Law Fellow Spring 2027

Accountability Counsel strives to create a world where people and our planet are prioritized over profits; powerful institutions are responsive to the needs of communities; and the global financial system respects human and environmental rights. We hold trillions of dollars in international investments accountable to human rights and environmental standards. We work alongside communities whose rights, livelihoods, and environment are under threat. Case by case, and investor by investor, we shift power to communities to build a more just financial system.

We work toward change through three programmatic approaches. Advocates in our Communities program provide grassroots legal support and assist communities to use accountability offices effectively; our Research team delivers concrete research and tools for the movement for accountability more broadly; and our Policy team advocates for accountability offices that are accessible, transparent, and fair tools for justice. Our respect-based approach underlies all that we do: internally, it guides how our team treats one another, and externally, it ensures that marginalized people, particularly women and girls, are included as full participants in community-led strategies seeking accountability.

Role Description

Law Fellows will primarily support Accountability Counsel’s collaboration with communities around the world in filing complaints, accompanying communities through investigation and mediation processes, and providing advice and resource materials to further community goals. Law Fellows will support our portfolio of casework in Latin America and the Caribbean, Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Law Fellows projects often include legal research, researching case backgrounds, drafting memos, contributing to complaint development, and participation in meetings with community members, international institutions, and NGO colleagues as opportunities arise.

Spring and Fall positions are unpaid volunteer positions, but we will be happy to work with your institution to arrange academic credit.

Requirements

Applicants are requested to have relevant work experience and/or an academic background in at least some of the areas in which we work: international law; development and economics; public policy; and environmental and human rights. Applicants are required to have excellent communication, research, writing, and critical thinking skills.

We accept applications from current law students and recent law graduates (within one year of graduation). Please note that law student applicants are expected to have finished at least their 1L year before the fellowship begins.

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