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Victims’ Legal Representative – Consultancy

Location: Germany, France, and The Netherlands (3 roles)

About the Consultancy: 

The Syria Justice and Accountability Centre (SJAC) seeks Victims’ Legal Representatives based in Germany, the Netherlands, and France to provide legal services to Syrian witnesses and survivors participating in accountability processes against perpetrators of Syrian war crimes. This work is part of an ongoing project and will be compensated on an as-needed basis. The consultant(s) will work directly with Syrian clients participating in accountability processes related to war crimes committed in Syria and represent them in police questioning, before investigating judges and at trial, as appropriate. 

General Duties:  

  • Interview individuals referred by SJAC for purposes of preparing them for participation in accountability processes. 
  • Draft and submit criminal complaints or other submissions on behalf of Syrian clients referred by SJAC to the consultant. 
  • Upon authorization from SJAC, represent witnesses and victims in criminal proceedings against Syrian perpetrators of war crimes. 
  • Inform SJAC of referral status and progress on complaints (upon client’s consent). 

Qualifications: 

  • Law degree and ability to represent clients in the practice of law in designated jurisdiction. 
  • Knowledge of Syria and the Syrian conflict. 
  • Experience working with and legally representing witnesses and survivors of war crimes. 
  • Excellent communication skills (verbal and written). 
  • Strong interpersonal and organizational skills. 
  • Conversational English language ability; Knowledge of Arabic is preferred. 
  • Knowledge of gender-based violence and the ability to produce gender-sensitive analysis of the Syrian context and justice processes. 

SJAC is a diverse organization made up of 60+ team members around the globe. We pride ourselves in our ability to implement programming that is inclusive and responsive to the needs of all Syrians, and believe that our own team’s diversity of viewpoints and experiences helps us to achieve that goal. We encourage all interested applicants to apply, regardless of race, religion, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, or age.   

To apply for this position, please send an email with the subject line “Victims Legal Representative – [jurisdiction]” to [email protected], providing a cover letter, resume, and proposed hourly rate. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. In the cover letter, please clearly state relevant language abilities, location, and authorization to practice law within that jurisdiction.