Human Rights Institute | Columbia Law School

The Bringing Human Rights Home Lawyers' Network

HRI serves as the focal point for coordinating and developing networks among U.S. lawyers interested in using international law and human rights strategies as part of domestic advocacy efforts.

At the center of HRI’s networking efforts is our Bringing Human Rights Home (BHRH) Lawyers’ Network, through which members share strategies across issue areas and develop joint responses to common threats and needs.  The BHRH Lawyers’ Network brings together over 500 lawyers drawn from domestic social justice organizations, the U.S. programs of international human rights groups and law school human rights programs, as well as non-lawyers who are key players in the domestic human rights movement.

HRI convenes bi-annual in-person BHRH Lawyers’ Network meetings, often combined with a legal education training, capacity-building workshop or strategy session on using international law in domestic advocacy. The meetings provide a forum for advocates to report on ongoing cases, discuss common challenges, engage in strategic discussions and develop joint strategies and projects on issues including U.N advocacy, U.S. policy initiatives, U.S. matters before the Inter-American Commission and updates on pending cases in U.S. courts. Between meetings, HRI facilitates Network communication through a BHRH Lawyers’ Network listserv.

For more information on the BHRH Network, and to join the listerv, contact Greta Moseson at greta.moseson@law.columbia.edu.

HRI has created several BHRH Lawyers’ Network working groups to respond to specific issues and resource needs. These working groups focus on Economic and Social Rights, Treaty Implementation, and the Inter-American Human Rights System.

US Human Rights Online Library