JOB PURPOSE

Amnesty International’s Business and Human Rights team aims to secure accountability for human rights-related corporate abuses, including those that amount to crimes. The primary role of the Legal Advisor and Researcher is to carry out and support investigative research into human rights abuses involving companies, as well as providing advice on potential criminal offences and legal avenues for justice. It also includes representing Amnesty and its corporate accountability work with key stakeholders and networks. The Legal Advisor and Researcher also provides the International Secretariat with international human rights law expertise, and provides advice to colleagues who are conducting research or campaigns focussed on businesses and their impacts on human rights. The Legal Advisor and Researcher reviews outputs produced by others in the organisation, including reports, amicus briefs and press releases. They also with work with other colleagues on relevant business and human rights standard-setting and litigation, and contributes to the collective work of the Business and Human Rights Team.

LOCATIONS
The location for this role is London, Johannesburg or Nairobi.  The salary will be dependent on location.

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead AI’s project on corporate crimes and accountability, including ensuring the delivery of work linked to external grants; guiding its strategic direction and vision; maintaining strong relationships with key stakeholders; and representing AI in fundraising activities.
• Carry out investigative research (both desk and field research) into legal breaches, including the commission of crimes, as well as human right abuses, by corporate actors; carry out investigative research (using a range of techniques) into corporate structures and financial flows; provide legal research and advice to support cases being investigated by AI, including advice on potential criminal offences and legal avenues for justice; provide or commission written materials to support the investigation of AI cases by law enforcement agencies; and act as AI’s lead representative on corporate crimes, with respect to both case work and the corporate crimes project generally.
• 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 and corporate crimes.

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

• Professional qualification to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, or recognition as an outstanding professional international lawyer, and experience in the practice of law, 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 domestic criminal law, corporate law and/or economic law.
• Experience in investigating human rights-related corporate crimes and in identifying and pursuing legal avenues for justice at national and international level.