Awarded to LSA undergraduate students to intern with Perseus Strategies, LLC in Washington, D.C., and its managing director, the renowned international human rights lawyer, Jared Genser (U-M Law '01).
Ellen Drejza
BA International Studies (International Security, Norms and Cooperation); BA History
Class 2026
This summer, I had the privilege of working as an International Human Rights Fellow at Perseus Strategies in Washington, D.C., from June 9th to August 8th, which was rewarding, impactful, and career-defining, as it taught me so much about pursuing a career in international human rights law and provided me with valuable resources to achieve my goals. It was an incredible experience I would recommend to anyone interested in pursuing a career in human rights or international law. As an intern, I had the unique opportunity to work directly with human rights attorneys, permanent employees, and passionate undergraduate and law school interns who motivated me to challenge myself by collaborating on many different projects and learning how to effectively communicate with clients and draft effective advocacy materials to seek justice for political prisoners and victims of human rights abuses. This experience allowed me to learn from different viewpoints and develop professionally; it would not have been as meaningful and formative without the talented people I worked alongside, who provided valuable feedback and advice throughout the internship. I was also grateful to be accompanied in D.C by one other U-M intern, Rachel Zaidan, who was a source of guidance and friendship while starting this internship and adjusting to D.C. this summer.
During my time at Perseus, I was able to research different think tank employees, university professors, journalists, and members of Congress and create drafts for meetings with a client on Capitol Hill, which we were even able to attend! I was able to apply what I have learned from PICS courses to real-world applications, such as preparing case briefs, advocacy materials, and legal communications for international legal matters, including drafting an urgent appeal to the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Torture. I also had the chance to conduct detailed legal research and update source citations for international human rights reports and a book chapter, focusing on women’s rights and human trafficking. It was beneficial to have exposure to the intricacies of having a legal career and working directly with clients, while meeting deadlines and completing assignments to match the professional style guide. I was able to develop critical professional skills that I will be able to apply to a career in law, as well as crucial advice about applying to law school and balancing coursework.
As a student who wants to attend law school and pursue a career in human rights law, but has no lawyers in my family, I found it extremely helpful and eye-opening to be able to talk and work closely with lawyers and learn about how to set myself up for success in a career in law. Each staff member and intern brought a unique perspective that I was able to learn from as I begin to think about my next career steps before applying to law school after graduation. Additionally, we were able to meet inspiring guest speakers who were industry experts and talked about their educational backgrounds and careers in human rights, which served as invaluable educational guidance and career advice to learn about the different paths someone can take when pursuing a career in human rights.
My internship with Perseus Strategies this summer was an honor and a privilege, and it is an experience I encourage for anyone interested in the field. I am grateful for the detailed mentorship and support I received academically and career-wise from everyone on the team. Last but certainly not least, I want to give an extra special thank you to the Donia Human Rights Center, the PICS Department, the Perseus Strategies team, Danielle Schmidt, Thea Kendall-Green (PICS 2024 alumna), and Skyla Park (PICS 2025 alumna) for their unwavering support and guidance throughout the application process and internship, without whom I could not have had this extraordinary experience. I would love to speak to anyone interested in pursuing this opportunity in the future!
Awarded to LSA undergraduate students to intern with Perseus Strategies, LLC in Washington, D.C., and its managing director, the renowned international human rights lawyer, Jared Genser (U-M Law '01).
Rachel Zaidan
International Studies and Sociology
Class 2026
My internship at Perseus Strategies, made possible by the International Human Rights Fellowship, was an incredible opportunity that resulted in my professional and personal growth. The invaluable experience of working in an international human rights law firm, and specifically at Perseus Strategies with its diverse array of cases, allowed me to learn about new areas of human rights law and solidify my interests within the broader field. I also found it incredibly rewarding to be located in Washington D.C. itself this summer, as it allowed me to immerse myself in the current human rights and legal political climates. Finally, this opportunity connected me with talented and passionate individuals that I enjoyed working with and hope to remain in contact with as I pursue a career in the international human rights field.
From the very start of my internship, it was clear that “international human rights law” is actually an umbrella term for various niche areas and issues that require different approaches. Luckily, Perseus Strategies has cases and clients across the board, which made it possible to survey the field while pursuing what I was most interested in. My first assignment was within the area of business and human rights which was a topic that I previously had very little experience in. However, through my research I became very interested in this developing area of law. I had the honor of giving a 30-minute solo presentation to the entire firm, including Jared Genser, on my discoveries as well as my recommendations for our firm’s course of action. This background served me well as we quickly pivoted to a new business and human rights client in Latin America. I spent much of July doing extensive research and background work for this client’s Human Rights Impact Assessment which was an incredibly fulfilling experience. In summary, this introduction to the area of business and human rights law was formative and I am seriously considering it as a future topic of study and as an area of work during my gap years before law school.
It was similarly formative to be physically located in D.C. during this time. I found Washington D.C. to be an incredibly fascinating place, full of new areas to explore, interesting people, and an intellectually stimulating atmosphere. Moreover, being physically located in Washington D.C. allowed me certain opportunities such as attending the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission in Congress. I also was able to attend a meeting alongside attorney Jacob Bogart and former Special Assistant to the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Zulfi Bukhari as part of our advocacy trip on behalf of our client, incarcerated former Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan. During these meetings, I learned a lot about the value of seemingly small advocacy actions and soft law lobbying. International law, and international human rights law in particular, is an extremely unique area of law in which the threat of the application of the law itself is not in itself enough to prevent a certain undesirable action. Understandably, I’ve noticed in my studies how that provokes feelings of disillusionment among academics of more traditional forms of lawand human rights activists. However, after observing the advocacy work that necessarily accompanies international law, I find myself absolutely fascinated by this field and more hopeful about its practical applications. This is another way in which the summer experience has shaped my professional interest, and perhaps my academic studies.
Finally, I took the opportunity of being located in D.C. to connect with several permanent members of the law firm as well as other professionals whose careers I was interested in. These opportunities to speak with people who are in positions and fields that I hope to join shaped how I will approach my early career, law school applications, and personal work-life balance. In summary, I was provided an incredible opportunity this summer at Perseus Strategies thanks to the Donia Human Rights Centre and the Program in International Studies.
