Legal Brief Writer/Adviser (Native English only)

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.

The Opportunity: Legal Adviser and Legal Brief Writer

Job Summary

PEJ seeks a skilled Legal Brief Writer/Adviser to provide legal analysis, support strategic litigation efforts, and produce high-quality memoranda, reports, and briefing documents in support of our global human rights and accountability work. The successful candidate will demonstrate strong legal judgment, research, and legal writing skills, and a passion for international criminal law, human rights law, and/or humanitarian law. This position plays a key role in shaping legal strategies and ensuring written outputs meet rigorous legal standards and strategic goals.

Key Deliverables

• Legal memoranda, strategic briefs, and other related litigation documents on international criminal, humanitarian, and human rights law.
• Drafts of legal submissions, pleadings, or complaints for international and regional mechanisms.
• Internal strategy notes and legal risk assessments.
• Summaries or digests of complex legal and policy materials.
• Edited and finalized legal content for reports, training, and advocacy publications.
• Documentation tracking deliverables and deadlines in coordination with the legal team.

Key Responsibilities

Legal Advisory and Brief Editing:

• Draft and edit legal briefs, memoranda, filings, and related documents for internal and external audiences.
• Conduct in-depth legal research and analysis on international law issues relevant to PEJ’s mandate.
• Provide legal input into strategic litigation and advocacy efforts, ensuring accuracy and coherence.
• Translate legal concepts into accessible language for non-legal stakeholders, including survivors and local partners.
• Review and enhance partner-generated legal documents for clarity, legal soundness, and alignment with PEJ’s strategy.

Strategic and Collaborative Engagement:

• Collaborate with program and legal teams to align legal content with strategic case goals.
• Participate in legal strategy discussions and contribute to evolving legal theories or arguments.
• Interface with external legal experts to validate analysis and integrate current jurisprudence.
• Ensure written products reflect field-level evidence and contextual realities.

Capacity Building and Knowledge Sharing:

• Develop legal training content, including manuals, guides, and practical tools.
• Draft case studies, handouts, and summary documents for use in legal capacity-building.
• Mentor junior staff and local partners in legal writing, documentation standards, and analysis.
• Provide editorial support and quality control on team and partner outputs.

Monitoring Legal Developments:

• Track developments in international criminal law and related fields relevant to PEJ’s work.
• Produce internal briefings or updates summarizing important jurisprudence and procedural changes.
• Identify emerging legal opportunities and risks that impact PEJ’s litigation or advocacy.
• Maintain an internal knowledge base with curated legal content and commentary.

Partnership Coordination and Contextualization:

• Ensure legal content incorporates cultural and jurisdictional nuance, working closely with field partners.
• Solicit and incorporate partner feedback into legal outputs to ensure shared ownership.
• Support local legal actors and civil society in producing high-quality legal analysis and documentation.
• Build strong working relationships with community-based organizations and frontline legal practitioners.

Organizational Engagement:

• Engage in organizational meetings and contribute to internal discussions on legal strategy.
• Support fundraising by contributing legal insights and written content for proposals.
• Assist in compiling legal content for reports to donors and stakeholders.

Required Qualifications and Experience:

• Advanced law degree (JD, LLM, or equivalent) in international criminal law, humanitarian law, or human rights law.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in legal research, writing, and advisory roles, preferably in international or human rights contexts, including practicing law in a domestic context before courts.
• Proven track record of drafting legal documents for courts, treaty bodies, or legal advocacy organizations.
• Familiarity with citation formats (Bluebook, OSCOLA) and legal research databases.
• Native English writing and editing skills, with attention to detail and tone.
• Ability to work independently and across time zones in a remote work environment.
• Strong alignment with PEJ’s mission and a commitment to survivor-centered justice.

Bonus:

• Proficiency in an additional language, especially Ukrainian.
• Experience working in conflict zones or with legal documentation initiatives.
• Familiarity with donor reporting frameworks and NGO program documentation.
• Experience practicing law in common law jurisdictions.