Senior Prosecutor (Starvation Mobile Justice Team)

Global Rights Compliance (GRC) is an international legal foundation focussed on bringing perpetrators to justice for atrocity crime. We have a presence in the Hague, London, Washington, and Ukraine.

GRC works in Ukraine in support of the Prosecutor General’s Office (PGO) through several GRC Mobile Justice Teams (MJTs), a component of the UK, EU and US’ Atrocity Crimes Advisory Group, that assist the OPG by providing crime scene evidence collection and analysis and real-time advice on investigations and case building. Our headquarters for this project are in Kyiv, Ukraine. GRC’s MJTs operate throughout Ukraine in areas of interest to the OPG.

Prosecution and Investigation Track: GRC possesses unrivalled expertise and granular knowledge of the OPG and its ongoing investigations and prosecutions. GRC, is the only international organization consisting of ICL lawyers that has been consistently in Ukraine since 2015 working with the PGO and CSOs to document international crimes. We have a team currently in Ukraine; language proficiency, an intimate knowledge of the operating environment; and trusted relationships with all the critical justice actors, governmental bodies, CSOs and relevant stakeholders. The blend of our technical expertise in Ukraine and subject matter expertise is unique.

Our Ukraine team has, over time, acquired an intimate knowledge of the conflict operating environment, and built trust-based relationships with all criminal justice system actors, relevant governmental bodies, CSOs and international partners. Our blend of technical expertise, knowledge of the Ukraine context/conflict and language proficiency is unrivalled and is without doubt our unique selling point.

Starvation Track: GRC possesses unrivalled expertise and granular knowledge of the crime of starvation, derived from a dedicated portfolio of analysis, accountability and investigative work conducted over the past four years. GRC, is the only international organization consisting of ICL lawyers that has been consistently in Ukraine since 2015 working with the OPG and CSOs to document international crimes. We have a team currently in Ukraine; language proficiency, an intimate knowledge of the operating environment; and trusted relationships with all the critical justice actors, governmental bodies, CSOs and relevant stakeholders. The blend of our technical expertise in Ukraine and subject matter expertise in relation to starvation is unique.

GRC has conducted several similar starvation investigations using OSINT experts and contractors, using those findings to develop legal submissions and pursue innovative accountability initiatives. These have been focussed on Yemen, Syria, South Sudan, and Tigray primarily.

SMJT Scope: The SMJT will commence on 15 January – full time for 2 years. It will have three principal investigative focusses (i) the siege of Mariupol; (ii) the legality of the naval blockade of the Black Sea Ports in the context of starvation; and (iii) broader patterns of attacks on objects indispensable to the survival of the civilian population across Ukraine.

OBJECTIVES

We seek to recruit 1 full-time international senior prosecutor with complimentary experience of working in the prosecution of large-scale international crimes, alongside prosecutorial experience gained in a national jurisdiction, and with 15 or more years’ experience.

The consultancy will commence 15 January 2023. GRC is looking for lawyers with specialisms/experiences covering the full spectrum of criminal conduct that can constitute war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide, including deportation, detention/torture and other inhumane acts, CRSV, plunder, starvation indiscriminate/disproportionate attacks, propaganda, aggression and genocide.

The post will be based in Kyiv on a 6:2 rotation, 6 weeks in Kyiv and 2 remote.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Advising on a range of international crimes
• Collection of information for prosecutorial purposes
• Implementation of national investigative strategy
• Facilitation during the meetings and other interactions with the relevant stakeholders
• Facilitation and prosecutorial leadership during crime scenes visits
• Planning of field investigation and trips
• Other assistance to senior and junior national and international lawyers
• Tasking junior lawyers / investigators in the investigation and prosecutorial effort

ATTRIBUTES

Mandatory

• • 15+ years of relevant investigative experience in war crimes, crimes against humanity or genocide – Leading role in a national or international prosecution team – Practical experience working with justice actors – Flexible and creative; able to work in an unstructured, changeable & fast-moving environment, proactive, anticipating problems and solutions orientated. – Not requiring detailed guidance to get started; can be given a ‘desired outcome’ and figure out the action areas required to reach it – Practical thinker, able to break down and pursue the elements required to operationalise an investigative/prosecutorial strategy – Willing to support on all aspects of a national investigative/prosecutorial strategy. – Administratively competent; able to manage competing urgent demands. – Fluency in English – Practical experience of working with highly sensitive material and an ability to demonstrate the requisite skill in storing, sharing and working with such material.

Desirable

• Experience of working in a post-Soviet country / legal system
• Practical experience of case work / litigation involving specific intent crimes or circumstantial evidence based prosecutions and defence.
• Fluency or competency in Ukrainian or Russian
• Experience working within a legal team at one of the international ad hoc tribunals