Opportunities
Launching a student’s human rights career means preparing them to have thirty, forty or fifty years of impact.
We equip students with a suite of opportunities and resources so that they can take their place among the best human rights lawyers in the world.
UCLA Law in The Hague
In partnership with The Promise Institute Europe, students have the opportunity to experience a full-time, semester-long externship at an international court or tribunal in The Hague, The Netherlands. Alongside their externship, students take part in a course on the practice of international courts and tribunals taught by an international criminal law practitioner.
Past UCLA Law in The Hague students have described this course as “the best experience of my time in law school, hands down” and “the foundation of my career now.”
Course DetailsJean-Pictet Competition
A fun, immersive moot court that brings the law to life, the Jean-Pictet competition is held in different locations around the globe each year and features teams from all over the world. The week-long intensive is an unfolding experience where surprises abound, actors often portray clients and community members, and participants react in real-time to the challenges of their case.
Visit the Jean-Pictet Competition Site
Clara Barton IHL Competition
Hosted in Washington D.C. each year, the three-day long Clara Barton International Humanitarian Law Competition is an excellent opportunity for law students, particularly those looking to work with or within government bodies like the Defense or State Department.
The strong representation of military schools among entrants means our students have exposure to U.S. military thinking and cutting-edge battlefield decisions, as well as the ability to connect with the domestic network of IHL lawyers.
Visit the Clara Barton Competition Site
OSINT Training
In collaboration with the Human Rights Center at UC Berkeley and the Research Center for the Americas at UC Santa Cruz, we are excited to offer students the opportunity to learn cutting-edge Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) research techniques. OSINT training includes:
- How to Think Like an Open-Source Investigator
- How to Plan an Investigation
- Advanced Open-Source Research Methodologies and Practices
- Geolocation and Chronolocation
- Integrating the Legal and Ethical Considerations Specific to this Type of Research
Conference Opportunities
Students are invited to apply for funding support to attend conferences. In the past these have included:
- American Society for International Law Annual Conference
- National Native American Law Students Association Annual Conference
- PILnet Global Forum
- Federal Bar Association Annual Indian Law Conference
- RightsCon
…and more!
For more information, write to promiseinstitute@law.ucla.edu
Funded Student Opportunities
Questions? promiseinstitute@law.ucla.edu
Post-Graduate Fellowships
We offer up to two post-graduate fellowship positions each year. These fellowships provide students with funding to work on human rights for a year following graduation. For many budding human rights attorneys, fellowship opportunities like these launch them into their field.
Previous Promise Institute Fellows have worked with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals, Human Rights Watch, the National Youth Law Center, the Center for Justice and Accountability, Reprieve, Dejusticia, the European Centre for Constitutional and Human Rights, and the Global Litigation Action Network.
Summer Fellowships
We fund a number of fellowship opportunities which allow students to work with human rights organizations over the summer and gain indispensable experience.
Additionally, we hire full-time summer fellows to work with Promise faculty and staff on projects within our thematic areas. Summer fellows join a cohort of other students working at different centers and institutes at UCLA Law and have the opportunity to attend workshops, training sessions and other enriching events.
Research Assistants
During the academic year, we hire law students as research assistants to work with Promise Institute faculty and staff on various projects supporting our focus areas and strategic goals.
Chris Cornell Memorial Human Rights Scholarship
This scholarship has a special place in our hearts: it honors Chris Cornell’s commitment to justice, human rights and advocacy for those in need.
In his prolific career as a singer, songwriter and performer, Cornell wrote and recorded the title song for “The Promise,” the first feature film to tell the story of the Armenian Genocide and our namesake film.
Applicants to UCLA Law who have a background and commitment to international human rights may be considered for this scholarship. For more information, inquire with your Admissions and/or Financial Aid representative by emailing admissions@law.ucla.edu.
Student – Driven Opportunities
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