The Clean Trade project is seeking two legal researchers for independent research projects in law which are to be completed by 16 September 2011. The Clean Trade project is based on the premise that the citizens of each country have the ultimate right to control the natural resources of their country. As common Article 1 of the human rights covenants states, "All peoples shall, for their own ends, freely dispose of their natural wealth and resources." Yet the people of the world's worst authoritarian and failed states have no way to control their territory's oil, metals and gems. Clean Trade aims to stop the authoritarians and militias in these countries from enriching themselves by selling off what are, essentially, stolen goods. Clean Trade has received a substantial grant from the Leverhulme Foundation for research on two distinct areas of its policy framework.
1. A legal researcher with expertise in WTO/GATT regulations and recent dispute resolution is required. Part of the Clean Trade framework recommends imposing duties on imports from trade partners who buy natural resources from the worst authoritarians and militias. The researcher will write a brief setting out the strongest case for these duties in response to a challenge in the WTO. GATT Article XX will be one foundation for this case; further strategies for defending against a challenge may also be explored.
2. A legal researcher with expertise in conflict of laws, and knowledge of public international law, is required to write a guide for lawyers wanting to bring Clean Trade legal actions. The aims of these actions will be (a) to pressure international resource corporations not to deal with the worst actors in exporting states; and (b) to pressure governments to impose trade sanctions on the worst regimes. The guide will extrapolate from recent cases to catalogue promising approaches to litigation, especially in the UK / US / EU. The Alien Torts Statute in the US will define one approach; others strategies may be based on 'ill-gotten gains,' financial loss to shareholders, corporate pillage, state complicity in a second state's human rights violations, etc.
Candidates should be accustomed to doing independent work. Researchers can work at any location, although some preference will be given to candidates in greater London or in New York / New Jersey. Academics and practitioners at any career stage are welcome to apply. The results of the research will be checked for quality by experts in the respective areas of law.
The application deadline is the 25 April 2011, with the pay being set at £11,900. More information on the project can be found at http://wenar.info/CleanTrade.html.
Please submit a cover letter and CV by 25 April 2011 to: leif.wenar@kcl.ac.uk. Interviews will be held in London and New York in late April / early May, or by special arrangement.