Deputy General Counsel

FULL-TIME JOB VACANCY
DEPUTY GENERAL COUNSEL
General Counsel’s Office
Multiple Office Locations Considered (United States)
Application Deadline: October 19, 2025

Human Rights Watch (HRW) is seeking an attorney for a new position in the Office of the General Counsel. This position offers a rare entrée into a non-profit leader in the global human rights movement, known for its fearless and accurate reporting and global advocacy to end abuses. The right candidate will engage in almost every aspect of legal management of the organization and will be centrally placed to guide and protect its work and success.

The General Counsel’s Office at HRW is responsible for legal oversight of the organization's policies, compliance, risk management, and governance, as well as a wide range of corporate matters including media law, intellectual property, U.S. and foreign operations, tax, insurance and contract review, worldwide litigation and international and domestic employment matters including labor relations. The Deputy General Counsel will assist the General Counsel across all areas of work, as part of a legal team consisting of 3 attorney’s reporting directly to the General Counsel and a diverse and collegial staff on a variety of projects.

HRW is dedicated to taking on human rights abuses around the world; accordingly, its legal team must be able to provide sound legal and compliance advice to colleagues around the world, including many of whom operate in high-risk and stressful conditions. The focus of this position is legal compliance, intellectual property matters, including trademark and copyright issues, licensing issues, provide guidance on fair use and oversee IP rights in contracts, publications and collaborations. In addition, this role will focus on compliance with international laws related to our international partnerships, international litigation matters and other issues related to programmatic work.  

This position will be based in the United States, with a preference for New York, NY or Washington D.C. but other locations that HRW has an office will also be considered, and will report to the General Counsel, based in Washington D.C. This is a hybrid role where successful candidate may need to be in office up to 2 times a week.

Responsibilities:

1. Lead HRW’s compliance efforts with intellectual property matters throughout the organization, including trademark, copyright issues, licensing issues, and negotiating contracts and partnership agreements;
2. Field requests from staff to identify potential conflicts of interest and provide critical analysis on related internal policies and procedures;
3. Provide legal counsel and guidance to various departments in the organization in areas such as employment law, tax and charity law, and establishment of branch offices and charitable affiliates;
4. Review, draft, negotiate and approve contracts and licenses, leases, registrations, and other legal documents as required;
5. Manage and defend litigation where necessary;
6. Provide proactive advice and research into legal risks and opportunities that can arise in relation to the work of a prominent international human rights advocacy organization;
7. Create manuals and guidance materials to assist different parts of the organization with legal matters and helps train various staff in legal management and compliance issues as needed;
8. Have general knowledge of non-profit grant compliance and be able to identify key issues related to grant agreements and compliance obligations; and
9. Undertake special projects and other duties as needed.

Qualifications:

Education: A J.D. is required, or equivalent LL.M degree from a U.S. law school if law degree was acquired outside of the U.S. Current admission in good standing is required in at least one U.S. State Bar.

Experience: A minimum of 10 years of work experience as a lawyer in relevant areas is required, with a strong preference for in-house experience. Experience with an international law firm and/or as corporate counsel for a multi-national organization is a plus. Experience with intellectual property matters is a plus.

Related Skills and Knowledge:

1. Ability to work to the highest legal standards of practice in a high-risk and fast-paced work environment and tackle both standard and novel legal matters that arise during worldwide NGO operations.
2. Exceptional interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to partner with clients that include our talented, multi-national and diverse staff and global board.
3. Proven skills in problem-solving and policy implementation are necessary, pairing sound legal judgment with imaginative thinking to help staff achieve our mission while mitigating risk.
4. Demonstrated capacity to lead projects and carry them to completion.
5. Intellectual curiosity, eagerness to take on new responsibilities, and ability to master new topics as needed.
6. Significant experience working with (and potentially recruiting) outside counsel in the US and in other countries.
7. Self-motivation, excellent organizational skills, meticulousness, and ability to work well under pressure and work effectively towards deadlines.
8. Outstanding oral and written communication skills in English are required; proficiency in other languages is a plus.
9. Interest in human rights or related areas of law, familiarity with employment law and investigations, and background in non-profit or foundation law are each desirable.

Salary and Benefits: HRW seeks exceptional applicants and offers competitive compensation and employer-paid benefits. HRW offers a relocation assistance package and will assist employees in obtaining necessary work authorization where we have the ability to do so if required; citizens of all nationalities are encouraged to apply. The salary range for this position is USD 150,000 – 165,000.

How to Apply: Please apply immediately or by October 19, 2025 by visiting our online job portal at careers.hrw.org and attaching a cover letter and resume. No calls or email inquiries, please. Only complete applications will be reviewed and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

If you are experiencing technical difficulties with your application submission, or if you require a disability-related accommodation to submit your application, please email recruitment@hrw.org. Due to the large response, application submissions via email will not be accepted and inquiries regarding the status of applications will go unanswered.

Human Rights Watch is strong because it is diverse. We actively seek a diverse applicant pool and encourage candidates of all backgrounds to apply. Human Rights Watch does not discriminate on the basis of disability, age, gender identity and expression, national origin, race and ethnicity, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, or criminal record. We welcome all kinds of diversity. Our employees include people who are parents and nonparents, the self-taught and university educated, and from a wide span of socio-economic backgrounds and perspectives on the world. Human Rights Watch is an equal opportunity employer.

Human Rights Watch is an international human rights research and advocacy organization known for its in-depth investigations, its incisive and timely reporting, its innovative and high-profile advocacy campaigns, and its success in changing the human rights-related policies and practices of governments and international institutions.