Deadline: 28-Feb-21
The Justice Leila Seth Fellowship invites lawyers committed to social justice to be part of an ecosystem that strives to preserve the rights and dignity of all people. The Fellowship draws together a cohort of lawyers to enhance their legal education in an environment that nurtures egalitarian communities.
Many lawyers are unable to pursue a rights-based legal practice as sector salaries preclude people who do not have independent means. Fellows will receive a monthly salary commensurate to working at a leading social justice organization.
The Fellowship aims to stimulate, challenge and support young lawyers who are in the early stages of their career and from varied backgrounds.
The foundation of the Fellowship rests on the vision and strategy designed and implemented by iProbono, which includes —
- Strengthening the impact of civil society;
- Advancing justice for all by representing people in need;
- Advocating for policies that promote social equity and end discrimination.
Thematic Areas
- iProbono’s approach is based on principles that inform a good society, such as free speech, democratic participation and accountability. Current thematic focus areas include gender equality, violence against women and children, LGBTQ+, minorities, disability, and discrimination based on race or caste.
- The Fellowship will combine legal education, active litigation, and advocacy through storytelling to change hearts and minds. This philosophy gives their most vulnerable clients a voice, takes their stories to a broader audience and enhances their impact.
The 18-Month Fellowship will include:
- Focused casework in iProbono’s thematic areas impacting child rights, women’s rights or minority rights;
- Mentorship throughout the Fellowship from an experienced advocate;
- Training in iProbono’s model of delivering pro bono legal services to civil society organizations;
- Secondment to an iProbono partner civil society organization;
- Secondment to a national iProbono office in India;
- At the end of the first Fellowship year and at completion, the Fellow will prepare and present a report that provides an account of their experience;
- After the first year of the Fellowship, candidates will design a project/programme in one of the thematic areas and submit it to the Fellowship Committee for review. The programme should have the potential to further women/children’s rights – either in the form of empirical research or intervention in legal proceedings or policy-interventions.
Selection Criteria
- Fellows will be recruited through a competitive selection process and judged on their demonstrated commitment to social justice, knowledge of the law or other, equally, compelling experience.
- The only required academic qualification is an undergraduate degree from an Indian University that has legal modules.
- Fellows do not need to have experience working in human rights or social justice but must demonstrate a passion for social justice.
- Applicants should be able to work with a cohort of Fellows of diverse occupational, geographic, and ideological profiles.
- The applicant will need to commit to an 18-month term as a Fellow commencing in 2021.
For more information, visit https://leilaseth.org/about-the-fellowship/