About
Jillian Rafferty serves as a Clinical Fellow at Duke University School of Law's International Human Rights Clinic since 2024, supervising student clinical work, organizing the Human Rights in Practice event series, and supporting the Human Rights Pro Bono Program. Her position places her at the intersection of academic instruction and frontline human rights advocacy within Duke's legal education framework.
Her educational credentials include:
- J.D. and Master of Public Policy (M.P.P.) from Harvard University, where she served as Editor-in-Chief of the Harvard Human Rights Journal
- B.A. in International Relations, magna cum laude, from the University of Pennsylvania
Rafferty's research focuses on human rights protection mechanisms during humanitarian emergencies, with specialized expertise in armed conflict scenarios. Her work critically examines civilian protection frameworks under international humanitarian law, legal accountability systems in war zones, and the practical implementation of disarmament agreements. This research directly informs her clinical teaching through the International Human Rights Clinic where students engage with these complex issues.
As a Clinical Fellow, she actively supervises students in both the International Human Rights Clinic (course 437) and Advanced Human Rights Clinic (course 438). Her mentorship approach integrates her extensive field experience from roles at the International Review of the Red Cross, UN human rights bodies, and major NGOs into practical legal training. This professional background enables her to guide students through complex human rights documentation, advocacy strategy development, and ethical dilemmas in emergency contexts.
The International Human Rights Clinic operates as Duke Law's primary hub for human rights fieldwork, providing students with direct client representation opportunities while advancing Rafferty's research agenda on emergency response frameworks. Through the Human Rights in Practice series, the clinic connects students with practitioners from international organizations, creating pathways for students to engage with real-world human rights challenges immediately following their clinical training.
