A COMMONWEALTH LAW OFFICER

-to maintain and develop its Commonwealth Human Rights Law Programme Salary c. £23,000

INTERIGHTS, the International Centre for the Legal Protection of Human
Rights, was founded in 1982 to promote the legal protection of human rights
and freedoms through the effective use of international and comparative
human rights law. It provides support for lawyers, judges, human rights
organisations and others in addressing human rights problems through the
law, with programmes in Africa, Central and Eastern Europe, South Asia and
the Caribbean.

INTERIGHTS now seeks a Commonwealth Law Officer to maintain and develop a
comprehensive programme providing worldwide access to comparative
Commonwealth human rights law.

In 1996, INTERIGHTS began publishing a periodical, The Commonwealth Human
Rights Law Digest, containing summaries of human rights decisions of
Commonwealth courts. The Digest was developed at the request of judges and
lawyers throughout the Commonwealth who sought access to comparative
jurisprudence from other common law countries in addressing human rights
issues arising in their own jurisdictions. The Digest has been very well
received, but can carry only a limited number of decisions each year.
INTERIGHTS has therefore developed a Database of Commonwealth Human Rights
Law, containing shorter summaries of a much larger number of cases.

The Commonwealth Law Officer will be responsible for maintaining and
developing the Commonwealth Human Rights Law Programme, including:

· collecting and summarising human rights related decisions from the
higher courts of the Commonwealth
· maintaining and developing Interights' Commonwealth Human Rights Law
Database
· producing the triennial Commonwealth Human Rights Law Digest
· determining means of improving accesss to the database both on
INTERIGHTS' Website and by other means for those without access to the Web
· responding to requests for information on Commonwealth case law
· coordinating the administration and development of Interights'
Website.

The successful candidate will have legal qualifications from a Commonwealth
jurisdiction, at least one year's relevant experience, a sound knowledge of
international human rights law and experience in summarising legal texts.
Fluency in English and sound IT skills essential. Familiarity with legal
systems of more than one Commonwealth country and experience in legal
publishing would be an advantage.

The Commonwealth Law Officer will be based in London and will join a staff
of fifteen, including eight other lawyers, in a multicultural and
self-sufficient environment.

For an application form, contact Cathal Sheerin, INTERIGHTS,
33 Islington High Street, London N1 9LH.
Fax: 020 7278 4334 email: [email protected]
No telephone calls or c.v.s please.

Closing date: 21 May 2001 Interviews: week of 11 June 2001

INTERIGHTS aims to be an equal opportunities employer.