Strategic litigation is legal action to achieve significant changes that go beyond the individual case. It aims to set legal precedents, influence public opinion, and advance human rights.
Strategic litigation and universal jurisdiction share a common goal of pursuing justice on a broader scale, transcending individual cases. The link between them lies in their shared commitment to addressing transnational issues and promoting accountability beyond national borders.
At Impact Litigation, we are committed to using the law to advance human rights and international justice, notably through strategic litigation.
Universal jurisdiction allows a state to prosecute perpetrators of the most serious international crimes, regardless of where the crimes were committed or the nationality of the perpetrator or victim. It is rooted in the notion that some crimes - notably genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes - are of such a nature that they offend all of humanity, and therefore, any state is entitled to take legal action against the perpetrators in order to hold them accountable. Impact Litigation is specialized in universal jurisdiction cases and advocacy.
As the head of the International Justice Commission at Amnesty International France, Jeanne Sulzer and the Impact Litigation team advocate to waive the conditions for universal jurisdiction in France. A mapping of the universal jurisdiction cases in France is soon to be published.
We represent victims of the gravest international crimes in front of national courts in universal jurisdiction cases.
We also work on a consultancy basis to give training or advice on universal jurisdiction dossiers and strategic litigation.
Impact Litigation can work on a consultancy basis to share our expertise in human rights, international criminal law, victims' rights and counter-terrorism. We provide guidance to international organizations and non-governmental organizations seeking redress for victims of various forms of injustice.
We have worked with several offices of the United Nations, notably on the drafting and implementation of the Model Legislative Provisions on Victims of Terrorism and the implementation of the Model Legislative Provisions and Guidance on Investigation and Prosecution of Conflict-Related Sexual Violence.
Impact Litigation has experience in conducting documenting and fact-finding missions into international crimes and human rights abuses on behalf of civil society organizations.
We believe that documentation of crimes, including through victims' statements, is essential to public awareness and legal action. We have expertise in the documentation and prosecution of sexual and gender-based violence.