The Week That Will Be

Event Announcements (More details on the Events Calendar)

Tuesday, December 17, 2019, at 10:00 a.m.: The Brookings Institution will host a forum to discuss recent developments in the impeachment process. Lawfare editor-in-chief Benjamin Wittes will moderate the discussion, which will feature Brookings Governance Studies Senior Fellows, including Molly E. Reynolds, John Hudak, William A. Galston and Sarah A. Binder. More details and registration can be found here.

Tuesday, December 17, 2019, at 2:00 p.m.: The House Oversight and Reform Subcommittee on National Security will hold a hearing on U.S. counterterrorism priorities and challenges in Africa. The subcommittee has not yet released a witness list.

Wednesday, December 18, 2019, at 10:00 a.m.: The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee will hold a hearing on the methodology, scope and findings of the Justice Department Inspector General's FISA report. The committee will hear testimony from Inspector General Michael Horowitz.

Wednesday, December 18, 2019, at 11:45 a.m.: The Hudson Institute will host an event on China’s human rights abuses in Xinjiang. The speakers for the event include Hudson Senior Fellow Eric Brown, Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom Sam Brownback, Axios reporter Bethany Allen-Ebrahimian, Uyghur Human Rights Project Board Chair Nury Turkel and Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation Senior Fellow Adrian Zenz. More details and registration can be found here.

Wednesday, December 18, 2019, at 2:00 p.m.: The Brookings Institution will host an event on the unrest in Iran and how the U.S. and international community should respond. Washington Post Columnist David Ignatius will moderate a discussion with filmmaker Maziar Bahari and Brookings Senior Fellow Suzanne Maloney. More details and registration for the event can be found here.

Thursday, December 19, 2019, at 9:00 a.m.: The American Enterprise Institute will host an event on the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement on trade. Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) will deliver remarks before joining AEI’s Derek Scissors in conversation about the costs and benefits of the agreement’s major provisions. More details and registration can be found here.

Employment Announcements (More details on the Job Board)

The following are announcements of potential interest to Lawfare readers. If you have an announcement to add to the page, email us.

Summer Volunteer Legal Internship, U.S. Department of Justice Executive Office for Immigration Review

Position Location: Miami Immigration Court, Miami, Florida.

Position Dates: Summer 2020.

Description: The Miami Immigration Court is part of the United States Department of Justice’s Executive Office for Immigration Review. This prestigious position offers an excellent opportunity to develop research, writing, and analytical skills. Students will work under the direct supervision of Judicial Law Clerks and Attorney Advisors, and perform research and writing assignments for Immigration Judges. The internship is an unpaid, volunteer position with a time commitment of 40 hours per week for at least ten weeks. Students may be eligible for academic credit or educational grants, and are encouraged to contact the appropriate person at their law schools to determine eligibility.

Qualifications: Applicants must be United States citizens and enrolled in law school at the time of the internship. Interns cannot concurrently participate in immigration or criminal clinics, or work for immigration law firms or other immigration organizations. Strong research and writing skills are necessary. Prior knowledge of immigration law is preferred, but not required. Selected applicants will be required to submit to a security background check, which takes 9 to 12 weeks to complete.

Duties: Drafting decisions and bench memoranda, conducting research on immigration statutes, case law, regulations, and relevant criminal law, and attending intern program activities.

Application: Please email as one PDF file a cover letter, résumé, list of three references, writing sample (no longer than 10 pages double-spaced), and unofficial transcripts to Pedro P. Diaz at pedro.diaz@usdoj.gov. Please also CC Joshua H. Wildes at joshua.h.wildes@usdoj.gov. Inquiries may be directed to Pedro P. Diaz or Joshua H. Wildes at the emails listed above.

Deadline: The deadline to apply is Monday, February 24, 2020, at 11:59 p.m.

Interviews: Interviews will be conducted by telephone.

National Security Institute Technologist Fellowship

This year-long fellowship is geared at taking technologists from across the country and giving the them the core tools they need to effectively engage policymakers in both the legislative and executive branches on cyber issues. NSI Technologist fellows have the opportunity to engage with cyber experts and leading technology and national security policymakers. Past speakers include former House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence Chairman Mike Rogers; Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Director Chris Krebs; former Deputy Director of the National Security Agency Rick Ledgett; National Geo-spatial Intelligence Agency Deputy Director Dr. Stacey Dixon; and entrepreneur Ron Gula, co-founder of Tenable Network Security.

The goal of the NSI Technologist Fellowship is to enhance technologists’ ability to influence the larger policy community and thereby inject more direct technology-related expertise into the national security and cyber policy processes.

The application for the 2020 class is now open. Applications are due Tuesday, December 17, 2019.

More Fellowship Information can be found here.

Application Information can be found here.

Call for Papers, Institute for Digital Law Trier

Thomas Burri (University of St. Gallen) and Antje von Ungern-Sternberg (University of Trier) announce an international conference to be held at the University of Trier 14-15 May 2020.

Background: Democracy is increasingly under strain. Disinformation, manipulation, and leaks are chipping away at the political process and thus eroding its very foundations. Liberal democratic regimes face informational pressure from abroad. As but one example, in the 2016 US presidential elections, bots, fake news, leaks, and trolls, affected its very outcome. Many of these undertakings had been steered by Russia. The picture is yet expected to darken in times to come.

Propaganda is not new. Radio and loudspeakers shaped the Cold War. Neither would this be the first time that the prohibition to interfere in domestic affairs clashes with reality. However, what we witness today is different. The granularity is higher: Artificial intelligence fueled by big data predicts individual voters’ behaviour, opening the door to targeted manipulation. Unlike before, the conduits for information to flow are private. Platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, though publicly accessible and transnational, are in private hands – hands not bound by public standards of fundamental rights, impartiality, fairness, and due process. Though self-commitment may be plentiful, scrutiny is sparse; ‘ethics’ is the talk of the town, not law. In this new private and microscopic universe, influence is wielded in the twilight. Detection and attribution are all but straightforward. Hackers leave no traces, algorithms are secret, the origins of ads obscure.

Conference: The informational influence on democracy has so far only been the subject of a domestic discourse. An international conference, to be convened at the University of Trier in Germany, from May 14 through 15, 2020, aims to broaden the discussion and bring international law into the picture. The conference focuses on informational pressure and its influence on democratic processes.

The following speakers have already committed to speak at the conference:

▪ Eyal Benvenisti, University of Cambridge

▪ Heike Krieger, Freie Universität Berlin

▪ Silja Vöneky, University of Freiburg

Call for papers: We now call upon scholars to consider contributing a paper to the conference. We aim to attract established scholars as well as researchers whose work on the topic is not yet out in print. Scholars may contribute a full paper or a talk. Limited travel grants are available. We are aiming for a journal special issue for the best contributions. In answer to this call, you may wish to treat one of the following topics or any other suitably related topic:

▪ The principle of non-intervention and the protection of democratic opinion making

▪ Protection of confidential information in public international law

▪ Free-speech rights, disinformation, and manipulation

▪ Attribution of private informational influence and coercion to state actors

▪ Regulation of information platforms and artificial intelligence in public international law

▪ White and black hat hacking through the lens of public international law

▪ Informational warfare and the laws of conventional warfare

▪ Countermeasures in reaction to informational pressure.

Schedule:

30 January 2020: Abstracts due.

15 February 2020: Acceptance communicated.

1 May 2020: Final papers due. Final papers will be circulated among participants only.

14-15 May 2020: Conference in Trier.

Information required from authors: one-page abstract, one-page CV, including affiliations and main publications, indication whether full paper or talk is intended; indication of need for travel support.

Costs: no conference fees. The conference is financed by public funds. We cover accommodation and board for all participants.

Contact: Please answer the call by way of e-mail to the organizers stating the subject “Call for papers”, c/o Prof. Dr. Antje von Ungern-Sternberg, lsvonungern@unitrier.de. Please do not hesitate to contact us in case you have questions. The call is also available at http://www.digital-law-institute.de.

Chief Technologist, Center for Democracy & Technology

The Center for Democracy & Technology is seeking a Chief Technologist to work in support of CDT’s mission. CDT’s Chief Technologist role is a unique and exciting opportunity to help shape public policy, technical standards, and decision-making on important issues of the digital age. The Chief Technologist reports to the Vice President for Policy, is the Director of CDT’s Internet Architecture project, and works collaboratively with CDT’s other project teams and staff, in addition to managing the work of CDT’s technologists. This position will be located in CDT’s Washington, DC office
.

CDT offers substantial autonomy as well as the opportunity to work collaboratively across a wide variety of tech policy issues.

ABOUT CDT

CDT is a leading nonprofit public interest organization, working at the cutting edge of digital rights policy. With expertise in law, technology, and policy, CDT engages in a variety of strategies to enhance free expression and privacy, including advocacy, public education, and research. CDT works on legislation, participates in agency rule-makings, engages in litigation, and fosters consensus-building among public interest and private sector stakeholders. CDT in headquartered in Washington, DC. For more information, please visit our About page.

Responsibilities

Responsibilities include:

• Leading the technical and policy work of of the Internet Architecture team as well as assisting the work of other CDT’s teams as needed;
• Communicating technology and technology policy issues with the public, press, policymakers, and other key stakeholders in an accessible and technically accurate manner;
• Strategic planning and vision for the future of technology and tech policy to forward CDT’s mission;
• Fundraising from philanthropic and corporate supporters to advance the work of the Internet Architecture team as well as CDT’s other staff; and
• Managing a dynamic and growing team of technologists to accomplish a strategic plan of work involving research, analysis, and advocacy.

The Chief Technologist is a director-level position with significant management, strategic, and fundraising responsibilities in addition to individual contributions to CDT’s work. The Internet Architecture team supports CDT’s work on issues that include consumer privacy, net neutrality, internet openness, government surveillance, cybersecurity and internet architecture, and must have an in-depth understanding of the connection between technology design and policy.

Given the importance of diverse perspectives in representing the public interest in technology policy, we encourage candidates to apply who explicitly seek to increase underrepresented groups in technology through their work.

Qualifications

Applicants must:

• Have deep technical background and capability;
• Be skilled in communicating technical topics to nontechnical audiences;
• Have working familiarity with technology policy and law;
• Posses strong networks in academia, industry, government, and civil society; and
• Demonstrate understanding of academic and industrial research, research design, and research methods

Additional qualifications may include:

• A degree in computer science, information science, or a similar field or equivalent work experience;
• Experience in managing, hiring, and growing a team of technologists
• Experience in the domain of internet-related engineering, from the physical configuration of networks and systems to low-layer Internet connectivity protocols to applications, services and software delivered via the web and in desktop and mobile environments;
• Specific knowledge around election technology, administration, security & privacy; and
• Experience working in or with Congress or federal agencies and analyzing policy and legislation.

COMPENSATION

Salary is commensurate with experience and is competitive with public interest and government pay scales. CDT provides a generous benefits package that includes health care and dental coverage, a retirement plan, paid vacation, sick days, and parental leave.

TO APPLY

Please send a cover letter and a resume to hr@cdt.org.

Policy Counsel, Privacy & Data Project, Center for Democracy & Technology

The Policy Counsel will be part of CDT’s Privacy & Data Project, reporting to the project’s director. The Privacy & Data Project team works to enhance individual privacy in the digital world by engaging with regulators and government agencies, empowering users, shaping corporate practices, and providing exemplary thought leadership in a variety of settings.

ABOUT CDT

CDT is a leading nonprofit public interest organization, working at the cutting edge of digital rights policy. With expertise in law, technology, and policy, CDT engages in a variety of strategies to enhance free expression and privacy, including advocacy, public education, and research. CDT works on legislation, participates in agency rule-makings, engages in litigation, and fosters consensus-building among public interest and private sector stakeholders. CDT in headquartered in Washington, DC. For more information, please visit our About page.

Responsibilities

This position reports to the Director of Privacy & Data. Responsibilities may include:

• Conducting in-depth legal, policy and legislative research and analysis and developing privacy policy recommendations;
• Drafting legal and advocacy documents such as policy papers, blog posts, press releases, testimony, agency comments, and legal briefs and memoranda;
• Advocating before executive branch and legislative policymakers;
• Collaborating with industry and foundations to advance best practices in privacy, with an emphasis on the collection, sharing and use of unregulated health data for the first year;
• Representing CDT in the media and at public events; and
• Developing and maintaining productive relationships with other advocates, academics, technologists, companies and communities.

Qualifications

This position is designed for a lawyer with demonstrated knowledge of privacy policy.

Required qualifications:

• A law degree and a minimum of 5 years of experience in law and public policy;
• Exceptional written and oral communication skills and demonstrated analytical and problem solving skills;
• Knowledge of and experience with laws relating to US privacy policy is a must; experience with GDPR preferred;
• Experience working with a variety of diverse stakeholders and an understanding of how to productively bring those disparate positions together;
• Flexibility and the ability to respond to the issues of the day; and
• Commitment to CDT’s mission to put democracy and individual rights at the center of the digital revolution.

Additional qualifications may include:

• Familiarity with relevant policy institutions, including experience working in or with federal agencies or Congress;
• Demonstrated experience with public speaking and communicating with the media;
• Existing relationships with key stakeholders, including policymakers, the press, advocates, and tech companies, and experience collaborating with diverse stakeholders and organizations;
• Knowledge of emerging trends in technology and implications for users and society, including the influence of technology on human rights and civil liberties;
• An understanding of how law, policy and technology may have a disparate impact on underserved or disadvantaged individuals and communities.

COMPENSATION

Salary is commensurate with experience and is competitive with public interest and government pay scales. CDT provides a generous benefits package that includes health care and dental coverage, a retirement plan, paid vacation, sick days, and parental leave.

TO APPLY

Please send a resume, cover letter, and writing sample to hr@cdt.org.

Policy Program Coordinator, National Security Institute

The George Mason University Antonin Scalia Law School seeks a Policy Program Coordinator for the National Security Institute (NSI) on the Arlington, VA., campus. George Mason University has a strong institutional commitment to the achievement of excellence and diversity among its faculty and staff, and strongly encourages candidates to apply who will enrich Mason’s academic and culturally inclusive environment.

Responsibilities:

The NSI Policy Program Coordinator will be responsible for the successful planning and coordination of NSI policy program efforts and events. Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Managing administrative activities related to fiscal management, procurement, and other administrative and support services;
• Assisting with research, writing, and publishing NSI research and advocacy papers and other written materials;
• Interacting with NSI leadership and staff, as well as media, general public, and government officials to plan and coordinate activities;
• Planning and coordinating NSI events and other programmatic activities;
• Managing event registration;
• Preparation of event materials;
• On-site event management;
• Managing activities related to NSI’s website and social media accounts;
• Supporting NSI team in all aspects of NSI’s work; and
• Other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree, or an equivalent combination of education and experience is required, as well as experience in event management;
• Must have excellent organizational skills, with the proven ability to independently juggle multiple tasks and priorities effectively;
• Self-starter, highly motivated and detail-oriented;
• Ability to interact with persons at all levels, including high-level legal officials and academics, in a professional manner and in different settings is critical;
• Excellent written and oral communication skills;
• Superior skills with Microsoft Office suite, as well as strong database experience is necessary;
• Ability to work flexible hours, including weekends; and
• Ability to travel domestically and internationally is necessary.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Public policy experience is desirable.

This is not a supervisory position.

For full consideration, applicants must apply for position number 10522z at http://jobs.gmu.edu/; complete and submit the online application; and upload a cover letter, resume, and a list of three professional references with contact information.

Deputy Executive Director (International Refugee Assistance Project)

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP) works through a robust network of staff, pro bono attorneys and law students to fill a major gap in access to legal aid for refugees, asylum seekers, and other displaced people. IRAP has become the first advocacy organization to provide comprehensive legal representation to refugees throughout the registration, protection and resettlement processes. As fear, division, hatred, and economic uncertainty persist in the global consciousness and manifest in discriminatory policies, speech, and actions, individuals across the world must respond by demanding and upholding commitments to justice. IRAP is leveraging its volunteers and resources to fight back and ensure that we continue to uphold the humanitarian tradition of welcoming those who need refuge.

IRAP is now seeking nominations and applications for the position of Deputy Executive Director.

Since its founding in 2008, IRAP has used legal aid, litigation and advocacy to protect and advance the rights of refugees, both domestically and internationally; the organization has also remained committed to developing the next generation of human rights attorneys through its work with law students. The global turn against refugee resettlement coupled with IRAP’s highly effective model has led to a period of rapid expansion to meet new levels of demand. In the past two years, IRAP’s annual budget has increased from $2 million to $9 million, and over the past six years, its staff has grown from ten to seventy-five.

As it builds capacity through this period of tremendous growth, IRAP seeks a Deputy Executive Director (DED) to provide strategic vision and leadership, lead infrastructure development and programmatic oversight, manage IRAP’s dedicated and talented team, and steward the organization’s continued development to maximize impact. Reporting directly to Becca Heller, IRAP’s founder and Executive Director, the DED will work closely with staff across the organization and at all levels to foster IRAP’s culture of collaboration and identify opportunities for increased support and development.

The ideal candidate will demonstrate a deep connection to IRAP’s mission to use legal advocacy to find safe places to live and safe passage for the world’s most persecuted individuals. S/he/they will be an inclusive, passionate leader committed to combatting inequitable policies impacting refugees and other displaced people and to delivering the highest quality legal and advocacy services. S/he/they will bring at least eight years of progressive leadership experience in a legal and/or nonprofit setting, with demonstrable success in change implementation. The new Deputy Executive Director will be an experienced manager who excels at supporting, mentoring, and motivating staff; developing structures and processes that facilitate efficient and effective communication across leadership and teams within an organization; and supporting teams that work closely with individuals who have experienced trauma.

TO APPLY

More information about IRAP may be found at: https://refugeerights.org/.

This search is being conducted with assistance from Callie Carroll, Allison Kupfer Poteet, Hallie Dietsch and Javier Garcia of NPAG. Due to the pace of this search, candidates are strongly encouraged to apply as soon as possible. Applications including a cover letter describing your interest and qualifications, your resume (in Word format), and where you learned of the position should be sent to: IRAP-DED@nonprofitprofessionals.com. In order to expedite the internal sorting and reviewing process, please type your name (Last, First) as the only contents in the subject line of your e-mail.

IRAP believes that diversity is critical to fostering a strong workplace and serving our clients well. We strongly encourage applications from people with lived experiences in the communities that we serve, members of other marginalized communities, and individuals whose identities are underrepresented in the legal profession.

Legal Service Director / U.S. Legal Director, International Refugee Assistance Project

The International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP) works through a robust network of staff, pro bono attorneys and law students to fill a major gap in access to legal aid for refugees, asylum seekers, and other displaced people. IRAP has become the first advocacy organization to provide comprehensive legal representation to refugees throughout the registration, protection and resettlement processes. As fear, division, hatred, and economic uncertainty persist in the global consciousness and manifest in discriminatory policies, speech, and actions, individuals across the world must respond by demanding and upholding commitments to justice. IRAP is leveraging its volunteers and resources to fight back and ensure that we continue to uphold the humanitarian tradition of welcoming those who need refuge.

IRAP’s Legal Services Department is growing in response to the increased demand to protect those whose rights are being threatened and is now seeking nominations and applications for the positions of Legal Service Director and U.S. Legal Director, both within its Legal Services Department.

Since its founding in 2008, IRAP has used legal aid, litigation and advocacy to protect and advance the rights of refugees, both domestically and internationally; the organization has also remained committed to developing the next generation of human rights attorneys through its work with law students. The global turn against refugee resettlement coupled with IRAP’s highly effective model has led to a period of rapid expansion to meet new levels of demand. In the past two years, IRAP’s annual budget has increased from $2 million to $9 million, and over the past six years, its staff has grown from ten to seventy-five.

Reporting to IRAP’s Executive Director, Becca Heller, the Legal Services Director will lead a team of five talented program directors who oversee the work of over 40 staff. The Legal Services Department focuses on protecting the rights of refugees, and the Director will provide critical strategic partnership to the Executive Director as IRAP navigates this new phase of growth. The Legal Services Director will provide direct supervision to the U.S. Legal Services Director, Middle East Director, Director of Pro Bono, the Director of Complementary Pathways and the Intake and Legal Information Director. S/he/they will oversee staff based in New York City, Jordan, Lebanon, and remotely around the world.

IRAP’s US Legal Services team assists individuals navigating the refugee recognition, resettlement, and visa application processes through their mentorship of pro bono teams, in-house representation, and legal information and pro se materials. Reporting to IRAP’s Legal Services Director, the U.S. Legal Services Director will lead a team of talented attorneys, intake caseworkers, and legal assistants who provide individual legal assistance to refugees and other displaced people around the world. Once hires are completed, the Director will supervise 14 IRAP staff and support a national pro bono network of over 1,000 attorneys and law students.

The ideal candidates will demonstrate a deep connection to IRAP’s mission to use legal advocacy to find safe places to live and safe passage for the world’s most persecuted individuals. They will be an inclusive, passionate leaders committed to combatting inequitable policies impacting refugees and other displaced people and to delivering the highest quality legal and advocacy services. They will be a experienced managers who excel at supporting, mentoring, and motivating legal staff; developing processes that facilitate the efficient and effective delivery of direct legal services by staff and volunteer lawyers; and leading teams that work closely with individuals who have experienced trauma. The Directors be decisive, keenly analytical leaders and thinkers who will build and support healthy culture around prioritization, team communication and decision making. Both the Legal Services Director and U.S. Legal Services Director must have law degrees and be admitted to practice law in the United States.

These searches are being conducted by Meredith Horton, Allison Kupfer Poteet, Hallie Dietsch, and Javier Garcia of the national search firm NPAG. For more information, full position descriptions and instructions on how to apply, please visit the links below.

https://nonprofitprofessionals.com/current-searches-all/irap-ld

https://nonprofitprofessionals.com/current-searches-all/irap-usld

Professional Staff Member/Security Officer, The House Committee on the Judiciary

Job Description:

The House Committee on the Judiciary seeks a Professional Staff Member/Security Officer. Responsibilities include participating in a wide range of oversight projects, assisting in preparation for Committee hearings and markups, providing research assistance, and managing access to the Committee’s secure facility. Ideal candidates should be highly detailed oriented, experience handling large volumes of information, and demonstrated ability to meet precise deadlines. An active security clearance is a plus. The Committee strives to ensure that our staff reflects the diversity of the country’s population; candidates from minority backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply. The Committee does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including marital or parental status, sexual orientation, and gender identity), disability, age, or national origin. To apply, please send a resume and cover letter to Job.JDEM@mail.house.gov. Please include in the subject line: PSM/Security Officer.

Clara Barton International Humanitarian Law Fellowship, American Red Cross

Job Description:

As one of the nation’s premier humanitarian organizations, the American Red Cross is dedicated to helping people in need throughout the United States and, in association with other Red Cross networks, throughout the world. We depend on the many generous contributions of time, blood, and money from the American public to support our lifesaving services and programs. If you share our passion for helping people, join us in this excellent career opportunity.

Based Washington, DC, with the potential to work remotely, the Clara Barton Legal Fellow is an opportunity to gain real world IHL experience in unpaid year-long position with the International Humanitarian Law (IHL) Team at National Headquarters (NHQ) of the American Red Cross. The fellow supports the mission of the Red Cross by working with the IHL Team in promoting humanitarian values through its legal education program.

Responsibilities:

• Create and update course materials to be used by volunteer instructors to teach the public about IHL
• Drafts guidance, procedures and tools to support regions and divisions in the delivery of local IHL programs
• Serve as liaison for volunteer instructor coordination between NHQ, Divisions, and Regions
• Conduct IHL CLE/professional training courses
• Research and maintain CLE accreditation for courses
• Create promotional materials for use by regions and partners
• Organize law school workshops in key regional cities/hubs with law school partners.
• Assist with NHQ hosting of trainings, conferences, meetings, webinars, as required.
• Conduct research on IHL and policy-related areas and draft memoranda on relevant issues of IHL as needed for program development.
• Assist with drafting talking points, backgrounders, and potential presentation material to support our IHL networks.
• Attend briefings/conferences on IHL-related issues and provide updates of key points to IHL team.
• Assist with content and messaging for social media tools.
• Train volunteer instructors to deliver IHL course and instruction
• Assist in researching and creating topic-specific IHL short courses

Qualifications:

• Recent law school graduate, or lawyer transitioning career field with demonstrated interest in international law and policy
• Prior knowledge of international humanitarian law or international criminal law
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, impeccable legal research skills
• Ability to work independently, attention to detail, highly organized
• Ability to travel up to 20% of the time​

Apply now! Joining our team will provide you with the opportunity to make a difference every day. The American Red Cross is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for the position without regard to sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by law.​

​The American Red Cross is a diverse nonprofit organization offering professional development and a collaborative team spirit environment. To be considered for this position send a cover letter, resume, and writing sample to IHLaw@redcross.org.

American Red Cross National Headquarters

430 17th St NW,

Washington, DC 20006

Advocacy Counsel, Human Rights First

JOB TITLE: Advocacy Counsel

DEPARTMENT: Advocacy

LOCATION: Washington, DC

REPORTS TO: Director, National Security Advocacy

JOB CLASSIFICATION: Full-Time; Exempt; Non-Union

PURPOSE OF THE JOB:

The Advocacy Counsel is responsible for implementing and contributing to the development of strategies to achieve objectives at the intersection of human rights and national security and other organizational priorities, as needed. The Advocacy Counsel reports to and acts under the direction and guidance of the Director for National Security Advocacy.

MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Conduct research and prepare original analyses, briefs, recommendations, legislation, executive branch documents, advocacy and press materials, talking points, blogs, social media content, amicus briefs, and other materials to advance the organization’s advocacy objectives.

• Build and maintain relationships and partnerships with colleagues in civil society, the military and other national security-related agencies and departments, issue coalitions and working groups, Hill staff, current and former policymakers, legal and policy experts, journalists, and other stakeholders, in furtherance of organizational objectives.

• Serve as an expert and spokesperson on Human Rights First’s priority issues, including but not limited to Guantanamo and other aspects of indefinite detention and military trials; policies related to drone strikes and other uses of force; torture and detainee treatment; and wartime counterterrorism frameworks such as the 9/11 Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF).

• Represent the organization at meetings, conferences, workshops, and other external events.

• Support and assist the Director for National Security Advocacy on critical tasks, including:

  • Setting program objectives and priorities where Human Rights First can make a unique and measurable impact

  • Developing and implementing strategies to achieve national security advocacy objectives

  • Collaborating with the Development Team and Board of Directors to ensure the long-term sustainability of the national security program

  • Drafting funder proposals and grant reports

  • Developing and managing the annual program budget

  • Supervising interns and volunteers

• As needed, work across issue areas and function as part of campaign teams, special projects, or working groups to advance the organization’s objectives.

• Other duties as requested based on organizational need.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

• J.D. or other advanced degree in public policy, international affairs, human rights, national security, or another relevant field.

• Experience working in the executive or legislative branches or conducting policy advocacy preferred.

• Familiarity with U.S. governmental institutions and U.S. and international law related to national security and human rights.

• Strong legal and policy research skills, including the ability to monitor and analyze relevant national and international legal and political developments.

• Strong organizational and analytical skills, excellent political judgment, and ability to think strategically.

• A high degree of initiative; and the ability to thrive and multi-task in a demanding, fast-paced environment.

• Ability to work efficiently and effectively under pressure and deliver high quality results; to work successfully across organization lines and with a diverse team of colleagues; to work in a variety of U.S. and international settings (including governmental, legal, advocacy and the media).

• Excellent written and spoken communication skills; demonstrated ability to translate the human rights impacts of issues to a variety of audiences (including policymakers and the media) and effectively edit the written work of others.

• Demonstrated ability to quickly comprehend, internalize, and demonstrate expertise in complex policy issues.

• Ability to develop and implement strategies to achieve concrete and measurable outcomes in a politically challenging legislative environment.

• Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to effectively and persuasively interact with the press. Communications experience preferred.

• Ability to cultivate and maintain relationships with advocacy partners such as senior-level former government officials, retired military leaders, diplomats, or intelligence officials. Outreach and engagement experience preferred.

• Fluency in English.

SUBMISSION DEADLINE: Open until filled.

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS: Interested candidates should submit a Resume, Cover Letter, Transcripts, List of references and Writing Sample. All in PDF format.

Only selected applicants will be contacted for phone or in-person interviews. No phone calls, please.

Human Rights First is committed to recruiting, retaining, and developing staff from a diversity of backgrounds, including members of racial and ethnic minorities, LGBT people, people with disabilities, people of all socioeconomic backgrounds, people of all nationalities, and veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces. We believe that a diverse staff and an inclusive work environment that welcomes a range of perspectives help make our advocacy work stronger and more effective.

Attorney-Advisor, Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board (PCLOB)

Attorney, Central Intelligence Agency

The Central Intelligence Agency is seeking highly qualified candidates to join CIA’s Office of General Counsel. We are actively recruiting exceptional attorneys with a wide variety of backgrounds and experience levels. We seek attorneys with experience in areas including government contracts, technology and cyber-related law, national security law, employment, ethics, privacy, litigation, and federal appropriations law, among others. Prior national security experience is welcome but not required. If this opportunity sounds interesting to you, please visit our website for additional information and application instructions.