The Masiyiwa-Bernstein Fellowship provides two graduating NYU Law JD students with the opportunity to spend one year working with an innovative human rights organization.
Applications for 2025-2026 Masiyiwa-Bernstein fellowship with Human Rights First and RFK for Human Rights are accepted on a rolling basis through January 31, 2025.
Application Requirements
Applicants must submit the following materials:
1) a short personal statement (500 words maximum) describing the applicant’s relevant experience, interest in the work of the organization, and future aspirations;
2) two letters of recommendation, including one letter from a current or former professor or other person associated with NYU School of Law and one letter from a supervisor or employer familiar with the applicant’s human rights work or recent work experience;
3) a résumé
4) law school transcript
5) writing sample
Application Instructions
Submit all materials by e-mail to pilc.info@nyu.edu. Recommenders may email letters directly to this email address.
Qualifications
The Masiyiwa-Bernstein Fellowship Selection Committee will review applications and select finalists to be interviewed by the organizations. Factors the committee will consider include:
a) the applicant’s human rights experience (in law school courses, extracurricular activities, summer jobs, and full-time work);
b) the applicant’s leadership capabilities and likely future commitment to human rights work; and
c) the applicant’s interest in and commitment to the organization’s work.
Human Rights First Legal Fellowship
Human Rights First has spent almost 50 years leveraging law to safeguard human rights and advance justice in the United States and across the globe. Since our founding, we have consistently advanced laws and policies to challenge official impunity and corruption, protect refugees and asylum seekers, hold violators of human rights accountable, and advance a world where every individual can live with dignity, freedom, and equality under the law. The organization’s trusted capabilities and powerful legacy (originally as the Lawyers Committee for Human Rights) have enabled us to play a broad and impactful role in the human rights movement for decades.
The work of the human rights movement and the role of Human Rights First could not be more necessary – or urgent today. Rising authoritarianism is threatening democratic governments and institutions around the world. The rule of law is being called into question both abroad and in the United States. Emboldened autocratic leaders have become more repressive at home and aggressive abroad. Civic spaces are shrinking, marginalized communities are facing exclusionary policies and physical threats, and human rights defenders are at risk around the world. Solutions are harder as these challenges play out against the backdrop of protracted conflicts, a climate crisis, and a highly politicized environment fueled by misinformation and powerful new technologies. At Human Rights First we are creatively leveraging a combination of law, policy, advocacy, coalition building, and emerging technology to counter these challenges and their risks to human rights and human rights defenders.
Human Rights First is seeking a legal fellow to work with our initiatives in the U.S. and abroad focused on countering rising authoritarianism and threats to democratic institutions and norms, upholding the rule of law and accountability, deploying technology for the human rights movement, and supporting human rights defenders. As a Human Rights First Fellow, you will work with a variety of our legal and policy experts in a role that includes a mix of research, national and international advocacy, litigation, and direct experience working with activists and coalition partners. Potential projects you might be working on include advocating for sanctions against human rights violators, protecting human rights institutions from attack, litigation to protect human rights defenders and challenge hate, research on anti-democratic and extremist activities in the US, working with human rights defenders in conflict zones, assisting our Innovation Lab with the development of AI-powered tools to support the needs of the human rights movement. This role will be ideal for a fellow who has demonstrated history of innovative thinking and interdisciplinary skills who is eager to be a part of cutting-edge and impactful human rights work.
RFK for Human Rights
About RFK Human Rights:
Led by human rights activist and lawyer Kerry Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights has advocated for a more just and peaceful world since 1968. We work alongside local activists to ensure lasting positive change in governments and corporations. Our team includes leading attorneys, advocates, and leaders in business and government united by a commitment to social justice.
For more information about Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights, please visit: http://www.rfkhumanrights.org.
Scope of work for the Fellowship:
The Fellow will be hosted within RFKHR's International Advocacy and Litigation team, which focuses on the protection of civic space and combating social exclusion and discrimination, particularly in Africa, Latin America and some countries in Asia. The Fellow's responsibilities include: conducting international human rights legal research, assisting in preparation of documents in support of litigation before regional and international mechanisms, attending and reporting on briefings, monitoring sources of information on countries and issues of concern to RFKHR, among others.
More information on the work of legal fellows can be found here: https://rfkhumanrights.org/career/human-rights-legal-fellow/