.g. current or former professor or supervisor). The second should be a letter of support or sponsorship from the educational institution, international organization, or non-governmental organization that has agreed to sponsor the project.
The writing sample, current curriculum vitae or resume, and documentation confirming student status or graduation date should be submitted as a package if possible. Letters of recommendation and support may be submitted separately if necessary.

Applicants will be considered by the Helton Fellowship Selection Committee on the basis of the written materials included in the application package. No interviews, or any other communications with applicants, will be conducted.

Deadlines and Announcement Schedule
Applicants may submit application materials beginning Monday, October 15, 2012. All applications must be received no later than Monday, January 7, 2013 by 11:59pm Eastern Standard Time..
Incomplete applications and those received after January 7, 2013 will not be reviewed under any circumstances.

ASIL will acknowledge receipt of application materials, and the date they are received, in a timely fashion by email.

Due to administrative constraints, only the first 50 completed applications, submitted on-line, and received in full by the submission deadline will be reviewed. A notice that the application process has closed will be posted on the ASIL website once 50 completed applications have been received.
Awards will be announced by mid-February 2013. The Fellowship Selection Committee is unable to respond to individual requests for information about the status of applications prior to this date.

Applicants are required to complete an online application form and submit related materials in a timely fashion to the Helton Fellowship Program at fellowship@asil.org. Materials that can not be transmitted electronically may be faxed to the ASIL Helton Fellowship Program at + 1 202 797 7133.

Online Application:  Applicants are asked to provide basic biographical information and brief descriptions of intended projects and career statements. Emailed or faxed applications forms will not be accepted without prior written approval. The online application should be completed before other application materials are submitted.

Thursday, October 11, 2012

Webinar on the Qualified Lawyers Transfer Scheme



Register now for our free webinar with Jenny Crewe from the Solicitors Regulation Authority which will tell you everything you need to know about how to re-qualify as a solicitor through the Qualified Lawyers Transfer Scheme (QLTS).

The webinar will take place on 15 November at 11:00 (UK time).

Businesses are increasingly international and they expect their lawyers to be too. Re-qualifying as a solicitor allows lawyers to demonstrate a practical approach to developing the sort of skills and expertise that clients and law firms demand from their ‘global lawyers’. The QLTS allows lawyers qualified in foreign jurisdictions to re-qualify as solicitors of England and Wales. This is a fast-track route to qualification with no experience or training contract requirement.
 
Jenny Crewe will discuss who can apply to benefit from this route, how to apply, what the tests entail, and how long and how much it should take you to complete the process and gain the much sought after title of solicitor. *

More information: http://international.lawsociety.org.uk/node/12461 


Friday, October 5, 2012

International Monetary Fund Paid Summer Internships

International Monetary Fund (IMF) offers 10-13 weeks summer paid internship for students within one or two years of completing their LLM, 2013 USA

Field of Internship: Legal Department
Course Level
: Internship
Internship Provider:
International Monetary Fund (IMF)
Internship can be taken at
: USA


Eligibility: - Candidates must be within one or two years of completing their L.L.M. in law or equivalent degree in law
-Be in student status, i.e., must be returning to university after their internship
-Should normally not exceed 32 years of age
-Have an excellent command of English (both written and oral)
-Possess strong quantitative and computer skills


Internship Open for International Students: Yes

Is this paid internship? Yes

Internship Description: The IMF’s Legal Department is seeking applications for a summer intern position as part of the 2013 Fund Internship Program. The selected candidate will work in one of the units of the Legal Department under the supervision and guidance of a senior member of the unit. Projects assigned (which differ from year to year) will be determined at a time closer to the start of the internship to ensure that they are directly aligned with the department’s work program and, to the extent possible, with the interests of the intern.

Tenure of award: The duration of the internship will be 10-13 weeks which will be undertaken sometime between May and October 2013 (the actual period of the internship will be agreed between the department and the successful candidate).

Value: IMF interns receive salary comparable to senior level support staff, round-trip economy class air travel to Washington, D.C. from their university and limited medical insurance coverage. IMF provides information to help interns locate suitable accommodation in the Washington area, it does not find housing for interns or reimburse their housing costs.

How to Apply: By Online

Internship Application Deadline: December 14, 2012
Further Internship Information and Application

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

2013 John Peters Humphrey Fellowship in International Human Rights or International Organization


The John Peters Humphrey Fellowship in International Human Rights or International Organization is awarded to outstanding students to support them in the pursuit of full-time graduate studies in the fields of international human rights or international organization at leading institutions in Canada or worldwide. Applications are due by November 15, 2012. For more information, click here.

2012-2013 Susan J. Ferrell Intercultural Human Rights Moot Court Competition


The Susan J. Ferrell Moot Court Competition, now in its 8th year, is a competition revolving around a simulated court proceeding, in which teams representing both sides of the argument prepare written pleadings with respect to a fictional problem of international human rights law and policy, and present their arguments in an oral argument before the International Court of Justice. The deadline for team registration is October 15, 2012. More information and the problem for this year's competition can be found here.

Summer 2013 Refugee and Human Rights Law Clerk Position


The Center for Gender and Refugee Studies (CGRS), based at the University of California Hastings College of the Law, is seeking candidates for Summer 2013 Judith Stronach Women's Rights Fellowship positions. CGRS provides legal expertise, training, and resources to attorneys representing asylum seekers, advocates to protect refugees, advances refugee law and policy, and uses domestic, regional and international mechanisms to address the root causes of persecution. For more information about CGRS, click here. Stronach Fellowship positions are not funded. Applications will be accepted until October 14, 2012.