WANTED: Human Rights Fellows in Residence - McGill Centre for Human Rights and Legal Pluralism

O'Brien Human Rights Fellows in Residence Program

at the McGill Centre for Human Rights and Legal Pluralism

APPLICANT PROFILE: McGill Centre for Human Rights and Legal Pluralism (CHRLP) will select the O'Brien Fellows from a diverse pool of applicants that includes journalists, activists, academics, and practitioners in the field of human rights. Applicants should possess a deep understanding of their chosen subject area and a track record of professional accomplishment. Fellows should be able to work in English with proficiency. Knowledge of French is desirable.

DURATION & LOCATION: 1 to 6 months in residence at the Centre for Human Rights and Legal Pluralism, McGill Faculty of Law.

As the target group of the program is young professionals to renowned experts, the residency program is aimed at providing flexibility for the Fellow and Centre to determine a mutually convenient time frame for the Fellowship. It is expected that Fellows will spend the entire duration of their fellowship in residence, preferably during the academic terms (September - December and January - April).

FUNDING: The fellowship will cover costs associated with travel and provide a stipend based on the duration of the fellowship and the candidate's profile.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE: Please email the following documents to chrlp.law@mcgill.ca with the email subject title "Application: O'Brien Human Rights Fellows in Residence program." Electronic applications only.
- A Curriculum Vitae (CV)
- A cover letter elaborating your professional trajectory, specific area of interest in human rights, and reasons or motivations for seeking affiliation with the Centre
- A plan or list of goals for the period spent "in residence" at the Centre. This may include: identification of a mentor(s), a specific project requiring access to academic resources, proposed facilitation of a seminar course, willingness to speak at events related to your work/research experience, or means of engaging with student groups or research bodies at the Faculty and in Montreal generally.
- Two letters of recommendation

DEADLINE: Rolling basis

SELECTION PROCESS: A Selection Committee consisting of members and individuals from CHRLP's partner network will be formed. Candidates will be chosen on a rolling basis. The selection process may include an interview. In identifying potential Fellows, CHRLP may focus on specific priority areas based on the interests and expertise available at the Centre or in the extended network of the Centre.

FELLOWSHIP EXPECTATIONS: Fellows will directly enrich CHRLP's intellectual life and broaden its understanding of pivotal human rights issues. Fellows are expected to take full advantage of the Centre, Faculty and the University's resources and engage with these rich and diverse academic, social, and cultural communities. The visitors are expected to bring new ideas and approaches to the life and work of the Centre. The program expects that Fellows will spend the entire duration of their fellowship in residence, preferably during the academic term. While in residence, Fellows are strongly encouraged to organize and participate in programs and events organized by students, the Centre and the Faculty and may be asked to teach or facilitate a seminar.

FURTHER INFORMATION: Further information about the Centre could be found at: http://www.mcgill.ca/humanrights

NOTICE: Defabritiis on Oral Advocacy in a Land without Binding Precedent

Sabrina Defabritiis, ‘Lost in translation: Oral advocacy in a land without binding precedent’, now available on SSRN and forthcoming in the Suffolk Transnational Law Review, might be of interest:

Robert Frost first famously penned “Poetry is what gets lost in translation.” In the world of advocacy, persuasion is what gets lost in translation. This article examines the distinctions in the common law and civil law methods of legal reasoning. It analyzes why, in form and substance, the traditional common law oral argument methods are neither effective nor persuasive when presented in a civil law jurisdiction. Although the common law and civil law legal traditions share similar social objectives, arguing based on stare decisis is incompatible with the Code-based method applied by civil law courts. This article explores how to transfer common law advocacy skills to create an effective civil law oral argument. By making this transition, a common law advocate will be able to garner a greater awareness of the civil law system, including an understanding of the rules that govern the court or tribunal that will be hearing the argument, an appreciation for the role of the judge hearing the argument, and an appreciation for the role of scholars in the civil law system. As a result, common law practitioners can hone their ability to effectively craft a persuasive civil law argument.

WANTED: Postgraduate Part-time Research Assistant

Postgraduate Part-time Research Assistant [Queen Mary, University of London]

 
The department of Law is seeking to employ a suitably qualified Postgraduate Research Assistant to work within the research project RELIGARE. This is a EU grant funded position. The project researches the area of: 'Religious Diversity and Secular Models in Europe - Innovative Approaches to Law and Policy'.

The successful candidate will be required to undertake research in collaboration with and under the supervision of the Principal Investigator, Dr Prakash Shah, in order to realise the objectives and development of the research programme. Duties will involve writing case notes, assisting in the organisation of project meetings, attending project meetings, coordinating volunteers' activities, and writing and editing research papers and reports. Good academic and legal writing skills are necessary.

The post is part-time and available for 6 months. Remuneration will be made on an hourly basis and will be in the range of £15.43 - £16.27 per hour depending on the tasks allocated and experience of the employee. Benefits include 30 days annual leave (pro-rata) and defined benefit pension scheme.

Candidates must be able to demonstrate their eligibility to work in the UK in accordance with the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006. Where required, this may include entry clearance or continued leave to remain under the Points Based Immigration Scheme.

Informal enquiries should be addressed to please contact Dr Prakash Shah (prakash.shah@qmul.ac.uk)

Details about the department and further particulars are available from: www.laws.qmul.ac.uk

Further details and an application form can be found at: www.hr.qmul.ac.uk/vacancies

Completed application forms, quoting 12065/NL, should be returned to law-recruitment@qmul.ac.uk. Applications must be made on the official College application form and must include the applicant's CV and the names of three referees.

The closing date for applications is 2nd May 2012 at 17:00 hrs BST and interviews will be held shortly thereafter.

Valuing Diversity & Committed to Equality

NOTICE: Teaching Comparative Law - Reflections and Recommendations

Teaching Comparative Law:

reflections and recommendations

Wood Room, Plassey House

University of Limerick, IRELAND

Friday, 20 April 2012 — 11:00-15:00

The Irish Society of Comparative Law and the School of Lawof the University of Limerick (UL) will host a one-day workshop on ‘Teaching Comparative Law’ in the Wood Room in Plassey House at UL on Friday, 20 April 2012 from 11:00-15:00.

There is no fee for participation and lunch is included.

The workshop will collate information on the current teaching of comparative law and related disciplines—especially European law, International law, and foreign laws of any type—in Ireland. To assist in this, a very brief, simple questionnaire has been prepared. Both attendees and non-attendees are invited to complete the questionnaire. 

Please contact ISCL Vice-President Seán Patrick Donlan (sean.donlan@ul.ie) for additional information.

Workshop participants will (i) review the teaching of comparative law across Ireland and (ii) discuss its future role in legal education. Current innovative approaches across the globe—Maastricht, McGill, NYU, and SOAS—will be considered for their relevance to teaching both comparative and national law.

The reports provided for the workshop will be compiled and available to reporters, to Heads of Faculties, and to ISCL members. Minutes of the meeting may also be included. It is our hope that these materials might form the basis of a comprehensive overview of the teaching of comparative law and related disciplines in Ireland.

NEEDED: Post Doctoral Associates - Meridian 180

Post Doctoral Associates

Clarke Program in East Asian Law and Culture

Law School

Cornell University

Meridian 180, a new community of prominent intellectuals and policy makers in Asia, the United States and around the world interested in new ways of thinking about law and markets broadly conceived, seeks to hire two Post Doctoral Associates at its center of operations at Cornell University, in Ithaca New York beginning no later than September 1, 2012. The aim of Meridian 180 is to generate the new paradigms and solutions for the next generation of transpacific relations. The Associates will play an integral part in this mission through translation, research, and outreach to wider public and policy communities.

Meridian 180 is a project of the Clarke Program in East Asian Law and Culture at the Cornell Law School. It is a non-profit, non-political project funded through private donations and with support from Cornell Law School. It is comprised of Senior Fellows and of Members in law, the academy, private practice and policy circles who meet regularly via an on-line platform supporting multilingual conversations, as well as periodically in face to face conferences. Ideas that emerge from these conversations are then incubated and developed, with the help of the Associate, into forms in which they can make a difference in each individual society—ranging from policy papers to academic books, blog entries, and individual conversations with policy makers.