Duty Station: Jinja District (with regular field visits to project target sites)
Reports To: Legal Officer (Jinja)
Contract Duration: 1 Year (subject to renewal based on performance and funding)
About Justice Defenders: The global justice gap disproportionately affects the poorest and most marginalised populations, particularly those in custodial settings. We are living amidst a global justice crisis. We believe that everyone has the right to tell their side of the story before being convicted of a crime or punished. Justice Defenders works with defenceless communities to provide world-class legal education, training, and practice. Training paralegals within defenceless communities provides access to free legal services at the point of greatest need. We work for justice for everyone, without breaking fellowship with anyone. Incarcerated people, formerly incarcerated people, and prison staff offer unique perspectives on legal systems. Yet their experiences are rarely listened to. Bringing them together with prosecutors, the police, judges, experienced lawyers, and academics creates remarkable possibilities for good.
About the Project: Justice Defenders, in partnership with the International Development Law Organisation (IDLO), is implementing a two-year project titled “Enhancing access to fair trial and timely justice delivery for inmates at Jinja and Kalangala prisons” under the Community Justice Program Phase II (CJP II), 2025–2030. This sub-project aims to strengthen access to fair trial rights and timely justice delivery for inmates by addressing the legal, procedural, and institutional barriers that contribute to prolonged detention, particularly for remand prisoners, including women and other vulnerable groups.
Job Summary: The Assistant Legal Officer will provide day-to-day operational and administrative legal support to the Jinja-based Legal Officer. This role focuses on hands-on inmate interfacing, primary file tracking across local justice institutions, managing the daily operations of the prison paralegal network, and running primary preparation clinics for self-representation.
Key Responsibilities:
Legal Officer Support: Directly assist the Legal Officer in preparing case files, drafting preliminary legal documents (bail and other forms of applications, appeals mitigation statements), and scheduling court fixtures/appearances.
Self-Representation Support: Lead Justice Defenders prison based legal offices and coach inmates on self-representation, guiding them through basic court etiquette, mock trial sessions, and building confidence.
Paralegal Network Oversight: Serve as the primary, on-ground
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