International Legal Associate/Senior International Legal Associate

The Human Rights Foundation (HRF) is seeking an International Legal Associate or a Senior International Legal Associate to begin in Spring 2026, subject to the candidate’s availability.

About the Human Rights Foundation

HRF is a nonpartisan nonprofit organization that promotes and protects human rights globally, with a focus on closed societies. HRF is one of the few international organizations focusing exclusively on promoting human rights in authoritarian regimes.

HRF’s Impact Litigation program provides international legal representation to prisoners of conscience whose cases are emblematic examples of dictatorships’ brutality. We litigate before international semi-judicial bodies, such as the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (UNWGAD) and other Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. We also make submissions to the Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR).

About the Position

The International Legal Associate will support the Impact Litigation program and provide other research and writing support on projects relevant to HRF’s mission statement. Specifically, the associate will perform legal and policy research, draft submissions to the Human Rights Council’s Special Procedures, UPR, and regional judicial or quasi-judicial mechanisms, conduct follow-up advocacy, and draft legal and policy briefs and memos on topics related to HRF’s countries of focus. The associate will report to HRF’s senior attorneys and other senior members of the Legal & Policy Team.

A candidate based in New York is strongly preferred.

Responsibilities and Expectations

Specific duties include, but may not be limited to:

• Conduct legal and policy research on topics related to HRF’s mission and countries of focus, including issues of international human rights law.
• Draft submissions and communications to the UN Human Rights Council’s Special Procedures, the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, the Universal Periodic Review (UPR), and other international or regional judicial or quasi-judicial mechanisms.
• Identify and seek strategic cases to submit to UN Special Procedures and other international legal bodies, and manage related legal pro bono requests.
• Conduct follow-up advocacy on cases submitted to UN Special Procedures and other international legal bodies, including preparing accompanying advocacy materials.
• Draft legal and policy briefs, memoranda, and other written analyses related to HRF’s countries of focus.
• Coordinate the workload of junior legal researchers by assigning tasks, reviewing and editing submissions and related materials, and providing feedback and guidance.
• Draft complex and high-profile submissions to the UN Special Procedures and other international legal bodies.
• Acquire funding for Legal Team projects, including developing and pitching legal projects and drafting grant proposals.
• Draft and review contracts, including leases, license agreements, event space agreements, purchase agreements, agreements for legal services, and employment agreements.
• Research corporate legal issues—such as taxation, employment, leases, and purchases—and draft related memoranda.
• Review staff visa applications and required documentation to confirm HRF’s alignment with immigration law.
• Draft legal documents related to HRF’s MicroGrants program or assign their preparation as appropriate.
• Represent HRF at conferences and other events to speak on international human rights issues.
• Manage the talk development process for the Oslo Freedom Forum, including supervising speaker coordinators.
• Coordinate conference programming on HRF’s Impact Litigation work.
• Provide other research and writing support on projects relevant to HRF’s mission statement, as assigned.

Skills & Qualifications

• J.D. or LL.M. degree from an accredited law school (required).
• Demonstrated interest and 1-4 years of experience (International Legal Associate) or 5-9 years of experience (Senior International Legal Associate) in human rights and international law or a related field, with a grasp of relevant international human rights law, including UN treaties, monitoring bodies, and mandates (required).
• Strong legal and policy research, writing, and analytical skills, with demonstrated ability to succinctly summarize legal and policy issues (required).
• Detail-oriented, self-structured, and self-motivated (required).
• Experience drafting press releases and other communications related to legal and policy work, including the ability to communicate complex legal arguments or issues to a broad audience (required).
• Ability to monitor and analyze international policy and legal developments relevant to HRF’s work on democracy and protection of human rights under authoritarian regimes (required).
• Interest and experience in the democratization field or knowledge of democratization literature (preferred).
• Knowledge of foreign languages, especially Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, or Spanish (preferred).
• Ability to work well in a collaborative environment with a variety of colleagues and external stakeholders, as well as independently (required).
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with an emphasis on respect (required).
• A strong affinity for HRF’s mission statement (required).
• A sense of humor (required)!

Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis.

Time commitment: 40 hours/week.

Compensation:

• 0-5 years of experience: $75,000 to $85,000
• 5-9 years of experience: $85,000 - $100,000

Benefits: HRF offers a competitive benefits package, including fully covered medical, dental, vision, and life insurance, a generous PTO plan and company-paid holiday schedule, and many other voluntary benefits.

Level of Language Proficiency

Advanced knowledge of foreign languages, especially Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, or Spanish, is preferred.

How to Apply

Interested candidates are encouraged to apply through our Careers page at https://hrf.org/work.

HRF offers a competitive benefits package, including fully covered medical, dental, vision, and life insurance, a generous PTO plan and company-paid holiday schedule, and many other voluntary benefits.

Advanced knowledge of foreign languages, especially Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, or Spanish, is preferred.