Experience 1997 to present	Public Interest Law Initiative, Columbia University New York and Budapest Executive Director Founded and direct an organization under the auspices of Columbia Law School devoted to advancing human rights principles through assisting the development of a public interest law infrastructure in Central and Eastern Europe, Russia and Central Asia. Responsible for setting organizational priorities, strategic development, managing staff, fundraising and overall program implementation. Current priorities include education and training, access to justice, clinical legal education, legal practice, and law and governance. Organization has grown from a full-time staff of two and an annual budget of $250,000 to an organization with offices in New York and Budapest, eight full-time staff members, seven Fellows, several part-time staff and consultants and an annual budget of over $1,000,000.
1999 to present	Columbia Law School, New York Lecturer in Law Teach an upper-class seminar on Applied Law Reform in Eastern Europe.
1995 to 1997	Ford Foundation, New York Consultant Organized Public Interest Law Symposia in Oxford, England and in Durban, South Africa for East European leaders in human rights, women’s rights and environmental advocacy. Coordinated follow-up initiatives, including an e-mail listserv, publications, thematic workshops, and the development of new public interest law programs by Ford grantees.
1995 to 1997	Open Society Institute, New York Consultant Received Presidential Grants for a number of activities relating to law reform in Central and Eastern Europe. Developed a web site for the Constitutional and Legislative Policy Institute that provides access to legal resources. Assisted the Internet Program of the Open Society Institute with the development of public policy projects on rights in cyberspace. Coordinated the preparation of Guidelines for Legislation on Civic Organizations, a guide to issues and principles relating to the legal frameworks for non-governmental organizations in Central and Eastern Europe.
1994 to 1995	International Human Rights Law Group Director of European Projects, Bucharest, Romania Prepared a book-length comparative study on the transparency of the legislative process in 20 countries in Europe and North America.Organized a series of workshops for Eastern European NGOs on human rights lobbying and other advocacy strategies and developed a region-wide network of human rights contacts.
1992 to 1994	Edwin B. Rekosh Page Two Romania Project Director, Bucharest, Romania Directed Law Group activities in Romania and the former Soviet Republic of Moldova designed to empower domestic human rights organizations and lawyers' groups. Collaborated with and trained local human rights advocates in fact-finding, human rights litigation, lobbying, election monitoring, trial observing and human rights campaigning.
1991 to 1992	Staff Attorney, Washington, DC Lobbied the U.S. Congress on ratification of human rights treaties. Organized an election observer mission to Northern Iraq and edited its report. Coordinated the Law Group's Romania project.
1988 to 1991	Coudert Brothers, New York Associate Practiced in litigation department of major international law firm.Conducted pro bono activities for a variety of human rights organizations including Human Rights Watch, Lawyers Committee for Human Rights and the International League for Human Rights.Projects for Human Rights Watch included conducting a fact-finding mission to Morocco for Middle East Watch and initiating the Human Rights Watch Film Festival.

 

Selected Publications	“Ten Years After: A Critical Survey of Judicial Reform Efforts in Central and Eastern Europe,” Parker School Journal of East European Law (New York: Columbia University School of Law forthcoming 2002).
	Pursuing the Public Interest: A Handbook for Legal Professionals and Activists (New York: Public Interest Law Initiative, Columbia University 2001) (Editor with Kyra A. Buchko and Vessela Terzieva).
	“Emerging Lessons from Reform Efforts in Eastern Europe and Eurasia,” in Guidance for Promoting Judicial Independence and Impartiality (Washington, DC: US Agency for International Development 2001).
	“Who Defines the Public Interest: Public Interest Law Strategies in Central and Eastern Europe,” in Human Rights and Empowerment, Mizanur Rahman, ed. (Dhaka, Bangladesh: Empowerment Through Law of the Common People 2001.)
	Edwin B. Rekosh Page Three “Promoting and Protecting Human Rights through Development: A Model for Technical Assistance to NGOs in Central and Eastern Europe” in Fortifying the Foundations: US Support for Developing and Strengthening Democracy in East Central Europe, Mark Lazar, ed. (New York: Institute of International Education 1996).
	In the Public Eye: Parliamentary Transparency in Europe and North America (Washington, DC: International Human Rights Law Group 1995) (Editor and principal author).
	"Romania: A Persistent Culture of Impunity," in Impunity and Human Rights in International Law and Practice, Naomi Roht-Arriaza, ed. (New York: Oxford University Press 1995).
	Numerous lectures and presentations at international conferences and articles on human rights and law reform topics published in American and European journals, newspapers and newsletters.

 

Professional Activities and Affiliations	Admitted to the New York Bar, 1989  Association of the Bar of the City of New York
	Committee on International Human Rights (1990–1992; 1998–2001);  Sub-Committee on U.S. Ratification of International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, chair (1991) Ad-Hoc International Access to Justice Committee (1999-present)
	Albanian Human Rights Group, Foreign Advisory Board
	American Society of International Law, member
	Carnegie Council for International Affairs and Ethics, Human Rights Initiative Advisory Board
	Czech Counselling Centre for Citizenship, Civil and Human Rights, Board of Advisors
	European Journal of Law Reform, Board of Advisors
	EMPower, Board of Advisors
	International Center for Not-for-Profit Law, Supervisory Council (1998-2001)
	International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights, Rule of Law Council
	Human Rights Watch Film Festival, co-founder
	Hungarian Human Rights Information and Documentation Centre, Advisory Council
	Mental Disability Rights International, Board of Advisors
	Ron Brown Fellowship (Institute for Int’l Education), Selection Ctte (2000-2001)
	Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award, International Advisory Committee
	Romanian Journal of Society and Politics, Advisory Board

LanguagesEnglish (native), French, Romanian

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