Human Rights Lawyer Honored by New York State Bar Association’s International Law Section
3.4.2024
Human rights attorney Becca Heller is being honored by her peers for her dedication to displaced people who are victims of war, religious persecution, and natural disasters. Members of the New York State Bar Association’s International Section gave her the Distinction in International Law and Affairs Award which recognizes excellence in the practice of International Law.
Heller is the co-founder and CEO of the International Refugee Assistance Project, a global legal aid and advocacy organization working with displaced people and their families. The mission of the organization is “everyone should have a safe place to live and a safe way to get there.” Heller started the project while still in law school after meeting with Iraqi refugee families living in Jordan. Those refugees told her that legal support was their most urgent need.
“Becca Heller works tirelessly to protect the most vulnerable people forced to flee violence and persecution in their homelands,” said New York State Bar Association President Richard Lewis. “Her organization has grown from one person to an army of attorneys, law students and staff who are giving hope and refuge to hundreds of families.”
Becca Heller is a recognized pioneer in the field of refugee rights. In addition to helping individuals and families find safety, her organization advocates for improved refugee law and policy, including expanded rights and pathways to safety for displaced people.
A graduate of Dartmouth College and Yale Law School, Becca was a visiting clinical lecturer at Yale Law School from 2010 to 2018. She has authored articles in Foreign Policy and the Stanford Social Innovation Review. In 2017, she was named Foreign Policy’s Citizen Diplomat of the Year.
