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Human Rights Lawyer Jobs in Missouri (NOW HIRING)

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Human Rights Lawyer information

See Missouri salary details

$44.1K

$94.4K

$129.4K

How much do human rights lawyer jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 6, 2026, the average yearly pay for human rights lawyer in Missouri is $94,388.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $74,100.00 and $96,600.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What does a human rights lawyer do?

A Human Rights Lawyer is a legal professional who specializes in cases involving the protection and promotion of fundamental rights and freedoms. They represent individuals or groups whose rights have been violated and may work on issues such as discrimination, freedom of speech, or asylum cases. Human Rights Lawyers can work for non-governmental organizations, government agencies, or in private practice, and they often engage in litigation, advocacy, and policy development to uphold human rights standards.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a human rights lawyer?

To thrive as a Human Rights Lawyer, you need a law degree, bar admission, and a deep understanding of international human rights law and legal research. Familiarity with legal research databases, case management software, and international legal frameworks is typically required. Excellent advocacy, cross-cultural communication, and resilience are vital soft skills for working with diverse clients and sensitive cases. These skills and qualities are crucial for effectively protecting individuals' rights and achieving justice in complex legal environments.

What are some common challenges faced by human rights lawyers in their daily work?

Human rights lawyers often deal with complex cases that can be emotionally and mentally demanding, especially when representing vulnerable populations or confronting systemic injustices. They may encounter resistance from authorities, limited access to resources, and lengthy legal processes that require persistence and resilience. Additionally, balancing advocacy with legal strategy while maintaining client confidentiality and security is a frequent challenge. Collaboration with NGOs, international organizations, and multidisciplinary teams is essential to build strong cases and drive meaningful change.

What is the difference between Human Rights Lawyer vs Civil Rights Attorney?

AspectHuman Rights LawyerCivil Rights Attorney
CredentialsLaw degree, bar admission, specialization in international or human rights lawLaw degree, bar admission, focus on domestic civil rights law
Work EnvironmentNonprofit organizations, international courts, government agenciesLaw firms, government agencies, advocacy groups
Industry UsageInternational human rights organizations, NGOs, UN bodiesLegal practice focusing on discrimination, voting rights, and equality issues

Human Rights Lawyers primarily focus on international and global issues, often working with NGOs or international bodies. Civil Rights Attorneys concentrate on domestic issues like discrimination and voting rights. Both roles require legal credentials but differ in scope and work environment.

What are popular job titles related to Human Rights Lawyer jobs in Missouri? For Human Rights Lawyer jobs in Missouri, the most frequently searched job titles are:
Infographic showing various Human Rights Lawyer job openings in Missouri as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 78% Full Time, 15% Part Time, 1% Temporary, and 5% Contract. Highlights an 92% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 5% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $94,388 per year, or $45.4 per hour.

Associate Counsel - Corporate Legal

Burns & McDonnell

Kansas City, MO • On-site

Full-time

Posted 6 days ago


Burns & McDonnell rating

8.7

Company rating: 8.7 out of 10

Based on 50 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

3rd of 80 rated construction


Job description

Attorney - Employment Law

The Employment Law Attorney represents Burns & McDonnell interests and provides legal advice and counsel to Human Resources, executives, management, and business leaders on employment-related legal matters. This role advises on federal, state, and local employment laws and regulations; supports employee relations, workplace investigations, accommodations, leaves of absence, wage and hour compliance, policy development, employment litigation, agency charges, and pre-litigation disputes; and partners with internal stakeholders and outside counsel to manage employment risk and support consistent, compliant workplace practices.

Job Duties:

  • Provide employment law advice and counsel to Human Resources, executives, managers, and business leaders on employee relations, investigations, discipline, accommodations, leave, wage and hour, workplace policies, and other employment matters.

  • Advise on federal, state, and local employment laws and regulations, including Title VII, ADA, FMLA, FLSA, ADEA, NLRA, OSHA, state equivalents, and other applicable workplace laws.

  • Partner with Human Resources and management to assess legal risk and provide practical, business-focused recommendations that support consistent and compliant workplace decisions.
     

  • Draft, review, and revise employment-related agreements, policies, procedures, templates, communications, and training materials.

  • Support internal workplace investigations, including intake, strategy, documentation, findings, outcomes, and remediation recommendations.


  • Manage employment litigation, agency charges, demand letters, subpoenas, and pre-litigation disputes in partnership with outside counsel.


  • Represent or support Company responses before federal, state, and local agencies, including EEOC, DOL, OSHA, NLRB, and state human rights or labor agencies.

  • Conduct internal training on employment law topics, including harassment prevention, accommodations, leave management, wage and hour, documentation, and workplace compliance.


     

  • Monitor legislative, regulatory, and case law developments and advise on required policy, practice, and training updates.


     

  • Establish and maintain effective working relationships with Human Resources, Legal, business leaders, and outside counsel.


     

  • Provide regular reports to General Counsel and HR leadership regarding employment matters, risk trends, litigation, agency activity, and compliance initiatives.


     

  • Participate in employment-related risk management and compliance initiatives.


     

  •  Performs other duties as assigned


     

  • Complies with all policies and standards

  • JD ABA Accredited Juris Doctor Degree required

  • Ability to become and remain an active member in good standing of Missouri bar

  • Demonstrated knowledge of federal, state, and local employment laws and regulations, including anti-discrimination, accommodation, leave, wage and 

    hour, retaliation, labor relations, and workplace safety requirements.

  • Experience advising Human Resources and business leaders on employee relations, performance management, investigations, discipline, separations, accommodations, and leave matters.

  • Experience managing or supporting employment litigation, agency charges, demand letters, subpoenas, and pre-litigation employment disputes.

  • Ability to draft, review, and interpret employment policies, procedures, agreements, releases, settlement agreements, templates, and employee 

    communications.

  • Demonstrated ability to balance legal risk, business needs, employee experience, and consistent policy application in a fast-paced environment.

  • Strong judgment, discretion, and ability to handle sensitive and confidential employment matters.

  • Experience with law review or other journal writing activity required.

  • Must be able to prioritize responsibilities to manage a large workload and very tight deadlines.

  • Ability to work in teams and demonstrated leadership and organization skills as an accomplished mentor and team builder.

  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills; detail-oriented, practical, collaborative, and professional.

  • Active license to practice law in at least one U.S. jurisdiction Upon hire / maintained throughout employment required


What Burns & McDonnell employees say

Pay

Benefits

Hours and flexibility

Workplace

Get the full story on Breakroom


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About Burns & McDonnell

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

Burns & McDonnell assists clients of all sizes and industries by providing extensive physical services ranging from assessments, integrated security solutions, and large security architecture designs. Services we typically provide include security and safety system design, threat, risk, and vulnerability assessments, security surveys, security master planning, compliance to federal security programs, independent validation and verification of integrated security system operations, management of installation and maintenance, and staff augmentation to develop and implement facility management and protection processes.

Industry

Civil engineering construction

Company size

10,000+ Employees

Headquarters location

Kansas City, MO, US

Year founded

1898

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