National Lawyer (Child Justice)

General Background

GRC is an international law foundation established in 2013, dedicated to promoting accountability and strengthening justice systems through the application of international law. With ongoing operations in some of the world’s most complex legal and security environments, Global Rights Compliance continues to provide specialized legal expertise, policy solutions, and strategic advisory services to uphold justice and strengthen the rule of law globally.

About the Team

The Child Justice Team (CJT) is currently engaged in building the capacity of Ukrainian justice actors relating to child friendly justice. The CJT is seeking a Senior Legal Advisor for a new project on ‘Child-Sensitive Approaches to Improve Responses to Deportation of Ukrainian Children’. The Project aims to strengthen child-friendly documentation, investigation/prosecution, and adjudication of crimes related to the deportation of children; and enhance child-friendly and trauma-informed processes and procedures for engaging with child victims and witnesses of deportation-relation crimes. Working alongside civil society partners, national coordinating bodies, and national justice authorities, the project’s activities will include capacity building and assistance to civil society on documentation of deportation-related crimes and engaging with accountability mechanisms; development of child-friendly SOP Toolkit and a Trauma-Informed Handbook, alongside training and mentorship to embed standards; and Skill-sharing workshops and outcome documents on child-friendly approaches to justice.

We are a seeking a Ukrainian National Lawyer to join our team in Ukraine for a new project on ‘Child-Sensitive Approaches to Improve Responses to Deportation of Ukrainian Children’. The National Lawyer will assist the Child Justice Team in researching international and Ukrainian law, as well as factual open-source research; analysing evidence and information; preparing and organising training and training materials; and engaging with Ukrainian counterparts.

Full / Part-time: Full-time

Location: Ukraine

The Role

• Provide support and guidance to the CJT in understanding Ukrainian law and context;
• Provide support to the CJT in the preparation and execution of work plans.
• Provide information and insights concerning domestic laws and practices that would inform the work of the team, including related to child-friendly practices.
• Lead in the analysis of domestic cases and evidence under the CMJT Lead’s guidance.
• Maintain contacts with the civil society organisations and other project beneficiaries, ensuring the Team Lead is briefed on communications with those stakeholders.
• Support with administrative aspects of project management (logging tasks received; tracking communications, etc.).
• Communicate and coordinate closely with other GRC teams.
• Support senior lawyers and investigators as needed.

Your Background

• 4+ years relevant legal experience.
• Post-graduate degree in law, with specialism in international law.
• Practical experience working with Ukrainian justice actors.
• ICL / IHL experience (in a practical application – solely academic study/work will be ineligible).
• Experience in documentation, investigation, or prosecutions is desirable.
• Strong interest in CAAC, child rights violations, and integration of child-sensitive approaches into international core crimes, including child-friendly justice frameworks is desirable.
• Flexible and creative; able to work in a fast-moving environment; proactive, anticipating problems, and solutions orientated.
• Practical thinker, able to break down and pursue the elements required to operationalize a strategy.
• Administratively competent; able to manage to compete for urgent demands.
• Practical experience in working with highly sensitive material and an ability to demonstrate the requisite skill in storing, sharing, and working with such material.
• Fluency in English and Ukrainian, written and verbal skills.

Note: This role is contingent upon confirmation of funding.