The Mills Legal Clinic of Stanford Law School welcomes applicants for a teaching fellow or clinical supervising attorney position in its International Human Rights Clinic (IHRC, also known as the International Human Rights and Conflict Resolution Clinic or IHRCRC). The IHRC at Stanford Law School is one of ten clinics that make up the Mills Legal Clinic.
The IHRC fosters the development of legal skills by its clinical students through classroom learning and direct, intensive engagement, including on-site field work, in human rights projects in the United States and around the world. Through supervised practice, students in the Clinic build human rights lawyering skills and learn to appreciate the tensions and responsibilities in the practice of law and advocacy generally. In the past, the IHRC has worked on over a dozen projects to defend and advance the rights of actual and potential victims; these projects have included advocacy on behalf of drone strikes in Pakistan, laborers in the textile industry in Cambodia, and jointly with the Inter-American Commission, in support of victims of femicide in Guatemala and judicial abuse in El Salvador before the Inter-American Court of Human Rights.
The Clinical Teaching Fellow or Clinical Supervising Attorney (CSA) will be a legally-trained practitioner with experience in human rights. The Fellow/CSA will work with closely with the IHRC Director, Prof. James Cavallaro, to develop legal projects, assist in ongoing project work, and manage small student teams. Clinical projects generally involve close work with stakeholders to define representational and advocacy goals, research, fact-finding and documentation (often in difficult circumstances, frequently overseas) and development of advocacy strategies and products. Projects often require representation and advocacy before domestic and international fora, as well as through the production of short videos or other advocacy documents. The Fellow/CSA will assist in supervising student work during field travel for periods of between several days and several weeks at a time. The fellow/CSA should be available for such travel.
The teaching fellow/CSA will be expected to participate in all work of the IHRC and the relevant activities of the Mills Legal Clinic. All Mills Legal Clinic attorneys are part of the intellectual community within the clinical program and the Law School and university at large. For example, fellows and attorneys are invited to attend weekly workshops at which scholars from Stanford and throughout the world present works in progress.
Applicants should have a minimum of two years of relevant experience, which may include relevant work prior to law school. Applicants with more experience are welcome to apply for a CSA position. In addition to a record of, or demonstrated potential for, clinical teaching, advocacy, and intellectual engagement, the ideal candidate will have experience: as a practicing lawyer or human rights advocate; in practice-oriented courses; in student supervision; in working collaboratively with other rights advocates and faculty. Other evidence of relevant knowledge of and practical engagement in international human rights law and mechanisms is welcome.
Application requirements:
- A statement no longer than four (4) pages describing the applicant’s: (i) relevant background and experience; (ii) interest and potential for clinical supervision and teaching; and (iii) one to four potential project ideas/concept notes (one to three paragraphs per idea/concept,explaining the overall nature of the project and the role of students in all phases of itsimplementation)
- An updated c.v.
- A list of three professional references (with relevant contact numbers, email addresses, etc.)
- A brief writing sample, in English
- A complete law school transcript
Applications will be considered on a rolling basis until the position is filled. The anticipated start date is October 2017, although an earlier (or later) start is possible. The initial term of the appointment is expected to be one year, depending on start date. The position is subject to renewal, extension or modification, after August 2018. The salary or the fellowship stipend will be based on a formula that is competitive with similar positions. Applicants should submit resumes through http://stanfordcareers.stanford.edu/, noting job number 75504. Applicants should also send the following materials electronically to the attention of Professor James Cavallaro at ihrcrc@law.stanford.edu.
About the Stanford clinical program and Mills Legal Clinic
The Stanford clinical program is unique in that students participate in a clinic on a full-time basis; the clinic is the only course a student takes during the term of enrollment. The Mills Legal Clinic occupies an entire floor in an award-winning central campus building opened just a few years ago. More information about the Mills Legal Clinic is available here.