ABOUT LAW
Founded in 2013, Legal Action Worldwide is an independent non-profit organisation comprised of human rights lawyers and jurists, united in our belief that those who have experienced grave human rights violations and international crimes, should receive targeted, survivor-centred, gender-competent, and trauma-informed support to access the justice they deserve.
LAW’s teams work in/on conflict-affected and fragile contexts across 18 countries including South Sudan, Sudan, Tigray, Somalia, Lebanon, Syria, Ukraine, Sri Lanka and Myanmar, combining national and international expertise to provide legal redress to the most vulnerable. LAW undertakes creative accountability strategies, including strategic litigation at national, regional and international levels. In 2024, we secured 206 favourable decisions at national, regional and international courts. Alongside this, we provide technical assistance to strengthen justice institutions to ensure they are equipped to uphold the rule of law and promote accountability.
Our vision: A world where all victims and survivors have access to justice, so that impunity is not a barrier to sustainable peace.
ABOUT THE ROLE
Join our team to deliver justice for Ukrainian victims and survivors. You will support our Kyiv-based team in all legal aspects of LAW’s work in Ukraine, with a particular emphasis on evidence gathering, legal research, and drafting for strategic litigation. Your role will include managing the outputs of consultants’ work, developing investigation plans and litigation strategies, taking notes at team meetings, coordinating with litigation partners, attending conferences and roundtables on behalf of LAW.
MORE ABOUT THIS POSITION
Where: The position will be based in Kyiv, Ukraine. Flexible and hybrid work arrangements are available, subject to operational and management’s discretion. Possibility of travel on missions to other countries.
Duration: This position is funded full-time with a 12-month contract. Extension possible subject to funding.
Salary: Competitive salary (based on experience) plus benefits.
MORE DETAIL
The Litigation Officer will perform duties in accordance with the responsibilities outlined below:
Legal:
- Supporting all legal activities of LAW’s work in Ukraine, including strategic litigation, support for domestic litigation, and capacity building for local authorities.
- Conducting independent and collaborative legal research, particularly on issues of international criminal law, international humanitarian law, and human rights law.
- Drafting memoranda with research findings to inform litigation strategy and drafting legal arguments to form part of case files or advocacy materials.
- Liaising with law firms giving pro bono advice, and law fellows.
- Supporting the Programme Manager and Legal Advisor in reviewing legal research.
- Assisting the Programme Manager and other team members in devising training materials and conducting trainings.
Technical Support:
- Supporting the Programme Manager and Legal Advisor in planning and conducting field visits, gathering and analysing information from various sources and developing legal strategies addressing atrocity crimes committed in Ukraine.
- Assisting the Programme Manager and other staff with legal analysis of interviews of survivors and witnesses, including women, LGBTIQ+ persons, and other marginalized groups.
- Supporting open-source investigations with desk research, collection, processing, and analysis of open-source evidence, especially with a view to identifying perpetrators and linking them to crimes.
- Drafting memoranda, report sections, or case sections, analysing collected evidence, and applying the relevant law to reach a conclusion.
Other Activities:
- Supporting with designing and drafting advocacy materials, including briefings, press releases, and op-eds.
- Facilitating high-level advocacy events, liaising with panellists, preparing concept notes, agendas, talking points, and flyers and circulating all to participants.
- Establishing networks with local and international NGOs and participating in coordination mechanisms at a regional and national level.
- Organising meeting, assisting with preparing agendas and note-taking.
- Keeping up-to-date records of discussions with partner organisations and external stakeholders.
- Attending and contributing to meetings with partners and key stakeholders.
- Supporting other activities as indicated by the Head of Litigation and Programme Manager.
ABOUT YOU
- You must have the legal right to work in Ukraine.
- Bachelor's degree in law; specialisation in international criminal law, human rights law, international humanitarian law preferred.
- 3 years of demonstrated experience within the legal sector.
- At least one year of experience as part of a human rights, legal aid, or legal accountability programme is highly desirable.
- Excellent, demonstrated legal research and drafting skills; experience applying creative legal solutions to challenging and novel problems.
- Experience working with survivors of gender-based crimes including women and LGBTIQ+ persons is preferred.
- Knowledge of an intersectional, trauma-informed approach to investigations is preferred.
- Excellent knowledge and understanding of the context of Russia’s war in Ukraine.
- Excellent written and oral communication in English and Ukrainian. Knowledge of Russian is preferred.
- Excellent organisational skills with the ability to meet deadlines and take on tasks from beginning to fulfilment.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and strong technical literacy.
- Flexible and familiar with the volatile and unpredictable nature of working in conflict environments.
- Track record of strong interpersonal skills and ability to develop relationships at all levels
Preferred requirements:
- A qualification to practice law in at least one jurisdiction is highly desirable.
- Track record of documenting international crimes or human rights violations, and/or representing clients in cases involving human rights law or international criminal law.
- Knowledge of the theory and practice of universal and extraterritorial jurisdiction around the world.
HOW TO APPLY
If you have the relevant experience and skills to help advance justice for survivors of international crimes in Ukraine we would like to hear from you.
Click the Link to Apply: Litigation Officer (Ukraine)
Deadline for Applications – applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. To avoid any disappointment please apply early.
At LAW, we are strengthened by the diversity of our colleagues, reflecting the people and communities that we represent and support. Our team includes many nationalities with diverse professional backgrounds, skills and knowledge. This enables us to deliver and understand the cultural and political contexts on the ground and to tailor our support effectively and appropriately. Women lawyers with experience representing at-risk clients are particularly encouraged to apply.
To learn more about LAW, please visit our website: www.legalactionworldwide.org.