The Center for Human Rights and Global Justice helps students gain knowledge and skills to work with international organizations, governments, advocacy groups, and movements. It encourages advanced research and meaningful involvement by allowing students to learn about various human rights topics at NYU School of Law and worldwide.

 

These programs include:

 

  • Exploration in one of the most impactful human rights clinics in the country;
  • A human rights fellowship that places students in established law organizations around the world;
  • A robust full-time summer internship program; and
  • Opportunities to produce scholarships for publication.

Academic Year

Courses

Enroll in one of the numerous human rights-related doctrinal and practical courses offered by NYU’s extensive international law department. Widen your horizons by taking classes at different NYU campuses.

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Human Rights Scholars Program

Participate in this year-long program as a research assistant for faculty and staff. The program is open to all NYU Law students.

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International Law and Human Rights Emerging Scholarship Conference

Submit a paper to our annual Emerging Scholarship Conference, organized by CHRGJ and IILJ. Open to NYU Law students in all programs and years.

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Moots

Participate in a CHRGJ-sponsored international moot competition. Opportunities are available for LLMs and JDs. Eligibility varies by competition.

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Academic Internships

Become a CHRGJ-facilitated intern at the New York office of a human rights organization. The International Humanitarian Fact-Finding Commission offers a part-time, paid position as part of the program.

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Law Students for Human Rights

Join a student-run organization that offers mentoring, internship, and educational programs to help you shape your own human rights experience.

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Partner Centers and Institutes

NYU is home to many centers and institutions, including CHRGJ, the International Law and Justice Institute, and the Robert L. Bernstein Institute for Human Rights.

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Transitional Justice Leadership Program

Learn from some of the world’s leading professionals in the field of transitional justice. Open to LLM students at NYU School of Law.

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Summer & Post-Graduate

ILHR Fellowship Program

Apply to a program that provides summer internships with leading human rights organizations, specialized training, and the opportunity to hone your research skills. Open to NYU Law 1L, 2L, LLM, and JSD students.

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Summer Legal Internship Program

Join CHRGJ for a 10-week full-time summer internship to work on various advocacy and research initiatives with Center faculty and staff. Law students or recent law graduates from any university are eligible to apply.

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Arthur Helton Fellowship

Create a project that utilizes your legal knowledge to address current concerns in a country where human rights regulations are insufficient. Applicants must be NYU Law graduates.

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Masiyiwa Bernstein Fellowship

Submit your application for a year of full-time employment with a cutting-edge human rights organization. Open to graduating NYU Law JD students.

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Human Rights in China Bernstein Fellowship in International Human Rights

Apply for one year of full-time human rights activism, working closely with HRIC attorneys and advocacy professionals and contributing to HRIC’s advocacy, casework, research, and outreach. All NYU Law graduates are eligible to apply.

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International Court of Justice Clerkship

Clerk for a judge at the International Court of Justice in The Hague through this highly selective 10-month clerkship program. Recent NYU Law graduates are eligible to apply.

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Engaged Learning

Professor Satterthwaite on the philosophy of the Global Justice Clinic
“One of the most important things is turning the human rights-based approach on ourselves to make sure that we do our work in a way that advances the human rights of the people we’re working with.”

Professor Alston on integrating NYU students into his UN work
“One of the great advantages for me in being involved in United Nations human rights is that I am based here at NYU [with] students who are very keen to work on the relevant issues, who want to get the exposure, get the experience.”

CHRGJ Alumni

Class of 2011

Emerson Sykes

Emerson Sykes always knew he wanted a career in international human rights. After studying Political Science, African History, and French at Stanford University, he pursued a joint JD/MPA from NYU School of Law and the Woodrow Wilson School at Princeton University, and today works as legal advisor for Africa at the International Center for Not-for-Profit Law.

Class of 2013

Merryl Lawry-White LLM

Merryl Lawry-White, a former Transitional Justice Scholar, now works as a Juriste Adjoint to a Judge at the International Court of Justice. This involves working with the Judge on all disputes that come before the Court, implicating a broad range of international law issues, including questions of the use of force, environmental law, human rights law, humanitarian law, the law on genocide, reparations, and other areas.

Class of 2011

Wade McMullen

Wade, a former clinic student and current Staff Attorney at the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights, talks about his experience at CHRGJ.

Class of 2011

Elizabeth Ashamu Deng

Elizabeth, a former clinic student and current Researcher at Human Rights Watch, talks about her experience at CHRGJ.

Class of 2008

Amanda Klasing

Amanda, a former clinic student and current Researcher on Women’s Rights at Human Rights Watch, talks about her experience at CHRGJ.

Information for CHRGJ Alumni

CHRGJ promotes alumni achievements and fosters relationships among its faculty, students, and alumni. Please send an email to alumni@chrgj.org if there isnews you would like to feature online or meet with students.