Senior Lawyer

About Project Expedite Justice

Project Expedite Justice (PEJ), founded in 2016, is a United States-based NGO with 501(c)(3) charitable organization designation.

PEJ's mission is to use all available legal options to seek justice for individuals inadequately protected under the law, who cannot access legal resources, and who are exploited by governments, corporations, or others.

PEJ applies a novel, victim-centered approach to addressing mass atrocities. PEJ's 3-step model includes training, mentoring, and providing independent legal consulting. We partner with and train local lawyers and investigators to collect, analyze, and preserve evidence according to international legal standards. Without evidence, there can be no accountability. We further build local capabilities and advance the justice process through case-specific mentoring and strategic guidance to local legal practitioners and investigators. Finally, we partner with local NGOs, pro bono law firms, and legal clinics to represent victims of international crimes and serious human rights abuses in court or alternative judicial mechanisms.

PEJ has projects in several countries. Our inclusive team includes people working remotely from Africa, Asia, Europe, South America, and the US. We are deeply committed to increasing opportunities for lawyers and other human rights defenders from the global majority or global south to participate in international rule-of-law-based nonprofit work. People from countries from the global majority are encouraged to apply for this role.

The Opportunity: Senior Lawyer– Zaporizhzhia Program

The Senior Lawyer will play a central role in implementing Project Expedite Justice’s Zaporizhzhia-focused strategy. This full-time consultancy requires senior-level legal expertise in international criminal law, international humanitarian law, business and property appropriation under occupation, and accountability mechanisms related to pillage.

The Senior Lawyer will coordinate daily team activities, guide legal research and analysis, oversee case file development, support reporting and submissions, and work closely with Ukrainian and international partners. The position reports to the Senior Legal Coordinator and collaborates with the Legal Advisers, Analysts, and Investigators.

The contract is for six months, requiring full-time commitment to the project, with the possibility of extension depending on project needs and budget.

Key Deliverables:

• High-quality legal memoranda and analyses on pillage, appropriation, attacks on civilians, property destruction, sanctions violations, environmental harm, and related crimes under international and domestic law.
• Legal briefs and strategic guidance documents supporting accountability mechanisms (criminal, civil, administrative, and sanctions-based).
• Review and quality assurance of legal outputs produced by junior lawyers and research staff.
• Well-structured case files focused on Zaporizhzhia, aligned with PEJ’s standards and ready for use in judicial or sanctions processes.
• Legal content for reports, including the ongoing Oblast-specific pillage series.
• Contributions to donor reporting, project updates, and fundraising materials.
• Documentation of legal and analytical work to support coordination across teams.

Key Deliverables:

Legal Research and Drafting

• Conduct advanced legal research on pillage, plunder, unlawful appropriation, forced business re-registration, property transfers, and related international crimes.
• Draft legal memoranda, briefs, and analytical products for internal use, partners, and accountability mechanisms.
• Provide legal assessments of evidence collected from Zaporizhzhia.

Case Development and Accountability Strategy

• Help develop legal theories, case files, and accountability pathways—both judicial and sanctions-related.
• Coordinate closely with investigative and analytical teams to integrate factual findings into legal frameworks.
• Identify potential perpetrators, chains of command, and corporate actors implicated in appropriation in Zaporizhzhia.

Team Coordination and Mentorship

• Coordinate daily workstreams and support junior lawyers, analysts, and investigators.
• Ensure timely delivery of legal products and coherence across multidisciplinary work.
• Mentor team members on legal drafting, case analysis, and research methodologies.

Training and Capacity Building

• Contribute to or lead development of training materials (e.g., slides, fact sheets, case studies) related to documentation of pillage and economic crimes under occupation.
• Support the trainings for Ukrainian partners, civil society, or legal practitioners as needed.

Organizational Engagement and Reporting

• Participate actively in PEJ team meetings and project discussions.
• Contribute legal content to donor reports, project proposals, newsletters, and public-facing materials.
• Maintain organized and secure case files and legal documentation in accordance with PEJ SOPs.

Profile (Qualifications and Attributes):

• Advanced degree in Law (JD, LLM, or equivalent).
• Minimum 7–10 years of experience in international criminal law, human rights law, international humanitarian law, or related fields.
• Demonstrated experience in cases involving pillage, unlawful property appropriation, or economic crimes in conflict settings is highly desirable.
• Experience working on Ukraine-related issues or strong knowledge of the region is an asset.
• Proven track record in legal drafting, research, and developing complex case files.
• Familiarity with sanctions mechanisms, corporate accountability, or conflict-related business activity preferred.
• Experience working with multidisciplinary teams (legal, investigative, analytical).
• Strong organizational and independent working skills.
• Fluency in English required; Ukrainian is a strong asset. Can be based in Ukraine or in Europe.
• Commitment to PEJ’s mission and victim-centered approach.