IHRP Summer Fellows Showcase 2017

Name: Sam Levy

Year: 4L

Which organization did you work for, and in which city and country?

PEN International, London, UK

What were the highlights of your fellowship?

Representing PEN at the UK Commonwealth Office during the release of the UK’s annual human rights report. Helping PEN’s advocacy efforts on behalf of the imprisoned journalists from the Cumhuriyet newspaper in Turkey.

What were some of the challenges that you faced this summer?

Most of my projects were with 2 to 3 other people, and August was the month that many people took their summer holidays. As a result, coordinating work turned out to be one of the trickier aspects of the fellowship.

What were some of your first impressions of the country/city where you completed your fellowship? How/Did these impressions change over time?

While I was nervous to go to London in the wake of several high-profile national tragedies, I soon realized how robust and unflinching London is. Throughout my fellowship, I kept finding things to love about London, from its incredible public transit system, to its jazz and theatre scene, to the many Pret-A-Manger stores. 

Share anything interesting about your experience (best meal, favourite memory, etc.) 

My top highlight was realizing my dream of going to Wimbledon – well worth the 5am wakeup. A close second was watching a cabaret show in an underground brasserie, followed by dinner with the show’s producer (who also owns the rights to the song ‘It’s a Small World After All’).

What advice do you have for students hoping to be an IHRP fellow next year?

Pick a place where you’ve always wanted to live, find a cause that you care about, and jump in. It is fantastic to live abroad as a student, so take advantage of this brief window.

 

Name: Calum Agnew

Year: 2L

Which organization did you work for, and in which city and country? 

The World Bank, in Washington DC. 

What were the highlights of your fellowship? 

I was one of the legal interns at the Integrity Vice Presidency, an independent unit within the World Bank responsible for prosecuting fraud and corruption within the World Bank’s sanctions system. The highlight was filing a major case and accompanying evidence—it was an important matter, and I’m really proud of contributing to it. That aside, there were lots of amazing moments. One fun moment was using the ‘diplomat’ line at the airport. Also, paddle boarding on the Potomac. And the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund’s unreal cafeterias.

What were some of the challenges that you faced this summer? 

The World Bank is, for better and for worse, quite bureaucratic. Navigating these issues was a challenge both before and during the fellowship. The upside of this is that the World Bank provides pretty incredible support for its staff and interns.

What were some of your first impressions of the country/city where you completed your fellowship? How/Did these impressions change over time? 

I expected Washington, DC to be all politics, all the time. Other than that, I had few preconceptions. It turned out that Washington is a lovely city! I was subletting from some young professionals and they were extremely friendly.

Share anything interesting about your experience (best meal, favourite memory, etc.) 

Several senior staff members retired from the Integrity Vice Presidency unit during my time there, and there were a few retirement parties. At the party for Leonard McCarthy, the staff recounted his accomplishments over the nine years he led the unit. One of these was the Supreme Court of Canada case World Bank v Wallace, which serves as a leading statement of the Bank’s immunities in international law and has helped to facilitate the Bank’s cooperation with national law enforcement agencies. I was given the honour of leading the Integrity Vice Presidency team in an a capella rendition of ‘O Canada,’ to celebrate the SCC’s decision.

What advice do you have for students hoping to be an IHRP fellow next year?

Get started early! Especially if it’s a large international organization, as the human resources processes of these institutions can be very complex.  

 

Name: Jeannie Pau

Year: 2L

Which organization did you work for, and in which city and country?

Conservation Law Foundation, in Boston, USA.

What were the highlights of your fellowship?

Some of the highlights included engaging with environmental justice issues in Massachusetts, working on litigation files, and partnering with grassroots organizations in the city.

What were some of the challenges that you faced this summer?

To fulfil the responsibilities of my fellowship I had to learn about the American legal system, including its areas of law and court structure. I was also expected to juggle competing deadlines.

What were some of your first impressions of the country/city where you completed your fellowship? How/Did these impressions change over time? 

While Boston is quite spread out the city is very accessible on foot and by public transit, which made exploring easy. Boston tries very hard to preserve its history and it’s definitely worth checking out some of its sites! I would recommend the Boston Public Library, Faneuil Hall, Boston Public Garden, and Freedom Trail.

Share anything interesting about your experience (best meal, favourite memory, etc.) 

I stayed with a friend who goes to school in Boston, and one weekend we took a trip to Cape Cod. We spent most of the weekend at the beaches there, and we were very fortunate to have good weather.

What advice do you have for students hoping to be an IHRP fellow next year?

Look for organizations that are aligned with your interests and reach out to them early on. This gives you an opportunity to learn more about what they do before drafting your application, and this also means that you won’t miss the deadline!

 

Name: Amelia Fung

Year: 2L

Which organization did you work for, and in which city and country?

International Human Rights Program (IHRP), Toronto, Canada.

What were the highlights of your fellowship?

I had the opportunity to work on a range of international human rights projects over the summer, but the highlight of my fellowship was researching and drafting a petition to be submitted to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, challenging the anti-sodomy law of a Caribbean country. The petition involved a number of issues, from the right to equal protection before the law to the right to health. On a less serious note, having my own office was also definitely a highlight of my fellowship! 

What were some of the challenges that you faced this summer?

Over the summer, I worked on a number of diverse projects. One of the most difficult challenges was jumping into a project after it had begun, particularly because I lacked general knowledge of public international law. 

Share anything interesting about your experience (best meal, favourite memory, etc.) 

It was exciting to see both the relevancy and meaningfulness of my work whenever an issue I was researching appeared in the news.   

What advice do you have for students hoping to be an IHRP fellow next year?

Working as a Summer Fellow for the IHRP was an incredibly rewarding experience. Not only did it improve my legal research and writing, but I also developed advocacy skills and learned to take facts and use them to tell a compelling story. I greatly appreciated that I was able to make a meaningful contribution with my work, despite still being a student with minimal experience in law. I would recommend this experience to law students interested in pursuing a career in public international or human rights law. Keep an open mind, and explore all the fellowship options – these are fantastic opportunities that you do not want to pass up.     

 

Name: Alexandria Proctor

Year: 2L 

Which organization did you work for, and in which city and country? 

Lawyers' Rights Watch Canada, Vancouver, Canada.

What were the highlights of your fellowship? 

Some of the highlights of my fellowship were contributing to a guidebook on illegitimate criminal charges; research for the Ontario Court of Appeal factum in the TWU case (Lawyer's Right Watch Canada was granted intervener status); working on the publication of a China Report documenting illegitimate criminal charges and violation of the right to fair trial of detained Chinese human rights lawyers. 

What were some of the challenges that you faced this summer? 

It was often difficult to determine where to begin research on an area of law that has not been well researched. I also had to learn to work with lawyers who have very different work styles.

Share anything interesting about your experience (best meal, favourite memory, etc.) 

It was extremely interesting contributing research to human rights cases that are currently ongoing and being able to see the tangible impact of your contribution. 

What advice do you have for students hoping to be an IHRP fellow next year? 

Start contacting organizations early and identify ones that align with your interests. Once you have secured a position, go into the internship with a few ideas of what type of work you would like to do over the summer; there is always room to take on more and get the most out of your experience!

 

Name: Jeremy Greenberg

Year: 2L

Which organization did you work for, and in which city and country?

The United Nations Mechanism for International Criminal Tribunals (MICT), The Hague, Netherlands.

What were the highlights of your fellowship?

Just being in The Hague meant countless opportunities to visit important courts, including the ICC and ICJ not to mention the ability to travel all over Europe. Professionally, the highlight was working with a senior lawyer to reopen an older case and develop a prosecution strategy from the ground-up.

What were some of the challenges that you faced this summer?

In an international criminal court like the MICT, there are many simultaneous ongoing projects, all with competing deadlines. It was sometimes difficult to get everything done on time, but there were always other interns there to help.

What were some of your first impressions of the country/city where you completed your fellowship? How/Did these impressions change over time?

The Hague is a beautiful, small European city with endless bike trails, in a beautiful, small European country with endless bike trails. 

Share anything interesting about your experience (best meal, favourite memory, etc.) 

Over four months in Europe, I visited 9 countries. I saw some of the greatest art ever produced, and heard some of the best music in the most impressive venues. I ate mayo-soaked french fries in Amsterdam, and deep-fried breaded lángos in Budapest. I danced until 5 in the morning on more than one occasion, with some of the nicest people I've ever had the pleasure of working with.

What advice do you have for students hoping to be an IHRP fellow next year?

Go out there and find something amazing to do! Look beyond the IHRP-organised internships! You'll have to put a bit more work into applying, but that means you're open to finding anything, anywhere, on any topic, leading to what's likely the best summer of your life. And don't be afraid to network, either with upper-years or people already at the UN agency, NGO, or wherever it is you want to go!

 Jeremy Greenberg (2L) administering the weekly intern quiz at the MICT

Name: Brenda Chang

Year: 2L

Which organization did you work for, and in which city and country? 

UNHCR, Bangkok, Thailand.

What were the highlights of your fellowship? 

By the end of my fellowship, my supervisor gave me the opportunity to adjudicate my own family unity cases. I had prepared for it after hours of background country research and observations of other eligibility officers' cases. I researched the asylum seekers' backgrounds, interviewed them, worked with amazing interpreters, and made decisions on their status. I was also involved in creating a database and compiling research on many sensitive cases. For one particular caseload, I was able to present my database internally to my colleagues, and it has helped them adjudicate asylum claims.

What were some of the challenges that you faced this summer? 

The emotional toil of the work was challenging – there’d be days when I was counselling asylum seekers and refugees back-to-back for three hours straight. I would be completely drained by lunch. I had to learn how to manage emergency situations with a huge communication barrier and, limited time and power. I learned how to skilfully manoeuvre through those challenges over time, especially thanks to the strong support from my colleagues.

What were some of your first impressions of the country/city where you completed your fellowship? How/Did these impressions change over time? 

Bangkok was a sensory overload with divergent sights, smells, and sounds. There was a lot of traffic, a lot of tourists, and a lot of heat. None of those first impressions changed over time but what changed was the sense of home and comfort I felt – I realized I could navigate the city with ease and was lucky enough to share the experience with an amazing group of friends.

Share anything interesting about your experience (best meal, favourite memory, etc.):

My friends and I had a tradition of going to a local auntie’s restaurant for tom yum goong. Crossing the border on foot from Thailand to Cambodia was also a surreal experience.

What advice do you have for students hoping to be an IHRP fellow next year? 

Start the search early, take initiative to reach out to people, and be open to try new things this summer! The IHRP fellowship is an amazing opportunity that gives you a chance to grow and strengthen your skills, so it’s important to take full advantage of the experience. 

 

Name: Daniel Sisgoreo

Year: 2L

Which organization did you work for, and in which city and country? 

Office of the Prosecutor at the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY), The Hague, Netherlands.

What were the highlights of your fellowship? 

My colleagues at the ICTY were definitely a big highlight of my fellowship. Although I have travelled extensively, I have never been in any single place with such a great diversity of people, in terms of national origin. The office had people from every continent, and conversations were always so fascinating as a result.

I also enjoyed the content of my work immensely. It was interesting to see criminal law concepts and doctrines I had studied in 1L in a completely different and more extreme context: we would talk about actus reus and mens rea, but applied to crimes against humanity and genocide. The evidentiary record is invariably massive, the elements of the crimes are extremely complicated, and the trials typically take years. Convicting an accused in a war crimes tribunal is an almost herculean feat, and contributing to this project was rewarding and informative at every turn.   

What were some of the challenges that you faced this summer? 

The main hurdle I faced was familiarizing myself with international criminal law, which I had never studied.

What were some of your first impressions of the country/city where you completed your fellowship? How/Did these impressions change over time? 

I had never visited the Netherlands prior to my internship, but I had read about the country’s relaxed and tolerant laws in number of areas that other countries choose to regulate more forcefully and, indeed, criminally. These details gave me the impression that Dutch society was more liberal than Canadian society. However, I came to realize that more progressive laws do not necessarily translate into more liberal politics. I didn’t find that the Dutch people held markedly different political beliefs than people in other countries in which I have lived or visited.

Share anything interesting about your experience (best meal, favourite memory, etc.) 

My internship was particularly valuable because it helped me discover that lawyers who practice public international law do, in fact, exist! The community may be small, but gaining some exposure to that world helped me get a more realistic perception of the opportunities available and how I might pursue them after graduation.  

What advice do you have for students hoping to be an IHRP fellow next year? 

I recommend researching host organizations and applying for internships early. There are plenty of great opportunities out there, and while it is certainly possible to pull together an internship on short notice, it is far less stressful to apply for an IHRP fellowship with a clear internship opportunity already in hand.

 

Name: Robert Chiu

Year: 2L

Which organization did you work for, and in which city and country? 

The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), The Hague, Netherlands.

What were the highlights of your fellowship?

The highlights of my fellowship were getting to be part of a diverse and vibrant constellation of people working in international law; learning about international law in an institution that has been formative in the field's development; and travelling with other IHRP fellows.

What were some of the challenges that you faced this summer?

I found it challenging to navigate certain cultural differences in the workplace and to familiarize myself with a large body of international jurisprudence. I also took up learning Dutch,which was anything but easy! 

What were some of your first impressions of the country/city where you completed your fellowship? How/Did these impressions change over time?

There's this relatively pervasive notion - probably held by North Americans in particular - that the Dutch are uniformly tall, liberal, and laissez-faire. They are indeed tall. But they're actually real sticklers for the rules (and not at all in a bad way!). Dutch governance is really interesting in that sense because there's a strong bent for respecting the law and for regulating forces that they feel might otherwise threaten their society. Although The Hague is largely an international community, it was incredibly interesting to learn about the Dutch in the context of their own culture.

Share anything interesting about your experience (best meal, favourite memory, etc.) 

Some of the best moments of by fellowship involved food; Japanese food in Paris; doner in Berlin; and stroopwafels in the Netherlands!

What advice do you have for students hoping to be an IHRP fellow next year?

Apply broadly and don't be afraid to stray from the beaten path. Opportunities like this don't come along often and you should use them to venture as far as you're willing to go!

 

Name: Anda Wang

Year: 3L

Which organization did you work for, and in which city and country?

AIDS-Free World (Code Blue Campaign), Toronto, Canada.

What were the highlights of your fellowship?

It was a privilege to be able to participate in discussions with experts in advocacy, policy, and international law. The size of the organization allowed me to work closely with staff members on a variety of projects, and it was extremely rewarding to see how my contributions had a direct impact on the organization's work.

The informal learning opportunities were also a highlight of my fellowship. These included impromptu email exchanges between staff members who were passionately opinionated on a wide range of subjects: relevant news and journal articles, developments in international law and policy, American politics, and the best ramen places in New York.

What were some of the challenges that you faced this summer?

When working in the field of international human rights, the problems you encounter can seem vast. At times, the issues appeared large and abstract, but at other times, there was a keen awareness that this work involves terrible instances of human suffering, often with a human cause.

Share anything interesting about your experience (best meal, favourite memory, etc.).

I went into this fellowship without a very clear understanding of international law and international human rights in practice. After just a few months, I was surprised to realize that the international community suddenly seems much smaller. Names and faces have quickly become familiar, for better or for worse.

In terms of a small, practical luxury closer to home - we shared many lunches and post-work socials on the building's rooftop patio, which offered a nice view of the Toronto skyline (for those of us who don't get out much during the year).

 

Name: Enbal Singer

Year: 2L

Which organization did you work for, and in which city and country? 

Kav LaOved (The Worker’s Hotline), Tel Aviv, Israel 

What were the highlights of your fellowship?

I volunteered with Kav LaOved before law school, so a major highlight was being able to return to two active projects.

The first involved developing a more accurate system to calculate workers’ benefits and pensions. I had previously developed a system to accurately calculate these amounts using excel. By returning to Kav LaOved this summer I was able to test this system with clients, and to improve it so that other volunteers could also use it. 

The other project that I had been involved in was drafting the organization’s submission for the UN Committee for the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). Before law school, I wrote the organization’s submission to the CEDAW for Israel’s List of Issues Prior to Reporting (LOIPR), identifying areas of discrimination towards women in Israel’s labour market. By returning again this summer, I was able to write the organization’s response to CEDAW’s LOIPR for Israel to counter the biases of self-reporting by the state.

What were some of the challenges that you faced this summer?

The temporary nature of my position was perhaps the most challenging part. I was alway busy with casework and before I knew it, August had arrived and my projects had to be completed. These projects also had to be completed during the time when my boss and the volunteers were out of the country, and I was in charge of the refugees and asylum seekers division. Overwhelming as it was, I definitely was able to leave with a sense of accomplishment that the division did not collapse under my supervision.

What were some of your first impressions of the country/city where you completed your fellowship? How/Did these impressions change over time?

I was surprised at how easy it was to slide back into my work at the organization. I had fresh ideas after being away for a year and thinking about law at a macro level. To my surprise, I was able to resolve a conflict between one of the organization’s employees and an American client based on what I had learned the year before in contract law.

Share anything interesting about your experience (best meal, favourite memory, etc.) 

One of my favourite cases over the summer was helping a young asylum seeker withdraw her pension before her resettlement in The Netherlands. She was having difficulty doing so because of a common bureaucratic problem faced by asylum seekers in Israel involving the issuance of identification codes. After many calls and emails between myself, the employer, and the pension company to determine what ID number had been used for my client, the money was finally transferred on the morning of her flight.

What advice do you have for students hoping to be an IHRP fellow next year?

Don’t hesitate to ask the IHRP for advice on your application! The unique thing about IHRP is that the goal is to have as many students doing good work around the world as possible. This is a refreshing break from the competitive nature of law school and should be enjoyed by law students.

 Enbal Singer (2L) with staff and volunteers from Kav LaOved at the Supreme Court of Israel 

Name: Holly Kallmeyer

Year: 2L

Which organization did you work for, and in which city and country? 

Human Rights Watch (Women’s Rights Division), Washington D.C., USA

What were the highlights of your fellowship? 

While the political establishment in Washington is not particularly sympathetic to the issues I was working on, I was heartened to see the mobilization among women’s rights organizations in the city. I attended meetings almost weekly where like-minded organizations would discuss strategies to pushback against damaging legislation or executive orders or ways to provide political decision-makers with the information they need to make rights-respecting legislation.

What were some of the challenges that you faced this summer? 

The atmosphere in Washington was particularly tense this summer and many of the issues I was working on were politically controversial. While Washington is a predominantly liberal city, the divisive political climate was palpable. I found my work often followed me home, so it was difficult to decompress.

What were some of your first impressions of the country/city where you completed your fellowship? How/Did these impressions change over time? 

This was my second summer in Washington, so I had an idea of the city’s culture. I think, as Canadians, we put a lot of effort into distinguishing ourselves from Americans, but in reality the people I met on a day to day basis were no more or less polite and kind than any Canadian. The starkest difference is the way patriotism is expressed in the US; it is a much more vocal, exceptional patriotism than I see in Canada.

Share anything interesting about your experience (best meal, favourite memory, etc.) 

My favourite memory from this summer is visiting the monuments and memorials along the Mall at night, when the crowds had died down.

 

Name: Ritika Rai 

Year: 2L

Which organization did you work for, and in which city and country?

United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Geneva, Switzerland

What were the highlights of your fellowship?

My top two work-related highlights were:

(1)   Assisting the Special Rapporteur of Myanmar with her oral update to the Human Rights Council, attending private meetings at the Council and preparing the SR’s July mission to Myanmar by conducting research and drafting official talking points, and

(2)   Drafting the communication that resulted in the release of five prominent human rights defenders from prison. 

What were some of your first impressions of the country/city where you completed your fellowship? How/Did these impressions change over time?

My first real impression of Geneva was the insane cost of living. Everything from rent to food was expensive, so I was super grateful for the funding I received from the Faculty, and for being able to cross the border into France nearby for affordable meals.

Share anything interesting about your experience (best meal, favourite memory, etc.) 

Since the majority of UN interns are unpaid, we spent many evenings at the park sipping grocery store wine while soaking in Geneva’s iconic views and planning our next weekend getaway. It was always a good time. 

What advice do you have for students hoping to be an IHRP fellow next year?

Start looking early and contact lots of organizations. IHRP fellowships are an amazing opportunity to spend you summer doing meaningful work while living in another city. Don’t miss out!