What are the responsibilities and job description for the Legal Associate position at International Committee of the Red Cross?
Legal Associate
Posted by International Committee of the Red Cross | New York, NY
New York is home to the UN Headquarters – including the Security Council and the General Assembly, whose work affects humanitarian developments and legal issues in situations of armed conflict. Operating since 1983 and granted observer status by the General Assembly in 1990, the ICRC Delegation to the UN in New York City plays a key role in humanitarian diplomacy. ICRC NYC elevates the concerns of conflict-affected people to governments and other policymakers, while developing relationships important to the ICRC’s credibility with parties to armed conflict. In addition, the NYC Delegation fosters recognition of the ICRC as the reference organization for international humanitarian law and principled humanitarian action.
FUNCTION: Legal Associate
DIRECT SUPERIOR: ICRC NYC Deputy Permanent Observer and Head of the Legal Department
TERMS: This is a full-time, paid internship position with benefits.
Contract Period is 12 months, non-renewable.
Expected start date July 2026, with some measure of flexibility on the precise start date.
Minimum required knowledge & experience:
- A university degree in law at the LL.M. or J.D. level or equivalent.
- Very good knowledge of International Humanitarian Law (IHL).
- Good knowledge of Public International Law as well as the institutions and working procedures of the United Nations an asset. Good knowledge of International Human Rights Law is also an asset.
- Excellent oral and written skills in English. Good understanding of at least one other working language of the UN is also an asset (French and Spanish are particularly useful).
- Good Microsoft Office software skills (Outlook, Microsoft Word, Power Point, Excel, etc.).
- Must be eligible to work in the United States. The ICRC is unable to arrange a US visa for non-visa holders.
JOB DESCRIPTION
The associate will provide support to the legal team, and other units/departments, as necessary.
Main Responsibilities will include:
- Contributing to the Delegation’s legal analysis of current themes and supporting the work of the Legal Advisers.
- Monitoring developments at the United Nations (UN), including Security Council and General Assembly debates, media coverage, UN websites and relevant legal and political blogs, to identify significant developments of interest to the Delegation.
- Attending and representing the ICRC at meetings at the UN, Permanent Missions to the UN, academic institutions and think tanks.
- Drafting regular and timely reports and analyses on meetings and events attended, as well as relevant developments reported in external sources.
- Researching and drafting reports and reviewing documents on legal issues and other topics related to the work of the Delegation, including primarily, but not exclusively, on international humanitarian law.
- Assisting with managerial and administrative tasks as necessary, including the coordination of ICRC expert missions to New York, timely submission of ICRC reports and statements to the UN and maintenance of legal files and records and preparing materials for workshops, seminars and external meetings.
APPLICATION DEADLINE: January 17, 2026
STIPEND / WAGE: $55'900 p.a. - salary paid monthly over 13 months ($4'300.00 per month)
HOURS PER WEEK: 40 hours per week
BENEFITS:
- Health Insurance
- 20 vacation days per year
LOCATION: 801 Second Avenue, New York, NY, United States 18th Floor
APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS:
Kindly include:
- your resume (no more than two pages)
- your cover letter, in English (no more than one page)
APPLICATION DEADLINE: January 17, 2026 . Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.
Salary : $55