Legal Advisor, Business and Human Rights

Do you want to use your legal experience as an expert in the field of business and human rights to support our mission for a world where human rights are enjoyed by all?

JOB PURPOSE

This is a key role in Amnesty International’s Business and Human Rights team.

The Legal Advisor provides Amnesty International’s International Secretariat with international human rights law expertise, takes the lead on relevant business and human rights standard-setting and litigation, and contributes to the collective work of the Business & Human Rights team.

ABOUT YOU

You will have significant experience in the field of international human rights with a professional qualification to study law in at least one jurisdiction.

You will have an excellent ability to analyze accurately complex legal issues and apply legal reasoning in pursuit of developing strategic responses and advice to support colleagues around the world.

You will have outstanding written and verbal English skills, used to writing clearly and concisely without the significant need for revisions.

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provide the International Secretariat, sections, structures and networks in the AI movement with high-quality analysis of international law and standards relevant to business and human rights including international human rights law, international humanitarian law, international criminal law and international economic law, and guidance on their implementation at the national level, in order to ensure that AI strategies and public documents reflect solid legal thinking and advance progressive interpretations of international law and standards.
• Advise on the strategic use of human rights bodies and procedures and international, regional, and national tribunals to advance AI priorities relating to business and human rights.
• Work with relevant staff of the Research and Advocacy Programme and regional programmes to identify and evaluate standard-setting initiatives undertaken within the United Nations system and by regional bodies respectively, take the lead on developing AI’s institutional response to those initiatives, and contribute to institutional lobbying and other advocacy on those standard-setting initiatives in order to ensure delivery of AI priorities, goals, and objectives.

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

• Professional qualification to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, or recognition as an outstanding professional international lawyer, and at least five years’ experience, is essential.
• Professional qualification or extensive knowledge of and experience in the application of international law, including international human rights law, humanitarian law and international criminal law, is essential.
• Professional qualification or extensive knowledge of and experience in corporate law or economic law.
• Excellent ability to analyze accurately complex legal issues and apply legal reasoning in pursuit of developing a strategic response.
• Excellent ability to represent AI externally, including in a diplomatic context, in governmental and other discussions, and to the media, and to explain complex legal concepts simply and accurately to a variety of audience.

Please see the attached job description for more information on responsibilities, skills and experience required.

Amnesty International encourages candidates from all over the world to apply, subject to visa requirements, a relocation package can be offered.

ABOUT US

Since the mid-2000s when it began researching Business and Human Rights, Amnesty International has documented numerous examples of multinational corporations causing, contributing to, or being linked to serious human rights abuses, and analysed the reasons behind states’ failures to regulate them in a meaningful way that protects the rights of their citizens and those of other states.

We work towards a world where states pass and enforce meaningful regulations that protect citizens from the harmful actions of corporate actors; businesses take proactive steps to avoid causing, contributing or being linked to human rights abuses, and provide remedy to victims; and members of the public use their power as consumers to push for change.

Amnesty’s work on corporates is led by its Business and Human Rights team, which sits with the Climate, Economic and Social Justice and Corporate Accountability programme. We are a team of lawyers, journalists and campaigners.

Amnesty International is a global movement of more than 10 million people who campaign for a world where human rights are enjoyed by all. We reach almost every country in the world.

Our aim is simple: an end to human rights abuses. Independent, international and influential, we campaign for justice, fairness, freedom and truth wherever they’re denied. And whether we’re applying pressure through powerful research or direct lobbying, mass demonstrations or online campaigning, we’re all inspired by hope for a better world. One where human rights are respected and protected by everyone, everywhere.

At Amnesty International, we are passionate about what we do and we are proud of our achievements as a movement. To compensate our employees for the critical work they do, we reward them through a combination of an attractive and sector competitive salary and benefits package, high levels of engagement and involvement, and a commitment to employee development.

Benefits include 37 days annual leave (inclusive of public holidays and grace days), pension scheme, employee assistance programme, life assurance and many more benefits designed to suit your own personal lifestyle. All of this, in a professional, engaging environment.

For further information on our benefits, please visit https://www.amnesty.org/en/careers/benefits/

WHAT WE HOPE YOU WILL DO NEXT

If you are talented, passionate about human rights and want to use your skills, knowledge and experience to change the world then we would encourage you to click ‘Apply for this Role’ below.

Freedom, Justice, Equality. Let’s get to work.

N.B. We reserve the right to close a vacancy before the closing date in the event of an overwhelming response or a change in business priorities**