PARALEGAL/COORDINATOR

Application Deadline: June 7, 2013

Human Rights Watch (“HRW”) is seeking highly qualified applicants for the position of Paralegal / Coordinator with the General Counsel’s (“GC”) Office. This position will report to the General Counsel and the General Counsel for Operations.

Responsibilities:

1. Coordinate work flow and manage a network of attorneys;
2. Act as a direct liaison with outside and pro-bono counsel;
3. Create and maintain filing and knowledge management systems to organize and track legal information;
4. Assist HRW staff with legal compliance requirements;
5. Assist with the legal registrations of HRW’s international offices and affiliates and intellectual property registrations;
6. Assist with research, drafting and editing legal correspondence, legal applications and other documents;
7. Manage support services for HRW staff, including HRW’s Continuing Legal Education program and other training programs;
8. Assist with travel arrangements and follow-up;
9. Recruit and coordinate legal volunteers and interns;
10. Provide administrative and paralegal assistance to the GC office including, coordinating meetings; managing calendars; word processing; photocopying; filing; faxing; answering phones; processing incoming mail; and other assigned tasks; and
11. Carry out other duties as required.

 Qualifications:

Education:  Bachelor’s degree in a related field is required.

Experience:  Minimum 2 years of relevant work experience. Prior experience in a legal office setting is highly desirable.

Related Skills and Knowledge: 

1. Prior office/administration experience and strong organizational skills are required.
2. Excellent oral and written communication skills are required.
3. Strong interpersonal skills are required.
4. Self-motivated and ability to work well under pressure while juggling multiple tasks simultaneously is required.
5. Ability to make sound decisions consistent with functions.
6. Ability to maintain confidentiality is required.
7. Ability to prioritize with minimal supervision and work independently as well as function as a member of a team.
8. Proficiency in computer packages including MS Office applications.
9. Knowledge of data management or librarianships skills are preferred.
10. Strong interest in international human rights is preferred.

Other: Applicants for this position must possess current United States work authorization valid for a minimum of two years from start date.

Salary and Benefits:  Salary range starts at $44,841.Human Rights Watch offers comprehensive employer-paid benefits, including medical, dental, vision, disability and life insurance, an outstanding retirement savings plan and twenty (20) days vacation per year.

Contact: Please submit a cover letter, curriculum vitae including GPA information, a brief writing sample (unedited by others), and contact information for three references to gcjobs@hrw.org. Please use “Paralegal/Coordinator Ref: GC-13-1025” as the subject of your email. 

Only complete applications will be reviewed and only qualified candidates will be contacted.

Human Rights Watch is an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate in its hiring practices and, in order to build the strongest possible workforce, actively seeks a diverse applicant pool.

The General Counsel’s Office at Human Rights Watch is responsible for legal oversight of the organization's corporate matters, such as issues of internal governance and policy, a wide range of media law, foreign operations, tax, insurance and contract review, litigation and international and domestic employment matters, including labor relations.

Human Rights Watch is an international human rights monitoring and advocacy organization known for its in-depth investigations, its incisive and timely reporting, its innovative and high-profile advocacy campaigns, and its success in changing the human rights-related policies and practices of influential governments and international institutions.