Paralegal Fellowship in Victim Advocacy Project at NLU Delhi (Reopened)

National Law University Delhi (NLU Delhi), through the Victim Advocacy Project (VAP) under its Centre for Criminology and Victimology, runs a justice-focused initiative aimed at strengthening victims' access to the criminal justice system through structured legal representation and sustained advocacy. VAP addresses long-standing gaps in legal assistance and victim participation by providing continuous, professional support from FIR through trial, appeal and rehabilitation, and seeks to re-centre victims as rights-bearing individuals within adversarial proceedings.

Applications for the Paralegal Fellowship (VAP) have reopened, with a fresh deadline of 15 July 2026. The Fellowship offers an immersive opportunity for paralegals to work directly with victims of crime and contribute to strengthening access to justice at the community level. Fellows will support victim engagement, case identification, documentation, coordination and follow-up, while working closely with vulnerable individuals, families and community-based organisations, and will often be the first point of contact for victims.

Fellows are attached to mentors and receive continuous supervision from NLU Delhi, along with structured training and capacity-building support, designed to build a cadre of skilled, trauma-informed and victim-sensitive legal fellows and paralegals.

• Act as the first point of contact for victims and support them through different stages of the justice process
• Build rapport with victims, families and community organisations, and help identify cases requiring support
• Collect information and documents from victims and maintain accurate case records and client files
• Assist victims in accessing legal support, services and institutional mechanisms
• Coordinate regularly with litigation fellows, mentors and partner organisations for case follow-up
• Support documentation, referrals and communication with relevant stakeholders and institutions
• Participate in training, review meetings and capacity-building sessions under the fellowship
• Maintain regular reporting and submit required documentation in accordance with Project protocols

Essential requirements:

• 10th pass
• At least 2 years of experience working with community-based organisations, victims, survivors, or vulnerable and marginalised communities
• Proficiency in Hindi and/or regional languages spoken in Delhi NCR
• Sensitivity, empathy and the ability to engage with victims in a respectful, trauma-informed manner
• Strong communication and basic documentation skills
• Willingness to undertake field-based work and participate in training, mentorship and regular review processes

Desirable:

• 12th pass / Graduate degree
• Prior work experience with an NGO or institutional actor
• Experience with legal aid, victim support, casework, counselling, community mobilisation or documentation
• Familiarity with the criminal justice system, government institutions or grassroots organisations

The Fellowship is a contractual / retainer engagement based in Delhi NCR, with a joining date of 20 July 2026. Selected Fellows receive a stipend of Rs. 20,000 per month, plus reimbursements of up to Rs. 2,000 for travel and filing costs.

Applications must be submitted online through NLU Delhi's official careers portal at careers.nludelhi.ac.in. Applications sent by email will not be considered. Application materials include the online form, a resume, and a Case Note (1,000 words), with detailed instructions provided within the application form.

Candidates are shortlisted based on the materials submitted; only shortlisted candidates are contacted for the interview stage. Applicants who do not hear back within 4 weeks of the deadline should assume their application was unsuccessful. NLU Delhi reserves the right not to fill the position. Candidates from marginalised and underrepresented groups, including women, first-generation lawyers, persons from Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, minority communities, LGBTQIA+ persons and persons with disabilities, are strongly encouraged to apply.

Apply on or before 15 July 2026, 11:59 PM IST.