About Jim Rubin
Jim Rubin was a stalwart environmental advocate and highly respected environmental attorney who left an enduring mark on the field of international environmental law both as a private practitioner and a public servant.
During his 15 years of service at the U.S. Department of Justice, he worked tirelessly to integrate newly developing norms in environmental law, public international law, and international trade and investment. Jim played a major role in bringing attention to the potential influence of international investment agreements on environmental law, working to ensure that free trade and environmental protection be mutually supportive, and served as the Department’s representative on the White House Climate Change Task Force and the Kyoto Protocol negotiating team. Later, as a partner at Dorsey & Whitney, he worked on climate change policy, air pollution and other environmental issues.
Throughout his career, Jim was an active member of the Environmental Law Institute, lending his expertise to ELI seminars and master classes and sharing his knowledge and experiences with a younger generation of environmental professionals. You can read more about Jim Rubin’s impact here.
Building on Jim’s legacy with the generous support of Jim’s wife, Nancie, ELI launched the Jim Rubin International Fellowship program to support rising environmental lawyers who are committed to building the next generation of environmental protection law and policy. Under the Fellowship, selected environmental lawyers from developing countries work with ELI staff and other fellows on cutting-edge issues and transferable approaches in environmental law and policy.
Successful fellows will embody Jim’s focus, both on the substantive elements of environmental law, and on dispute resolution, capacity building and citizen participation.
The Environmental Law Institute announced the creation of Jim Rubin International Fellowship in Fall 2019, thanks to the generous support of Jim’s family and the encouragement of Ignacia S. Moreno.
About the Fellowship Program
The Jim Rubin International Fellowship Program empowers rising environmental lawyers to tackle complex environmental problems. It reduces financial barriers, provides mentorship and fosters leadership and creativity so fellows can conduct research and engage and inform the public and policy-makers. The fellowship is based in Washington, D.C.
Up to two fellowships per year are available. Each will be for up to three months and will consist of:
- Mentorship from Environmental Law Institute senior staff;
- High-level networking opportunities; and
- A desk at ELI’s office in Washington, D.C.
Fellows are eligible for a one-time stipend (up to $7,500).
"Being a Jim Rubin International Fellow at ELI is not only about the knowledge you gain but about the people you meet, and the working and academic relationships you build, but most of all it is about the opportunity to work hand in hand with a talented and humane team that is there to support and teach you every step of the way.
The opportunity that the Environmental Law Institute gave me as the first fellow of this program played a fundamental role in the development of my professional career and catapulted me in the right direction toward achieving my professional dreams in the mid and long term.
I have nothing but words of gratitude to ELI- especially to Carl and Kristine- and Jim and Nancie Rubin for making this possible. My wish that many more young people will have this amazing opportunity as I did."
-Ginary Tatiana Gutiérrez Robledo (2020 Jim Rubin International Fellow)
Current Fellows
John Singbae II
John Saylay Singbae II is a Lecturer in the Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture Sciences at the University of Liberia. His research expertise includes ocean governance, international environmental law, and international dispute settlement. John is also the Executive Director of the Cavalla Institute of Ocean Governance (CI-OG), an organization through which he has made significant contributions to ocean literacy in Liberia. At CI-OG, John leads a dynamic team of young ocean and environmental activists, powering a regional science-to-policy platform to raise ocean literacy and fosters research in both the legal and scientific aspects of ocean governance in West Africa.
John holds a Licence en Droit (LL. L) from the Universite Cadi Ayyad de Marrakech, Morocco, a Master of Laws (LLM) specializing in International Law from the University of Cape Town, a Diploma in Law of the Sea from the Yeosu Academy of the Law of the Sea (Korean Maritime Institute) and, a professional Certificate in Ocean Governance from the International Ocean Institute-Southern Africa (IOI). Currently, he’s a Doctoral Researcher (Doctor of Laws) under the South African Research Chair in the Law of the Sea (SARChI) at the Nelson Mandela University, South Africa, where he is researching Liberia’s participation in global ocean governance with specific focus on its flag state jurisdiction.
His research enthusiasm has seen him participate both in international and local institutions. In 2024, he interned at the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) in Hamburg, Germany, as part of the Tribunal’s capacity building programs. During his internship, John conducted research of high quality and drafted legal papers on issues under consideration by the legal office. Notably, his research at ITLOS examined the significance of the inception of the Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable use of Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement) to assess how effectively the Agreement fills the existing gaps in global ocean governance.
Beyond academics, John is an alumnus of the Mandela Rhodes Foundation, former President Nelson Mandela’s leadership program for young scholars and emerging leaders in Africa.
Samuel Ngoga
2025 Jim Rubin International Fellow Samuel Ngoga is a lawyer trained in Rwanda and serves as the Founding Director of the Center for Climate Justice at Certa Foundation. He is currently pursuing a dual Erasmus Mundus Joint Master’s degree in Climate Change, Diversity, and Sustainable Territorial Development at the University of Padova in Italy, alongside a Master of Science in Environmental Management at the University of Johannesburg in South Africa.
He previously served as an investigator and paralegal at Levy Firestone Muse LLP, a Washington, D.C.-based law firm, where he developed strong expertise in legal research and data-driven analysis.
Samuel is a member of the World Commission on Environmental Law at the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and a former Mediation Support Unit Fellow with the Scotia Group, Glasgow, where his contributions to advancing climate finance and loss and damage negotiations were presented at COP26. He has represented Rwanda as both a party delegate and youth representative at several UN Climate Change Conferences, including COP26, COP27, and COP28, where he engaged in negotiations on loss and damage, adaptation, and mitigation from an African perspective.
Samuel, a proud former mooter, participated with his team and finished at the semi-finals of the 2021 All-Africa International Humanitarian Law Moot Court Competition in Kenya, after winning the national round in Rwanda, where he was honored as Best Speaker. In 2020, he was recognized as the Best Male Pleader in Rwanda’s national moot court competition on contract law.
As a Jim Rubin International Fellow at the Environmental Law Institute (ELI), Samuel works with the International Water Program, where he researches the progressive implementation of the Human Right to Water.
Read about past Jim Rubin International Fellows.
Program Structure
- Research and Writing – conduct a research project and explore opportunities
- Educational Events – participate in the educational opportunities offered at ELI including seminars, conferences and workshops
- Networking and Career Development – receive mentorship and resources from senior attorneys at ELI to help shape your fellowship and advance your career
- Presentations and Publications – explore opportunities to submit content to ELI’s publications and podcast – the Vibrant Environments Blog, the Environmental Law Reporter®, The Environmental Forum®, People Places Planet Podcast – and deliver seminars on your research topic
Eligibility and Selection
- Received a legal degree (LL.B, JD, SJD, or LLM equivalent) prior to start of fellowship
- Preference will be given to candidates from developing countries
- Ability to communicate in English in an office environment
- Legally authorized to travel to and volunteer in the United States for the entire duration of the fellowship. For information on authorization requirements, visit the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services website (https://www.uscis.gov/). Please note that ELI is unable to sponsor visas for fellowship applicants.
Successful applicants will be environmental lawyers in the early stages of their careers who show promise as leaders. They embody Jim Rubin’s dedication to environmental protection law and policy, community engagement, and access to justice. They will be committed to research excellence, possess the ability to bring clarity to complex issues.
How to Apply
Applications are currently closed. Application information is available here.
Dates and length are flexible. For more information, please contact: opportunities@eli.org
Supporters
The Jim Rubin International Fellowship was launched in fall 2019 to honor the legacy of Jim Rubin, a true friend to ELI.
Thank you to all of our major founding donors. You are empowering the next generation of environmental lawyers!
- Nancie, Conall, & Jeremy Rubin
If you wish to make a tax-deductible donation to support the Jim Rubin International Fellowship, please contact giving@eli.org.
To learn about other ways to donate click here.