Research Fellow, Human Rights - Europe & USA

Can you tell us more about your work as a researcher?

When I graduated from law school, I created a fellowship proposal to research human rights issues – from a legal standpoint – in Europe, and submitted my idea to the Loyola Centre for the Study of Law and Genocide. My research proposal was approved, so currently I’m working with a European human rights organization to conduct my research. I can’t provide details on the research or even the location where I’m working, due to issues of security. In a typical day, I wake up, go to the office, and do all kinds of different research related to human rights law.

Can you describe a day, or week in your working life to give us a better idea of what you do?

Currently, I’m mostly working in an office. However, in previous experiences, I have gone into the field and done interviews with refugees and public officials. I love interacting with the people I’m trying to advocate for.

Two years ago, I conducted interviews with Palestinian refugees living in Jordan and Lebanon, who had left Palestine in 1948, about their rights to the property left behind in Palestine. I’m currently working on publishing a paper about my findings, but because it’s such a complicated and contentious issue, it’s taken me a long time to write and edit. I’m excited to give something back to the Palestinian refugees whom I interviewed and to have made it worth their while to sit down with me and open old wounds.

There’s a lot of travel involved in my work; going back and forth between Europe and Los Angeles for work, and Canada to visit my family. It’s very common with people who do this kind of work. There are challenges, but also new opportunities. The great thing about working and living in Europe is that it’s more walkable, and much easier to access public transportation.

How did you end up here? Please tell us about your career trajectory.

I always cite the war in Lebanon in 2006 as the point when I finally knew what I wanted to do with my life. I had just graduated from high school. My family and I went to Lebanon for the summer and the war broke out – tensions between Israel and Hezbollah had come to a head that summer. It was the most terrifying experience of my life. Nine hundred Lebanese civilians were killed in the conflict. When I came back to Canada, I was shocked by the international community’s lack of response, or even justification of Israel’s excessive use of force and attacks on civilians. I just couldn’t believe it would be permissible to bomb areas where civilians were living. I found out that, yes, there are laws that are supposed to protect civilians during conflict, though they weren’t being adhered to. This started the whole trajectory of my career.

I spent most of my time in university volunteering for student groups, including Walk for Darfur, Global Projects, and the World University Services of Canada. After graduating with an undergraduate degree in Political Science, I was raring to go: I wanted to start working in the field of international human rights immediately. But I realized that most opportunities required a Master’s, or law degree – so I decided that law school made sense.

I chose Loyola Law School because it has a human rights clinic and a genocide centre, and offered a number of international law classes. In school, I tried to focus as much as possible on my area of interest. There, I also became very interested in public interest issues because many of them are parallel with human rights issues; protecting the rights of individuals and communities to water, education, healthcare, and so on. I volunteered at the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of southern California and worked with different lawyers on human rights and civil rights cases. I tried to participate in programs where there was an international component. For example, I participated in a human rights clinic, where students went to Trinidad and Tobago to do a research on refugee issues there. I tried to keep that international focus the whole time.

What do you enjoy most about working in an international setting, both personally and professionally?

When you get the opportunity to travel for your work, it’s so different from going somewhere on a holiday. You’re actually living there – even if it’s just for a month, or two. You get the opportunity to experience a culture, to some extent, the way that local people are experiencing it. To me, that’s a really amazing opportunity.

In terms of work, what I really love about international law – especially human rights and criminal law – is that it’s still a new field compared to other types of law. It’s continuously expanding and developing. It’s exciting to be working in international law right now because I get to have a hand in shaping its development. For example, if I’m participating in drafting a human rights convention, or even if I’m just writing about what I think should be in a convention, for a scholarly article, I’m never sure who’s going to read it, take the idea, and try to implement it. For me, that’s one of the coolest parts about my work!

Can you describe any professional challenges you encountered while working cross-culturally?

After my first year in law school, I was accepted for a summer internship program with an organization called Palestine Works to spend 10 weeks in the West Bank researching human rights issues. Upon reaching Palestine, I and two other interns were denied entry into the West Bank by Israeli border guards. I suppose they didn’t like that we were coming to do human rights work. My Lebanese background also probably didn’t bode well for me. It was heartbreaking – we were really upset. It was very disappointing to be turned away at the border, not to mention humiliating to be treated like a criminal when we were only trying to do good work.

I’ve realized this isn’t uncommon for those working in international law. Things rarely go according to plan. If you can’t find a way to let it go, and keep trying, or try something else, you won’t last long in the field. There are always issues that come up and you have to be able to roll with the punches. After being denied entry, I reorganized my plans and connected with an organization in Jordan. I gained access into the Palestinian refugee camps there, and in this way, by working remotely, I was able to support the organization in the West Bank and complete my internship.

The lifestyle of working internationally isn’t for everyone. To be constantly moving, unsettled, and not always certain about what the next step will be can be exhausting. Sometimes I get really fed up with it. But if you can hack it for a while – the first years are very turbulent – I think eventually it will lead to finding jobs that are more localized and provide more job security.

What abilities and qualities does it take to be able to succeed in international law?

I think I did as much as I could to build a CV that stands out and shows how committed I am to this field – mainly just because it’s my interest area. It’s never certain how you’ll break into the field. At the end of the day, employers might not look at your grades, or the classes that you’ve taken, but it might actually come down to: do you have the language they’re looking for? Do you have the local connections? Does it seem like you’re committed? Have you been involved with certain groups? I’ve definitely been passed up for jobs I’ve applied for in the past because I didn’t volunteer for groups doing work related to that position.

What kinds of jobs are out there at the moment in your field? Where do you see openings developing?

Immigration law, especially pertaining to refugees, is huge right now – with the refugee crisis in Europe, and migrants from Latin America seeking refuge in the U.S. There are many things going on pertaining to refugee rights and immigrant rights at the moment.

It’s important to follow your skillset, the countries, or issues that you’ve focused on and look for job opportunities in those areas. There are many human rights organizations out there that don’t have the resources to hire lawyers, or legal support. If you’re able to secure funding from elsewhere to go work for them for six months to a year, you’re increasing your skillset so you’re more appealing to future employers. You might even get hired by the same organization that you volunteer for, as they find your work was invaluable to them.

Do you think having a specific degree or type education is important or relevant to getting work in your field?

If you’re wanting to work in international law then it’s important to have either a law degree, or a Master’s of Law degree. I haven’t yet come across many positions where people have a more general background, like engineering or bachelor of arts degree. The options for specialization are vast. You wouldn’t want to do anything too general. Pursuing a Master’s in International Relations, or a Masters of Law would both be beneficial to this kind of work.

For people who are either just starting out in their careers or looking to move into this kind of work, what’s your best advice in terms of tangible steps a person could take to move in that direction?

Volunteer. Join human rights and social justice groups. Be active in your local and international communities. Most people that I’ve met who have been successful in the field admit that they’ve found work based on their connections. It definitely helps to have connections and references to vouch for you when you apply for positions. Maintain communication with your network, and keep them informed them of your plans.

But, most importantly, you have to be flexible, patient and resilient. If I had listened to every person who said that I was being too idealistic, or there are no jobs in this field, or eventually I’m going to realize that this is all for nothing – I never would’ve got to where I am today. Don’t listen to the naysayers!

Is there anything else that you’d like to add?

Working in international law – especially human rights – you won’t make the kind of money you’d make working in corporate law. Not even close! If money is your measure of success, this isn’t the field for you. You’d be very disappointed. The people who are happy in this field measure success in different ways. They might ask: are they fulfilling their dreams? If travel is important to them, are they travelling? Are they making a difference? If this is the way you gauge success, then you’ll be very happy in this field.