NLU Delhi P39A- Call for applications for Associate-Mitigation; Apply by Feb. 11

The National Law University, Delhi (‘University’) through Project 39A is seeking to engage, on a contractual basis, two (2) associates in the position of Associate (Mitigation) at its campus in Dwarka, New Delhi. The contract will be for one year initially and may be extended on an annual basis at the discretion of the University. The Associate will be responsible for working on cases being handled by Project 39A, primarily concerning prisoners sentenced to death.

About Project 39A:

Project 39A draws inspiration from Article 39-A in the Indian Constitution on equal justice and signals the broadening of our work on the criminal justice system in India. We undertake litigation, research and outreach relating to forensics, torture, legal aid, mental health and criminal justice, and death penalty (for more information, visit www.project39a.com).

Role of Associate (Mitigation):

The law as settled by the Supreme Court of India in death penalty cases states that guilt determination and imposition of punishment are two distinct phases in a criminal proceeding. After a person is pronounced guilty, a separate and detailed hearing on punishment is required to be conducted in which the defence can lead evidence and present additional materials which are different from what was considered for the determination of guilt. The Associate (Mitigation) will be part of the defense team providing legal representation to death row prisoners. They work closely with lawyers to collect information towards developing a life history of the accused by meaningfully engaging with the accused, their family and acquaintances as well as finding documents relating to the accused’s childhood, social context, physical and mental health etc. Such investigations require constant contact to be maintained with the prisoner, their family and acquaintances in order to build a working relationship of trust.

Presenting such information before courts aids them in developing a better understanding of the circumstances related to the “criminal” and in deciding the appropriate punishment.

Responsibilities:

1. Devise effective strategies and communication tools in each case to 1) establish contact, 2) engage in rapport building interactions 3) obtain relevant information (anecdotal, biographic, documentary) and 4) undertake record collection exercise from prisoners, their families and other persons and authorities who may have information, relevant for mitigation.
2. Travel extensively throughout India, meet and communicate with prisoners, their family members, and other persons who may have oral and documentary information relevant for mitigation of the prisoners, using the tools and techniques for communication and obtaining information devised.
3. Effectively incorporate the information collected about the prisoner in their legal case to be presented before senior counsels, judicial forum, or as part of their mercy petition.

4. Draft Mitigation Investigation Reports and other relevant documents to be presented before courts.
5. Engage with mental health professionals and other allied experts in order to obtain their professional opinion about individual cases.
6. Engage with academic works to develop frameworks of analysis for each case.
7. Produce op-eds, blogs and academic writing on developments in the field and building on our work.
8. Engage with and organize workshops and conferences for prison officials, judges, lawyers and others within the criminal justice system.
9. Present the work of Project 39A at various fora.
10. Any other work that may be necessary to further the aims of Project 39A.

Qualifications:

1. Postgraduate with a degree in social work, psychology, criminology, development studies, economics, sociology, law or any allied discipline.
2. Two (2) years of work experience in the respective field would be preferred.
3. Any previous field work involving an emphasis on ethnographic research, interviewing, investigative capacities and/or mental health will be considered an advantage.
4. Substantial proficiency in reading/ speaking Hindi will be necessary. Proficiency in any of the following languages would be an advantage: Punjabi, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Tamil and

   Telugu.

Compensation: Salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience.

Application Process: Interested persons may send their resumé and a statement of purpose, explaining their interest in working on the death penalty and the contribution that they see themselves making through this position. The statement of purpose must not exceed 750 words. Applications and documents will be accepted only through the form available herehttps://www.project39a.com/associate-mitigation-jan-2023.

Deadline and Selection Process : Applications must reach us no later than midnight of February 11, 2023 after which the applications will not be accepted. Shortlisted candidates will be required to be present on the University campus for the selection process. In-person interviews of shortlisted candidates will be conducted on 17th and 18th February, 2023.

Note:

A. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted via email. If you do not hear from us within 4 weeks after the deadline, please assume that your application has not succeeded. Unfortunately, we cannot reply to individual queries about the status of applications.
B. National Law University, Delhi is an equal opportunity employer and P39A ensures access to legal representation for prisoners regardless of the offence.

C. National Law University, Delhi reserves the right to not fill the position or vary the number of positions vacant for this call. Also, we shall be unable to cover the costs of attending interviews.
D. National Law University, Delhi reserves the right to conduct additional rounds of interviews/ written tests/ simulation exercises.

E. The position shall be paid under the grants received by P39A, National Law University, Delhi.

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