Deadline: Aug 18, 2024

Background :

Lawyers for Human Rights (LHR) is an Ethiopian civil society organization that re-registered on September 19, 2019, before the FDRE Civil Societies Organizations Agency by Proclamation No. 1113/2019. The objectives of the Organization include increasing the participation and contribution of lawyers in the area of human rights through training and other capacity-building activities, supporting lawyers across the nation, and helping the exchange of ideas, information, and experience for better protection of human rights and prevalence of human rights, litigating strategically in courts and other relevant organs to ensure protection and promotion of human rights recognized under the FDRE Constitution and other laws, creating awareness for justice organs on international human rights instruments ratified by Ethiopia, providing free or low-cost legal services for victims of human rights violation, particularly disadvantaged communities, influencing the government to enact new laws or amend existing ones to give full protection for human rights, familiarizing the idea of human rights defenders (HRD) among the lawyers etc.

To achieve these objectives, LHR has been implementing different projects with donors. Currently, LHR is implementing a project entitled “Advancing Human Rights through Legal Aid Services”, in consortium with Advocates Ethiopia and Mizan Young Lawyers Association with the support of Agence Française de Développement (AFD). The object of this project is to make legal aid services accessible to detainees in the early stages of criminal proceedings in police stations. The provision of legal aid services in police stations improves the poor protection of access to justice in the early stages of criminal proceedings and contributes to the protection of the rights of detainees in police stations. Accordingly, the Consortium has planned to render legal aid services for detainees in police stations located in Addis Ababa, Adama, and Hawassa. The planned legal aid services will be primarily offered by lawyers. Besides, paralegals will play an important role in the delivery of quality legal aid services by conducting client interviews, maintaining general contact with clients, organizing cases, documentation works, assisting lawyers, etc. With this background, LHR is looking to hire nine lawyers to provide legal aid services in selected police stations located in Addis Ababa, Adama, and Hawassa cities.

Role and responsibilities:

The principal role of the lawyer is to render legal aid service to detainees in selected police stations in Addis Ababa

Specific duties and responsibilities:
• Provide a free legal service in accordance with the guidelines of the Free Legal Aid Service prepared by Lawyers for Human Rights (LHR).

• Render legal advice to beneficiaries on the law and legal matters relating to their case.

Prepare pleadings based on the client’s needs.

• Prepare cases for court as necessary;

• Report and document the details of free legal aid services following the guidelines prepared by LHR to the project coordinator.

• Render the legal aid services in accordance with the ethical standards of lawyers.

Salary: As per the organization scale

Skill and  educational background

Competencies are important for the employee and the organization to deliver desired results. They are relevant for all staff and are divided into the following two categories:

Professional competencies:
• A University degree in law (LLB) with 0 years of experience.

• Have sufficient knowledge of the Ethiopian legal system; the criminal justice system of Ethiopia; the Ethiopian criminal and procedural laws; the Constitutional right to access justice through legal aid services and the National and International legal framework on the rights of persons arrested in police stations.

Personal Qualities:

• The ability to explain legal matters clearly

A passion for justice and fairness and the respect of Human Rights.

• Ability to prioritize responsibilities, carry out multiple tasks simultaneously, and meet deadlines.

• to work under pressure and with limited supervision in a challenging environment.

• active, goal-oriented, and results-driven; and creative;

Excellent communication skills including written communication

Fluency in written and spoken English and Amharic language is mandatory

• Computer literate and skills in internet usage;

• documentation skills;

How to Apply:

Interested applicants shall submit only a Cover Letter and Curriculum Vitae to the following emails:

vacancy@lhrethiopia.org and CC: mahlet.wondaferaw@lhrethiopia.org

Interested applicants should send their CVs and academic credentials within ten days from the date of the announcement.

NB: only shortlisted candidates shall be contacted.

“Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply!