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How to Get a Career in Human Rights
31May 2012
In association with:
Human Rights Lawyers Association
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How to Get a Career in Human Rights
31 May 2012
Contents
Running Order ...................................................................................................................... 3
The Law Society‟s International Action Team ........................................................................ 4
About the Human Rights Lawyers‟ Association ..................................................................... 5
Biographies:
Bob Amsterdam .................................................................................................................... 7
Juliya Salkovskaya Arbisman ................................................................................................ 8
Jonathan Butterworth .......................................................................................................... 10
Professor Sara Chandler ..................................................................................................... 12
Jonathan Cooper ................................................................................................................ 13
Raj Desai ............................................................................................................................ 15
Tony Fisher ......................................................................................................................... 17
Malcolm Fowler ................................................................................................................... 19
Alison Gerry ........................................................................................................................ 21
Stephen Grosz .................................................................................................................... 22
Sarah Johnston ................................................................................................................... 24
Jacqueline Kinghan ............................................................................................................. 26
Helen Law ........................................................................................................................... 28
Rob Linham ........................................................................................................................ 30
Eric Metcalfe ....................................................................................................................... 33
Al Mustakim ........................................................................................................................ 35
Oluwole Osibona................................................................................................................. 36
Angela Patrick ..................................................................................................................... 38
Ruth Pogonowski ................................................................................................................ 41
Anthony Robinson ............................................................................................................... 43
Roger Smith OBE ............................................................................................................... 45
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Martha Spurrier ................................................................................................................... 47
Shubhaa Srinivasan ............................................................................................................ 49
Adam Wagner ..................................................................................................................... 50
Nick Williams ...................................................................................................................... 52
Human Rights Organisations .............................................................................................. 54
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Running Order
1pm:
Registration
1.30pm:
First Plenary
Chair:
Alison Gerry: Doughty Street Chambers
Panel:
Eric Metcalfe: Monckton Chambers
Roger Smith; Director, Justice
Adam Wagner: One Crown Office Row
Rob Linham: Ministry of Justice
Sarah Johnston: CPS
2.15pm:
Breakout sessions
3.30pm:
Refreshments
4pm:
Second Plenary
Chair:
Alison Gerry: Doughty Street Chambers
Panel:
Bob Amsterdam: Amsterdam & Partners LLP
Jonathan Cooper: Doughty Street Chambers
Shubhaa Srinivasan: Leigh Day & Co
Steven Grosz: Bindmans
Helen Law: Matrix Chambers
5.15pm: Vote of thanks: Sara Chandler
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The Law Society’s International Action Team
The Law Society's International Action Team (IAT) is a network of pro bono lawyers and law
students who assist with the Society‟s human rights work.
The aim is to provide international human rights opportunities for all, regardless of your level
of qualification or previous human rights experience, if any.
There are 2 main ways to participate: interventions or working groups.
Interventions
Members of the IAT are involved in researching or drafting interventions. A dedicated group
of researchers (mostly students) monitor for violations, investigate them and alert the
network. One volunteer (usually non-student) drafts a letter that will be signed by the
President of the Law Society on behalf of the profession.
The Law Society writes interventions to governments and responsible authorities:




in support of lawyers whose human rights have been violated;
opposing restrictions on the freedom and independence of the legal profession;
challenging threats to the independence of the judiciary and the proper
administration of justice; and
opposing systemic or gross violations of the rule of law.
For examples of interventions, see http://international.lawsociety.org.uk/node/3806
To join the IAT, you will first have to attend our intervention training. To receive notification
of the next training session, volunteering/job opportunities, other events and Law Society
human
rights
news,
please
contact
[email protected]
or
[email protected]
Working Groups
IAT members are encouraged to form working groups of volunteers to research, monitor and
act upon human rights issues of common interest. Working groups have included: Events,
Lawyers at Risk, Independence of the Legal Profession, Russia, Colombia, Iraq, Malaysia,
and Pakistan.
The work of each working group is primarily driven by its members with logistical support
from the Law Society. Their work very often informs the Law Society‟s overall human rights
policy.
For examples of working groups, see http://international.lawsociety.org.uk/node/2518 and
http://international.lawsociety.org.uk/node/2779
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human rights lawyers association
About the Human Rights Lawyers’ Association
The HRLA‟s principal objective is to promote, protect and develop effective legal protection
of human rights and fundamental freedoms within the UK legal framework and system of
government.
The HRLA is a forum for those involved in the law and legal professions to discuss human
rights issues. It facilitates the sharing of knowledge and ideas about human rights law and
fosters the exchange of views between specialists from different areas of expertise and the
wider legal community.
The HRLA aims to further research, education and training in all areas of human rights law;
it collaborates with organisations whose objectives are similar to those of the HRLA; it
supports students in their human rights work in the UK and abroad; it organises critical and
constructive seminars, lectures, workshops and debates about topical human rights issues.
The HRLA seeks to respond quickly to any developments that affect human rights law in the
UK. This may be a judgment of the House of Lords or the European Court of Human Rights,
or evolving Government policy. The events based on these developments are free, or
subsidized, for HRLA members and strive to create a forum for interactive discussion and
debate.
Past events include Sexual Apartheid, Political Islam and Women’s Rights; Inquests,
Inquiries and the Right to Life; Torture Team: The Lawyers who Authorised Torture;
Complicity with Apartheid; The Future of Children’s Rights in the UK; Human Rights and the
Environment.
For upcoming events see www.hrla.org.uk/events
Whereas disregard and contempt for human rights have resulted in barbarous acts
which have outraged the conscience of mankind, and the advent of a world in which
human beings shall enjoy freedom of speech and belief and freedom from fear and
want has been proclaimed as the highest aspiration of the common people
Preamble, Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1948
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HRLA BURSARY
The HRLA recognises that those without independent financial backing can sometimes be
unable to take up internships, work placements and other either unpaid or poorly paid work
in human rights law. They may therefore miss out on these opportunities and this can lead to
their being disadvantaged when applying for jobs within the human rights field. To assist
people in this position, in 2006 the HRLA established a bursary scheme to assist law
students, either those currently studying (either undergraduate degree, postgraduate studies
or LPC/BVC/Law Conversion Course) or those who have recently graduated, in undertaking
such work.
Each year the HRLA will provide around 5 awards from a maximum annual bursary fund of
around £6,000, provided there are suitable applicants. A single award will not normally total
more than £1,000.
Please see the bursary section of the website (http://www.hrla.org.uk/Bursary.php) for the
detailed policy document and application form, and for reports from previous bursary
recipients. If you have any questions about the scheme, please, in the first instance, consult
the policy document, which should answer all your questions.
Applications for the 2012 scheme are now closed but please check the website for details of
the 2013 scheme.
HRLA Bursary Committee
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Bob Amsterdam
Amsterdam & Partners LLP
Robert Amsterdam is the founding partner of the law firm Amsterdam & Partners LLP,
formerly Amsterdam & Peroff. The firm specializes in international business law and
politically complex cases, with offices in Washington, and London. Founded in 1980,
Amsterdam's firm and network of affiliates have been at the forefront of many landmark
cases involving the overlap between public and private sectors, working across the globe
from Russia to Venezuela to Nigeria and beyond.
Amsterdam is a member of the Canadian and International Bar Associations, and the Law
Society of Upper Canada. He is licensed as a solicitor in the United Kingdom. He earned his
BA from Carleton University in Ottawa and studied law at Queens University in Ontario
(LLB).
Past clients have included PricewaterhouseCoopers, the Four Seasons Resort & Hotels
Group, shareholders of Research in Motion, and the Gutierrez-Strauss family of Guatemala.
In 2003, Amsterdam was retained as international defence counsel for the head of the
Yukos oil company in Russia, Mikhail Khodorkovsky. In 2008, he was retained by the
Venezuelan banker and political prisoner Eligio Cedeño, who was just recently released into
freedom this past December. Amsterdam also represents the leader of the democratic
opposition in Singapore, Dr. Chee Soon Juan, and the former Minister of Abuja, Nigeria,
Nasir El-Rufai. He is active in a major constitutional case in the Czech Republic on behalf of
RPG Industries, among other active files. Amsterdam is currently retained by the former
Prime Minister of Thailand, Thaksin Shinawatra and represents the United Front for
Democracy Against Dictatorship (The Red Shirts). On January 31st 2011, Amsterdam
submitted an application to the International Criminal Court requesting an investigation into
the situation in Thailand relating to the commission of crimes against humanity.
As an active author, blogger, and opinion maker, Amsterdam has been published in the Wall
Street Journal, Washington Post, The American Lawyer and the Financial Times, and has
been featured on CNN, Fox News, and the Charlie Rose Show.
In a profile published by Canadian Lawyer, he is described as "one of the few lawyers in the
world good at taking on the state when the state starts acting like a criminal."
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Juliya Salkovskaya Arbisman
Clifford Chance
Juliya is a litigator in the London office of Clifford Chance LLP. She specialises in
commercial litigation, judicial reviews, regulatory investigations/enforcement and compliance
advice particularly on anti-bribery and corruption matters.
Juliya is also one of the highest performing pro bono lawyers and has been awarded the
Association of Women Solicitors' Probono Award and a distinction in the Clifford Chance
Corporate Social Responsibility Award in the Probono category. Juliya brings a high level of
technical expertise, particularly in human rights law, to her work on behalf of individuals and
NGOs who almost certainly would not have been able to pay for that level of service. Much
of her work has had external profile which has raised the reputation of the firm, and the
profile of professional women in this area.
She is a member of the Law Society Human Rights Committee and the Human Rights
Lawyers Association. She has helped the Law Society draft interventions on behalf of
lawyers facing state oppression in Russia, Asia and Mexico; delivered training in human
rights law to a delegation of Russian judges; drafted the Law Society's position paper on the
enforcement of Russian judgments at the ECHR; and advises on an important public law
litigation on behalf of the Chagos Islanders against the United Kingdom.
1. When did you decide to get actively involved in human rights? Was there one defining
moment?
My degrees were inherently rights based (e.g. how language policy shapes the rights of
linguistic minorities) and my experiences suggested a law degree was by far the most
appropriate way to start practicing in this area. My first official experience was attending the
62nd (and final) session of the UN Human Rights Commission as a NGO representative. But
having been born in communist Russia there was no shortage of examples to fuel that
interest early on.
2. Which human rights practitioners do you find most inspiring?
I did a certificate in international human rights at Oxford, where I studied under Ralph
Steinhardt and Paul Hoffman, champions of the US Alien Tort Claims Act. In the UK, I have
a lot of respect for Phil Shiner. Shaheed Fatima is also an inspiration for professional women
in this area.
3. What has been the high point of your human rights career so far?
I'm still at the early stages of practice and I can't say there has been a single high point.
Achieving a positive outcome for your client is always rewarding, and probably proportional
to how hard you had to try to get it. I might reserve my response until the impending
Strasbourg decision in the case of the Chagos Islanders, whom we at Clifford Chance are
representing.
4. What has been the low point?
Despite the better efforts of many, witnessing the progressive deterioration of human rights
in Russia.
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5. Is there a current human rights debate that you are particularly interested in?
Interaction of international human rights and humanitarian law; equally, interaction of
international public and private law; also the extent of the extra-territorial effect of human
rights instruments.
6. What is your favourite human right?
Isn't that questioning a tad dystopian?
7. Do you support the work of a particular human rights NGO?
I've done a lot of work with the European Human Rights Advocacy Centre who are in
partnership with the Russian NGO, Memorial, and am forever amazed by the volume and
versatility of cases they are able to take on. The Business & Human Rights Resource Centre
is an excellent portal on the topic, as is Transparency International.
8. What is your dream job?
To be the principal French Horn player of the New York Philharmonic. But this isn't too bad
either.
9. What was the last book you read?
My husband's first novel. It is a new type of novel set in London and Moscow covering 300
years of European history. Hopefully it will be coming to a Waterstones near you soon...
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Jonathan Butterworth
Just Fair
Jonathan is coordinator of Just Fair an NGO working to advance the realisation of
Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in the UK. Jonathan has a passion for social justice,
solidarity and human rights. He has worked for several years as a Public Law Teaching
Fellow at University College London (UCL), and a Guest Teacher at London School of
Economics (LSE).
Jonathan regularly collaborates with individuals, communities and NGOs to advance ESC
Rights. For example, he currently acts as a Trustee to the Pavement, the free magazine for
homeless people in London and Scotland, and as an advisor to the British Institute of
Human Rights on their „Human Rights in the Community‟ project which aims to empower
individuals and communities with human rights language and tools. Jonathan recently acted
as an Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Consultant for Age UK on their „Older People
and Human Rights Project‟ which aims to empower disadvantaged older people to use
human rights to influence decisions affecting their lives and wider public policy.
In his student days Jonathan co-founded, and was President of, the UCL Student Human
Rights Programme (UCLSHRP). The UCLSHRP is a student lead human rights organisation
which seeks to foster a vibrant culture of human rights within UCL and wider communities by
initiating awareness, instigating debate and inspiring action. (For further information
see: http://www.uclshrp.com.)
Jonathan has presented seminars, published articles and given lectures on human rights
law. He read law at Undergraduate and Master‟s level, specialising in human rights and
international law.
1. Which human rights practitioners do you find most inspiring?
A number of people – mainly those who combine a deep passion for rights, lifetime
commitment and balance activism, with academic rigour and excellent practice. In particular,
Colm O‟Cinneide (barrister, Vice President of the European Social Committee, Lecturer in
UCL and advisor to numerous parliamentary committees). Conor Gearty (barrister in Matrix
Chambers and LSE Professor). Phillipe Sands (barrister in Matrix, author of Lawless worlds,
Prof at UCL and Commissioner on the Government‟s British Bill of Rights inquiry).
2. When did you decide to follow a career in human rights? Was there one defining
moment?
During my undergraduate studies in Kings College London, in my Human Rights law class
with Prof. Rob Wintermute. It was by far the most enjoyable, compassionate and human of
topics within law, in my opinion.
3. Did you do any internships or voluntary placements on your route into human rights
work?
I did an internship at the British Institute of International and Comparative Law researching
on the definition of a public authority and functions of a public nature with regards to the
Human Rights Act Section 6. I also set up and ran the UCL Student Human Rights
Programme during my LLM in UCL – www.uclshrp.com
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4. What has been the high-point of your human rights career so far?
Setting up and running Just Fair: Justice and Fairness through Human Rights (www.justfair.co.uk) – „We work to advance the realisation of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights for
everyone in the United Kingdom. We work with partners to promote and enhance ESCR
protection and co-ordinate opposition when these rights aren‟t respected. But in our opinion,
our most important task is to raise rights awareness, so that we all know our rights, and how
to access them.‟
5. What has been the low-point?
Not knowing how to move forwards – be a barrister, an academic, NGO worker, policy
maker – and if so then how? But easy times came when I realised I can do all of the above
in my lifetime, perhaps more than one at a given moment, and they are not mutually
exclusive.
6. Is there a current human rights debate that you are particularly interested in?
Should we incorporate Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in a UK Bill of Rights?
7. What is your favourite human right?
Weird question but perhaps the right to education – it underpins all the others, but they are
in reality very interdependent.
8. Do you support the work of a particular human rights NGO?
The British Institute of Human Rights – they „bring human rights to life – supporting and
empowering people and organisations to use human rights to improve their own lives and
the lives of others.‟
9. What is your dream job?
The one I am currently doing to be honest – running an Economic, Social and Cultural
Rights NGO. However, I would love to see change in law, policy and practice to make this
work more effective.
10. When was the last time that you pulled an all-nighter?
Recently – perhaps one month ago.
11. What was the last book you read?
„An invitation to Ahmadiyya‟
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Professor Sara Chandler
College of Law
Sara is director of pro bono services and associate professor for the College of Law. She is
also the senior supervising solicitor at the Legal Advice Centre at the Bloomsbury Centre,
London.
Her practice is in housing law (landlord & tenant) and she works with colleagues in the Legal
Advice Centre, a social welfare law practice, giving advice on employment, asylum and
immigration and social security.
Sara has general experience in training international pro bono lawyers, and a particular
interest in Uganda, Zambia and Nigeria where she has worked with local Law Societies, Law
Schools, NGO's and others in establishing networks of legal aid providers, and legal aid
schemes.
She is an active member of CLEO (the Clinical Legal Education Organisation) and
participates in the International Journal of Clinical Legal Education Conferences.
She also participates in the Global Alliance for Justice Education, as well as the LILAC and
Association of Law Teachers. Her special interest is in the teaching of ethics.
Her education was at Swansea University, Newcastle University, London School of
Economics, South Bank Polytechnic, and City Polytechnic. She completed articles and 3
years PQE in legal aid firms (Glazer Delmar in Peckham, and HCL Hanne & Co in
Battersea), returning to the Law Centre movement before joining the College in 2003.
Sara is a member of the Law Society Council and current Chair of the Law Society Human
Rights Committee with responsibility for Colombia. She led the UK section of an international
delegation of lawyers to Colombia in August 2008 to investigate the situation of human
rights' lawyers, and is the current Chair of the UK delegation group.
Sara is a trustee of the Solicitors Benevolent Association, the Graham Turnbull Trust and
Central London Law Centre.
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Jonathan Cooper
Doughty Street Chambers
Jonathan Cooper is a human rights specialist and is able to advise on all aspects of
domestic and international human rights law. He has taken several cases to the European
Court of Human Rights and written numerous publications on human rights topics. He is
editor of the European Human Rights Law Review.
Jonathan has been instrumental in training public authorities and lawyers in the UK on the
implementation of the Human Rights Act 1998 and was responsible for devising and carrying
out human rights training for various government departments, including the Foreign &
Commonwealth Office (FCO) and the Ministry of Justice (MoJ). He has also advised the MoJ
and the Home Office on aspects of UK government human rights policy.
He continues to create human rights training programmes which are used around the world.
He works closely with the FCO, governments in other jurisdictions, from Ireland to Turkey,
as well as international organisations, such as the Council of Europe. In 2007 he carried out
a comprehensive human rights training programme for judges and prosecutors in the
Turkish Military. Additionally, Jonathan devised the human rights and counter terrorism
programme and manual for the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe
(OSCE).
Jonathan is the former Chair of the Executive Committee of the Human Rights Lawyers'
Association (HRLA). In 2007, Jonathan was awarded an OBE for services to human rights.
1. Which human rights practitioners do you find most inspiring?
Edward Fitzgerald, Anthony Lester, Keir Starmer, Geoffrey Robertson and Helena Kennedy
(in no particular order)
2. When did you decide to follow a career in human rights? Was there one defining
moment?
The AIDS crisis at the end of the 1980s. It was clear to me that law without rights could not
cope with the crisis which affected such vulnerable communities.
3. Did you do any internships or voluntary placements on your route into human rights
work?
Yes, many, including in the US. But I learnt most from the AIRE Centre. Nuala Mole is
outstanding (and extraordinary)
4. What has been the high-point of your human rights career so far?
Being a small part of the process that led to the Human Rights Act.
5. What has been the low-point?
Not having been able to persuade the majority of politicians about the value of human rights
to good government. Politicians need to become human rights advocates.
6. Is there a current human rights debate that you are particularly interested in?
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The need for an effective and substantive right to privacy.
7. What is your favourite human right?
Privacy
8. Do you support the work of a particular human rights NGO?
Yes, many. I am really pleased to be part of the HRLA. Occasionally I do work for the
National Aids Trust (NAT). It‟s a very effective rights based organisation. I also established
the Human Dignity Trust which seeks to challenge laws that criminalize homosexuality.
9. What is your dream job?
Anything that effectively promotes human rights
10. When was the last time that you pulled an all-nighter?
Being self employed means there are always deadlines. I haven‟t worked past midnight for a
while.
11. What was the last book you read?
Queer London by Matt Houlbrook
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Raj Desai
Matrix Chambers
Raj is a junior barrister at Matrix Chambers. After completing his traineeship (pupillage) he
has started to build a practice in the fields of public law and human rights. Prior to pupillage,
Raj trained as a solicitor, worked as a judicial assistant at the Court of Appeal (for Lord
Judge LCJ, and Carnwath LJ) and worked in the Victorian Government Solicitor‟s Office in
Melbourne, Australia. He studied his undergraduate and masters law degrees at Oxford
University.
1. Which human rights practitioners do you find most inspiring?
Those who work to defend human rights in the face of persecution all over the world from
Chechnya to China. While there are many practitioners closer to home who inspire, the sort
of commitment required to stand up to government abuse in these circumstances is
humbling.
2. When did you decide to follow a career in human rights? Was there one defining
moment?
There was no one defining moment. It was a growing recognition of what my motivations for
practicing law are, what my intellectual interests are, and a realisation that I might actually
be fortunate enough to be able to have a career practising in human rights.
3. Did you do any internships or voluntary placements on your route into human rights
work?
Yes - I did several human rights related internships. These included a three month internship
at the Human Rights Institute of the International Bar Association and six months at the
Human Rights Department of the Victorian Government in Melbourne Australia. Such
placements are increasingly essential to proving a commitment and interest in human rights
to potential employers as well as gaining important relevant experience. Fortunately, it is not
as hard to finance such internships as it may once have been in the past. Both the above
internships were in fact part-funded. There are also great initiatives such as the HRLA
Bursary Scheme which can help with funding unpaid work.
4. What has been the high-point of your human rights career so far?
I am not sure I have a “career” in human rights yet!
5. What has been the low-point?
A string of rejections for human rights related positions during the year after I left gainful
employment to do a masters specialising in human rights law. It sure can be competitive to
work for free!
6. Is there a current human rights debate that you are particularly interested in?
I find the politics of human rights law fascinating and worrying. The on-going debate over
replacing the Human Rights Act being considered by the Bill of Rights Commission, and the
steps being taken by the UK as Chair of the Council of Europe to reform the European Court
of Human Rights have put the mechanics of enforcing human rights on the front page. The
Victorian Bill of Rights and Responsibilities (which I worked on during a spell in Melbourne,
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Australia) is still in the firing line to be repealed or weakened following a change of State
government. I am interested in how to win the debate, which we (human rights supporters)
seem to be losing at the moment.
7. What is your favourite human right?
As all you students of human rights know, human rights are indivisible so one can‟t have a
favourite! Oh I don‟t know – the right to rest and leisure (UDHR Art. 25)?
8. Do you support the work of a particular human rights NGO?
If I had to single out one organisation, I would pick INQUEST. It is a small organisation that
makes a big difference to people who are frequently in desperate need of support and
assistance. It provides “ a specialist, comprehensive advice service to bereaved people,
lawyers, other advice and support agencies, the media, MPs and the wider public on
contentious deaths and their investigation” (http://www.inquest.org.uk/).
9. What is your dream job?
Barrister at Matrix?!
10. When was the last time that you pulled an all-nighter?
I‟ve never done a full all-nighter. I am a big fan of sleep and am twice as productive if I get a
few hours kip. The inevitable logic is against such behaviour.
11. What was the last book you read?
I have just started reading Simon Sebag-Montefiore‟s „Jerusalem‟, bought for me by an
intellectual friend seeking no doubt to improve my pub political chat on the Middle East. I
have only read about 20 pages and, despite an urge to be contrary, I am already starting to
agree with the stupidly long list of accolades and endorsements on the back cover and first
ten or so pages.
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Tony Fisher
Quality Solicitors FJG
Tony Fisher is a member and past Chair of the Human Rights Committee and senior partner
of Quality Solicitors FJG, an Essex firm which undertakes a substantial volume of public law
work in a number of different areas. He has acted as an advocate in many cases to
Strasbourg under the EHRC including Stubbings v UK (a case involving limitation issues
when an adult survivor of sexual abuse pursued remedies against her adoptive family),
Bankovic v Nato States (grand chamber case involving jurisdiction to deal with claims arising
out of the NATO bombing of the television centre in Belgrade). He has also acted in a large
number of cases arising out of the persecution of the Kurdish community in south east
Turkey. His most recent appearance was in Yumak and Sadak v Turkey (another grand
chamber case involving election thresholds in Turkey). He is also a fellow of the Human
Rights Centre at the University of Essex.
In his other life he is a commercial lawyer dealing with a large range of company and
commercial issues and acting for a number of charities.
1. Which human rights practitioners do you find most inspiring?
The late Professor Kevin Boyle and Francoise Hampson. I worked with both of them on
many Kurdish cases
2. When did you decide to follow a career in human rights? Was there one defining
moment?
As with most things in life I fell into it accidentally. I had a case in the 1980‟s which was a
personal injury case involving damages for sexual abuse which my client had suffered in her
childhood (Stubbings V Webb). It failed on limitation in the House of Lords and with help
from the Essex Human Rights Centre I took it to Strasbourg. I was hooked…
3. Did you do any internships or voluntary placements on your route into human rights
work?
No, my human rights work has run alongside normal practice in a high street solicitors
throughout my career
4. What has been the high-point of your human rights career so far?
Two appearances in the Grand Chamber in Bankovic v NATO and Yumak and Sadak v
Turkey. Also fact finding hearings in Turkey regarding a number of village destruction and
other cases
5. What has been the low-point?
Losing the Stubbings case before the court after a unanimous success at the Commission
6. Is there a current human rights debate that you are particularly interested in?
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The effect on economic social and cultural rights of austerity
7. What is your favourite human right?
The right to free speech. So much flows from it.
8. Do you support the work of a particular human rights NGO?
Many, but especially Minority Rights Group, EHRAC.
9. What is your dream job?
CEO of a large human rights NGO…
10. When was the last time that you pulled an all-nighter?
Not telling
11. What was the last book you read?
The Old Man and the Sea – Ernest Hemmingway
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Malcolm Fowler
Dennings LLP
Malcolm is siixty seven years of age, married with twin daughters aged forty and a grandson
aged four.
Malcolm has been a Solicitor since 1967 and a Higher Courts Advocate since June 1995.
He has worked within various practices for hefty periods and is currently with Dennings of
Tipton West Midlands.
Malcolm is a Law Society Council member for Birmingham and District, member of the Legal
Affairs and Policy Board of the Law Society, a member of the Human Rights Committee of
the Law Society and a member of the Advisory Board to the International Committee of
Jurists in Defence of Ashraf.
Previous roles:
Past Chair of the Criminal Law Solicitors Association.
Solicitor member of the now defunct Lord Chancellor`s Advisory Committee on Legal
Education and Conduct.
Former Chair of the Law Society`s Criminal Law Committee.
Past President of the Birmingham Law Society.
1. Which human rights practitioners do you find most inspiring?
Phil Shiner of Public Interest Lawyers; Martyn Day of Leigh Day; Clive Stafford Smith of
Reprieve; Shami Chakrabati of Liberty.
2. When did you decide to follow a career in human rights?
Joining the then International Human Rights Committee in, I think, 2000. Still on the now
Human Rights Committee.
3. Did you do any internships or voluntary placements on your route into human rights
work?
See 2 above. Also, I have always had a deep concern over our illiberal and
counterproductive penal policy. Further, I became involved decades ago in a campaign that
led eventually to the removal of imprisonment for street prostitution.
I generally have and have had for decades also a handful of campaigning issues to do with
human rights varying from the abuses of unprincipled wheel clamping to persistent efforts
over now approximately nine years to fight against the excesses of the oppressive Iranian
regime.
One of my campaigns at present has to do with adequate interpreting and translating
services in the U.K. for those enmeshed in the justice system with particular reference to
such provision in our police stations and our criminal Courts.
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4. What has been the high-point of your human rights career so far?
Helping so far to protect the welfare and lives of approximately 3,400 Iranian refugees in
Camp Ashraf in Iraq from the evil attentions of the Iranian regime and its collaborators in the
Iraqi Government.
5. What has been the low-point?
Having to address a meeting of representatives of a free democratic Iran movement
immediately after the slaughter of thirty seven of Camp Ashraf`s residents by the Iraqi
military. I broke down before my address so distressed was I to be sharing the dignified grief
of my friends and fellow campaigners.
6. Is there a current human rights debate that you are particularly interested in?
All of the above but also the closing as earlier pledged of all immigration detention facilities
for children. Also, I have ever increasing concerns over the Government`s plans for secret
hearings and for yet more surveillance powers for the State.
7. What is your favourite human right?
The right to free speech; specifically, the right to make a nuisance of yourself with impunity.
8. Do you support the work of a particular human rights NGO?
Liberty, Justice, Reprieve, the Prison Reform Trust, the Howard League for Penal Reform;
many, many more: please do not make me choose.
9. What is your dream job?
Honestly, the day job I have as a criminal defence advocate forty four and a half years into it
and still learning and being stretched by it, in combination with the pro-bono burden and yet
fulfilment of my Law Society focused and other campaigning. I keep pinching myself in
disbelief and wondering just how much longer it can go on.
10. When was the last time that you pulled an all-nighter?
For again decades I would be giving advice all night at police stations and then on little or no
sleep have Court commitments the following morning and sometimes afternoon
and then catch up on the paperwork on the remaining evenings of the week and on
Saturdays. Now 67 and a half years old I no longer go out at night and try to work no more
than five days a week.
11. What was the last book you read?
Out of sight, out of mind by former Governor and then inspector of prisons John Podmore.
This is a telling and fully informed indictment of the nakedly self serving approach to prisons
and prison policy on the part of one Government after another: a record for them and for all
of us to be truly ashamed of.
20
Alison Gerry
Doughty Street Chambers
Alison Gerry specialises in prison law, mental health, actions against the police, inquests
and related public law. Alison has particular expertise in international human rights law, and
the European Convention on Human Rights. She has conducted human rights training on
behalf of the Council of Europe, in Albania, Turkey and in Serbia, and for the British Council
and for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
Alison‟s notable cases include the House of Lords case of Van Colle and another v Chief
Constable of the Hertfordshire Police (Secretary of State for the Home Department and
others intervening) [2008] 3 WLR 593 in which she was junior counsel for the NGO
interveners. The joined cases concerned claims in negligence and breaches of Article 2
where the police were alleged to have failed to protect the lives of the victims of crimes. She
has also appeared as junior counsel in the Privy Council in Atain Takitota v. The (1) Attorney
General, (2) The Director of Immigration (3) Minister of National Security, Appeal No 71 of
2007, where she represented a Petitioner who had been unlawfully detained for over 8 years
in prison in the Bahamas.
Alison was junior counsel in the successful group litigation claim against the Home office
concerning the treatment of opiate dependant prisoners, in which the Home Office conceded
liability in negligence, breach of human rights and assault. Alison was also junior counsel in
a group litigation claim being brought by nearly 30,000 claimants in the Ivory Coast for
personal injuries following the dumping of toxic waste at various sites in Abijan, Ivory Coast.
Alison has also appeared in the Privy Council in death penalty cases, including in Boyce &
Joseph v R (2005) 1 AC 400 (challenge to the mandatory death penalty in Barbados) and
successfully before the Inter American Court of Human Rights in Costa Rica. She is also
now advising African lawyers who are bringing similar challenges to the death penalty in
Malawi, Uganda, Nigeria, Tanzania, Kenya and Zambia.
Before joining Doughty Street, Alison Gerry was the Human Rights Adviser to the Consular
Directorate at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London. She is the Chair of the
Human Rights Lawyers Association.
In July 2007 Alison was awarded the LAPG Young legal aid barrister of the year award and
in December 2006 she was also short listed for the Peter Duffy Award (formerly the Young
Human Rights Lawyer of the Year Award). She was nominated for “her tenacity and
dedication to grassroots human rights issues", and "for her work in representing vulnerable
people and for her battles on behalf of the families of prisoners and mental health patients
who have died in detention".
21
Stephen Grosz
Bindmans
Stephen is Head of the Public Law and Human Rights Department. He specialises in public
and administrative law and human rights cases, both before the domestic courts and in the
Strasbourg and Luxembourg courts. He acts for individuals and organisations in a wide
range of human rights and public law matters.
He has acted or is acting in human rights cases against France, Turkey, Poland, Latvia,
Romania, Croatia, Hungary and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. Stephen has
been pursuing or advising on challenges relating to discrimination against HIV+ health
professionals, reforms to legal aid eligibility and scope and the denial of a public inquiry into
the 1948 massacre of Malaysian villagers by British troops. Clients include the Law Society
and the General Council of the Bar.
Stephen joined Bindmans in 1976 as a trainee. He qualified in 1978 and became partner in
1981. He was appointed honorary Queen's Counsel in March 2012.
1. Which human rights practitioners do you find most inspiring?
Geoffrey Bindman; Albie Sachs.
2. When did you decide to get actively involved in human rights? Was there one defining
moment?
1975, when I worked as an intern at the European Commission of Human Rights in
Strasbourg.
3. What has been the high-point of your human rights career so far?
Re-writing sex discrimination law on compensation; winning the “gays in the military” case in
Strasbourg.
4. What has been the low-point?
There are so many to choose from...
5. Is there a current human rights debate that you are particularly interested in?
Maintenance of the Human Rights Act and adoption of a UK Bill of Rights.
6. What is your favourite human right?
The right not to have to choose between rights.
7. Do you support the work of a particular human rights NGO?
JUSTICE, Liberty, British Institute of Human Rights and the Human Rights Lawyers
Association.
8. What is your dream job?
22
I‟m in it.
9. What was the last book you read?
“Birds Without Wings” by Louis de Bernieres
23
Sarah Johnston
CPS
Sarah joined the CPS in 2004 and currently works in the Strategy and Policy Directorate as
a senior policy advisor where she leads on a range of topics including human rights. She
qualified as a barrister and solicitor in New Zealand, where she worked in private practice for
several years mainly involved in criminal advocacy and civil litigation. Since moving to the
UK she has focused on prosecution work, both for local authorities and the CPS.
1. Which human rights practitioners do you find most inspiring?
Prosecutors working immensely hard to achieve justice, taking human rights into account
when doing so – and, of course, our boss Keir Starmer QC.
2. When did you decide to follow a career in human rights? Was there one defining
moment?
There was no defining moment. It is part and parcel of the work that I do.
3. Did you do any internships or voluntary placements on your route into human rights
work?
No.
4. What has been the high-point of your human rights career so far?
Taking on the policy lead for human rights at the CPS.
5. What has been the low-point?
Thankfully, nothing that comes to mind in relation to human rights.
6. Is there a current human rights debate that you are particularly interested in?
Reform of the European Court of Human Rights.
7. What is your favourite human right?
There is not a single one that I would like to see dispensed with, so I think my answer must
be „all of them‟.
8. Do you support the work of a particular human rights NGO?
Not at present.
9. What is your dream job?
Right now, I am very happy doing what I am doing.
10. When was the last time that you pulled an all-nighter?
Thankfully the need to work very long hours has reduced from my student days and my time
in private practice.
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11. What was the last book you read?
„Where‟s Spot?‟ over and over and over again. I have a young daughter.
25
Jacqueline Kinghan
UCL
Jacqueline Kinghan joined UCL in October 2010 and is Director of Clinical Legal Education
in the Faculty. Jacqueline obtained her LLM at Harvard Law School where she was a
Kennedy Memorial Trust Scholar (2005-2006). She undertook extensive clinical human
rights work as part of the Harvard Human Rights Programme. She is a qualified barrister
(2007) with experience practising in criminal and public law. Prior to joining UCL she was a
judicial assistant at the House of Lords to Lord Rodger, Lord Carswell and Lord Collins and
also worked for the Ministry of Justice during the transition phase to the UK Supreme Court.
At UCL, Jacqueline teaches an innovative course examining the fundamentals of access to
justice from both a theoretical and practical perspective. The course enables students to
conduct casework at Liberty, The Howard League for Penal Reform and The Free
Representation Unit. She is currently setting up a Centre for Access to Justice at UCL, which
will house a clinic specialising in social welfare and education law as well as the other pro
bono projects she supervises across the Faculty.
1. Which human rights practitioners do you find most inspiring?
It used to be the obvious ones but I‟m now much more inspired by friends of my own called
to the Bar doing worthwhile work at the junior end as well as some US practitioners in my
field (Sandra Babcock; Northwestern, Jim Cavallaro; Stanford).
2. When did you decide to follow a career in human rights? Was there one defining
moment?
Probably doing a human rights advocacy course at Harvard during my LLM. As part of the
course I did a fact-finding mission to Paraguay and also my first successful campaign.
3. Did you do any internships or voluntary placements on your route into human rights
work?
Placement with a legal aid lawyer in Saskatchewan Canada working on restorative justice
sentencing in Native Indian Reserves, UN internship at UNICRI, Italy (Criminal Justice
Research Institute), Community Court marshalling in the US.
4. What has been the high-point of your human rights career so far?
Teaching- seeing my students engaged and passionate about casework and asking critical
questions about rights in context is very rewarding.
5. What has been the low-point?
Photocopying.
6. Is there a current human rights debate that you are particularly interested in?
Legal aid cuts and Art 6
7. What is your favourite human right?
26
Not sure. Let‟s say Article 6.
8. Do you support the work of a particular human rights NGO?
Am enjoying working more closely with the fantastic Just for Kids Law at UCL
9. What is your dream job?
This one. Or maybe a florist.
10. When was the last time that you pulled an all-nighter?
About a month ago- though not a case but late lecture prep.
11. What was the last book you read?
The Marriage Plot, Jeffrey Eugenides
27
Helen Law
Matrix Chambers
Helen Law is a barrister at Matrix specialising in crime, public law, human rights and public
international law. She studied law at Birmingham University and did an LLM in public
international law and international criminal law at Leiden University in the Netherlands. She
worked at the Law Commission for a year as a research assistant in the criminal law team,
before going to Bar school and then on to traineeship at Matrix in 2005. She has a wide
ranging practice, focusing primarily on crime and human rights. Some examples of her
cases in the past couple of years include: 2 cases before the European Court of Human
Rights about the application of the ECHR in Iraq; prosecuting 2 members of the House of
Lords for false accounting in their claims for Parliamentary expenses; representing a
Russian woman in deportation proceedings who was accused of being a spy working in the
British Parliament; representing Croatia in the International Court of Justice in a claim
against Serbia for genocide during the Balkans war in the 1990s.
1. Which human rights practitioners do you find most inspiring?
My colleagues at Matrix.
2. When did you decide to follow a career in human rights? Was there one defining
moment?
There wasn‟t one defining moment, just a developing interest from when I was at university.
3. Did you do any internships or voluntary placements on your route into human rights
work?
Yes, a placement with Interights.
4. What has been the high-point of your human rights career so far?
Being part of the team which represented 2 Iraqi men from 2008-2010 in a case called AlSaadoon & Mufdhi, which eventually resulted in a victory in the European Court of Human
Rights. The UK government had detained our clients in Iraq for suspected war crimes and
wanted to transfer them out of the custody of the UK forces in Iraq, back to the Iraqi
authorities where they faced a real risk of the death penalty. We brought judicial review
proceedings challenging the decision on human rights grounds but lost the case in the
Divisional Court. The Court of Appeal refused our appeal and lifted the injunction which had
been in place preventing our clients‟ transfer. Within 30 minutes of the Court of Appeal
hearing finishing the European Court granted us interim measures. Despite that the UK
government transferred our clients in breach of the interim measures. The European Court
later ruled that the government had violated our clients‟ rights under Article 3 (prohibition on
inhuman treatment), Article 13 (right to an effective remedy) and Article 34 (right to petition
the European Court) of the European Convention, in a fantastic judgment that was rightly
very critical of the way in which the UK government had behaved.
5. What has been the low-point?
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Finding out late on New Years‟ Eve 2008 that our Iraqi clients had been transferred in
breach of the interim measures order of the European Court.
6. Is there a current human rights debate that you are particularly interested in?
On a political level, I think the future of human rights, and in particular the Human Rights Act
1998, in the UK is a real concern under the current government. On an academic level, I
think the extent of extraterritoriality under the 1998 Act and the ECHR is very interesting and
still developing.
7. What is your favourite human right?
I don‟t think I could isolate one as being my favourite as my work touches on them all, but I
have always had a very strong interest in the interaction between criminal law and human
rights and therefore the right to a fair trial is perhaps the one I am most familiar with.
8. Do you support the work of a particular human rights NGO?
I am a member of Justice and Liberty, and strongly believe that one of the most important
checks and balances on any government is the existence of such organisations within
society.
9. What is your dream job?
At the moment, I don‟t think there is anything else I‟d rather do than be a barrister.
10. When was the last time that you pulled an all-nighter?
Not since December 2010, thankfully!
11. What was the last book you read?
Towards the End of the Morning by Michael Frayn.
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Rob Linham
Ministry of Justice
Rob Linham is the Head of Council of Europe Human Rights Policy in the Ministry of Justice.
He has held this post under various titles since 2005, when it was part of the former
Department for Constitutional Affairs. Having previously been responsible also for policy on
the Human Rights Act 1998, he has in recent years focused mainly on international
business:

the reform of the European Court of Human Rights, including through the recent Brighton
Conference as part of the UK Chairmanship of the Council of Europe;

the accession of the European Union to the European Convention on Human Rights, for
which he served on the group of experts drafting the accession treaty; and

more generally, co-ordinating and presenting the UK position on human rights business
at the Council of Europe, alongside colleagues from the Foreign and Commonwealth
Office.
Rob studied law at St John‟s College, Oxford. He joined the civil service in the Lord
Chancellor‟s Department, and came to human rights through the circuitous route of working
on asylum and immigration legislation and then on the development of the powers of the
Equality and Human Rights Commission in the Equality Act 2006. Away from the day job,
Rob has twice reached the final of University Challenge – finishing as runner-up as a
student, but later winning the Professionals series with a team from the Ministry of Justice –
and happily wastes his summers following cricket and baseball.
1. Which human rights practitioners do you find most inspiring?
As I spend my time mostly working on quite detailed issues, I enjoy academics who address
the bigger picture. For example, I never miss a chance to hear Conor Gearty give a lecture:
even if I don‟t always agree with him (which I‟m sure is the point), I love the way he jumps
between history, law and philosophy when talking about human rights.
2. When did you decide to follow a career in human rights? Was there one defining
moment?
My career in human rights was a happy accident. After my law degree, in which I was more
interested in employment law, I was expected to follow the boringly dutiful route of taking the
LPC and getting a training contract with a big firm. I decided that I didn‟t actually want to be
a corporate lawyer, however, so joined the civil service instead. My first specialism was
Parliamentary procedure, so I spent several years shepherding various tricky Bills through
Parliament. I ended up in human rights by working on legislation on asylum appeals (so I‟m
very much poacher-turned-gamekeeper), and then on the human rights aspects of the
Equality Bill (Act 2006), including the powers of what is now the Equality and Human Rights
Commission. Seven-and-a-half years later, I‟m still doing human rights policy.
3. Did you do any internships or voluntary placements on your route into human rights
work?
No.
30
4. What has been the high-point of your human rights career so far?
Around 11:15 am on Friday 20 April this year, when the Attorney General announced the
adoption of the Brighton Declaration on the reform of the European Court of Human Rights
by the 47 States parties to the Convention. The Declaration was the culmination of about
seven years‟ work, and of course particularly of the United Kingdom Chairmanship of the
Council of Europe. We were negotiating almost right up to the wire, and managed to deliver
a solid and substantial agreement, something which few thought possible. But more than
this, this major international conference took place in, and its declaration will be forever
named after, the city of which I‟m a fiercely proud native son.
5. What has been the low-point?
Generally, the personal cost of a job like this: the last four years have been increasingly
intense and stressful, and there have lately been far too many 18-hour days, 6am flights,
and freezing Sunday nights shuffling from bleak airports and railway stations to grimly
anonymous hotel rooms before another week of chaos.
6. Is there a current human rights debate that you are particularly interested in?
The future of the Strasbourg Court has been my main focus lately, but I also have a
particular interest in how some of the more technical parts of the Human Rights Act work in
practice, particularly when it comes to defining the limits of state responsibility.
7. What is your favourite human right?
All of the ones to which the United Kingdom has signed up (he said diplomatically).
8. Do you support the work of a particular human rights NGO?
I‟m lucky to count as friends many NGO representatives, and admire the work that they do.
I‟m always astounded, for example, at the quantity and quality of the work that comes from
Nuala Mole‟s tiny team at the AIRE Centre. But I can‟t really go around choosing
favourites…
9. What is your dream job?
I suspect that I probably have it already: there‟s a reason why I‟ve stayed for what in civil
service terms is getting on for an eternity. I may look to move into wider diplomatic service
one day, and I hope that at some point I may be able to find time to do some research and
writing of my own.
10. When was the last time that you pulled an all-nighter?
I haven‟t pulled a complete all-nighter in a few years now: I‟m feeling just a bit too old for that
now! My last one was when I drafted the Government‟s response to a report by the
Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights on the implementation of human rights
judgments; I‟m rather proud of it, especially the bits written at four o‟clock in the morning.
However, I have recently had nights where I‟ve got to bed at 2:00 am, only to get up at 3:30
am for an early morning train to the airport.
11. What was the last book you read?
I‟ve been re-reading the collected scripts from the late Alastair Cooke‟s Letter from America.
Starting in 1946, he gave a 15-minute talk on the radio each week for nearly 60 years about
31
life, current events and culture in the USA, so it‟s an amazing way to trace the post-war
history of a nation.
32
Eric Metcalfe
Monckton Chambers
Eric Metcalfe is a barrister at Monckton Chambers specialising in public law and human
rights. Called to the Bar in 1999, he was director of human rights policy at JUSTICE between
2003 and 2011.
1. Which human rights practitioners do you find most inspiring?
Beatrice Mtetwa and Gareth Peirce.
2. When did you decide to follow a career in human rights? Was there one defining
moment?
There was no defining moment - it was either this or prison.
3. Did you do any internships or voluntary placements on your route into human rights
work?
I interned for the Canadian Human Rights Foundation (now called Equitas) and the
International Centre for Human Rights and Democratic Development (now called Rights and
Democracy). They were both NGOs based in Montreal and I worked for them for about 3
months each.
4. What has been the high-point of your human rights career so far?
Filling out this questionnaire.
5. What has been the low-point?
Filling out this questionnaire.
6. Is there a current human rights debate that you are particularly interested in?
The use of secret evidence.
7. What is your favourite human right?
The right to periodic holidays with pay (Art 24 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights).
8. Do you support the work of a particular human rights NGO?
I‟m a member of JUSTICE, Liberty and the HRLA.
9. What is your dream job?
I‟d rather not dream of work.
10. When was the last time that you pulled an all-nighter?
Sometime in 2011.
11. What was the last book you read?
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Cities of the Plain by Cormac McCarthy.
34
Al Mustakim
No.3 Fleet Street Chambers
Al is the founding barrister of no.3 Fleet Street Chambers. Al has a diverse practice ranging
from public law and human rights to civil law. Al is reputable for the landmark Supreme
Court challenge to the government's policy on under 21 marriages. The policy was
successfully challenged in the Supreme Court. Al is also renowned for challenging the
government's policy to designate the state of Bangladesh as a "safe" country.
1. Which human rights practitioners do you find most inspiring?
Shami Chakrabarti
2. When did you decide to follow a career in human rights? Was there one defining
moment?
During university
3. Did you do any internships or voluntary placements on your route into human rights
work?
No
4. What has been the high-point of your human rights career so far?
A favourable decision in the Supreme Court
5. What has been the low-point?
Early years after pupillage
6. Is there a current human rights debate that you are particularly interested in?
The case of Abu Qatadar
7. What is your favourite human right?
Article 8
8. Do you support the work of a particular human rights NGO?
Amnesty
9. What is your dream job?
What I do now with more time
10. When was the last time that you pulled an all-nighter?
Last month
35
Oluwole Osibona
Freemans Solicitors
Oluwole Osibona was born in the UK in 1964. He obtained a degree in Philosophy in Nigeria
in 1985 and a Law degree in the UK in 1990. He was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1992 and
enrolled as a Solicitor of England and Wales in 1998. He joined Freemans Solicitors in 1996,
became a Partner in 1998 and is currently head of the Immigration and Nationality
Department. He has practised Immigration Law for nearly 20 years and deals with all areas
of Immigration and Asylum Law, including Business applications, European Rights of Free
Movement, Asylum and Human Rights applications, Visitors and Students, Family Members,
Appeals, Judicial Review and British Nationality.
1. Which human rights practitioners do you find most inspiring?
Cherie Blair QC, Ian McDonald QC.
2. When did you decide to follow a career in human rights? Was there one defining
moment?
1993. The story of the Chagossians.
3. Did you do any internships or voluntary placements on your route into human rights
work?
Yes I worked for free for about a year.
4. What has been the high-point of your human rights career so far?
Beating the UKBA when it tried to remove a 27 year old who had been here since she was
11.
5. What has been the low-point?
Not being able to stop certain deportations.
6. Is there a current human rights debate that you are particularly interested in?
The Abu Qatada story.
7. What is your favourite human right?
Right to Private & Family Life, Art 8.
8. Do you support the work of a particular human rights NGO?
No but would love to.
9. What is your dream job?
To be President of the ECHR.
10. When was the last time that you pulled an all-nighter?
36
Can‟t remember.
37
Angela Patrick
Director of Human Rights Policy, JUSTICE
Angela Patrick is a qualified barrister (2003 call), educated at Durham and Cambridge
Universities. Before joining JUSTICE, from 2006 - 2011, she was assistant legal adviser to
the UK Parliament‟s Joint Committee on Human Rights. In this role, she advised on a broad
range of human rights issues, from the compatibility of the treatment of detainees with the
UN Convention against Torture to respecting the right to privacy in the operation of the
national DNA database.
Following pupillage at Matrix, Angela practised from Hailsham Chambers. She has held
academic posts at the British Institute of International and Comparative Law and
at University College London. She acts as an expert for the International Bar Association
Human Rights Institute, training parliamentarians in emerging democracies and their staff on
international human rights standards and the rule of law. Angela has published and lectured
widely and is a contributing author to Sweet and Maxwell's Human Rights Practice.
JUSTICE is an all-party law reform organisation working on access to justice, human rights
and the rule of law. It is the UK section of the International Commission of Jurists.
For more information about JUSTICE, see www.justice.org.uk or follow @justicehq.
1. Which human rights practitioners do you find most inspiring?
It‟s a close-call between the human rights defenders working on cases in countries where
abuse is rife and their work is both life-saving and life endangering and anyone still working
in a law centre or a citizens advice bureau. However, if you get a chance to see Albie Sachs
speak, go.
2. When did you decide to follow a career in human rights? Was there one defining
moment?
A thoroughly unhelpful career guidance computer once told me that I should be an “artist” or
a “judge”.
After deciding I wasn‟t going to be the next Tracey Emin, I thought that something practical
with an income was a good idea. Law was the sensible choice. It seemed to have
something to do with social justice and changing unfair “stuff”. A fair few years down the
line, I‟m glad to know that it does (sometimes).
3. Did you do any internships or voluntary placements on your route into human rights
work?
No. I was hard-up and nervous about debt while studying, so I worked most summers and
evenings. I tried to do paid work in the field, for example, doing research for solicitors
working on human rights cases. However, there was also a fair share of waitressing, drycleaning kilts (a long story) and call centres.
I regret doing no voluntary internships, which would have been far more interesting,
rewarding and valuable to society, but I only took pro-bono and voluntary work once I had an
income. The latest project I‟ve been working on is an International Bar Association
programme on the rule of law and human rights for parliaments in developing countries. It‟s
been an amazing opportunity to meet and work with human rights campaigners across the
38
world and learn about challenges that we don‟t see in the UK. It has been an inspiring
learning experience.
4. What has been the high-point of your human rights career so far?
Either helping persuade a particularly resistant Conservative member of the House of Lords
that the Human Rights Act 1998 was a “good thing” he should champion OR convincing
legal colleagues at the Ugandan Parliament that asking their Government to justify why
legislation complies with their constitution and international human rights standards was a
proper job for the legislative branch.
5. What has been the low-point?
Failing to persuade the same group of Ugandan parliamentary lawyers to recognise that the
international human rights framework was key to the debate on their Anti-Homosexuality
Bill…
6. Is there a current human rights debate that you are particularly interested in?
The politicisation of the debate on the protection of human rights in the UK under the
Coalition Government – both at home and away – is both interesting and worrying.
7. What is your favourite human right?
From someone who has always liked to talk too much, freedom of expression must be up
there. Without it, for example, you can‟t take to the streets to complain that your neighbour
has been wrongly arrested and savagely beaten for being a religion/colour/sexuality (delete
as you like) that the majority object to.
8. Do you support the work of a particular human rights NGO?
JUSTICE does an excellent job working on access to justice, the rule of law and human
rights, and student membership is excellent value…
On a global scale, Plan is currently running an inspirational campaign to keep girls in
developing countries in education.
9. What is your dream job?
I‟ve only been here for six months, but I think that my new role at JUSTICE has the perfect
combination of public interest litigation and public policy work to out-match all of the other
jobs out there. I feel very privileged to be part of our team.
(I‟m not going to be turning my bed into an installation anytime soon…)
10. When was the last time that you pulled an all-nighter?
I‟d love to say I‟m too organised to have ever done anything as silly as work all night, but
that would be a lie. Working all night is bad for your health, unproductive and incompatible
with a happy home life.
Thankfully, the last time I saw the sunrise in front of my PC was a few years ago. I was
juggling two projects for the JCHR which were time sensitive: producing draft reports on the
Government‟s proposed reservations to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with
Disabilities and on the Coroners and Justice Bill (which dealt with restrictions to the National
39
DNA Database, to address the judgment in Marper, reform of the Coronial system, and a
host of other challenging procedural and substantive reforms to the criminal law). Both were
subject to strict parliamentary timetables, both were important and there weren‟t enough
hours in the day.
11. What was the last book you read?
For the law geeks (of which I am one), I am currently re-reading Lord Bingham‟s Rule of
Law. For the rest of you, I have just finished Starlight by Stella Gibbons (who wrote Cold
Comfort Farm), which, set in 50s post-war London, incorporates an amusing and unusual
combination of pacifism and exorcism.
40
Ruth Pogonowski
Ministry of Justice
After graduating from Brunel University, Ruth worked as a research assistant at the Law
Commission before being called to the Bar in 2006. Ruth initially worked as a self employed
barrister specialising in criminal work before joining the Ministry of Justice in 2008.
Since joining the Ministry of Justice Ruth has been a member of the Criminal Law Team and
most recently the Information and Human Rights Team where she currently leads on the coordination of human rights litigation across Government. Ruth is also a keen triathlete and
represented the United Kingdom at the Triathlon World Championships in Budapest in 2010.
1. Which human rights practitioners do you find most inspiring?
Two people in particular have really shaped my career.
The first was the late Anthony Jennings QC who remains the best criminal advocate I have
ever seen in court. His untimely death was a huge loss to the criminal Bar.
The second is my current boss Daniel Denman. His knowledge of human rights law is at
times astounding, but he is also one of the nicest people I have ever worked with and has
the patience of a saint! If I could have one super power it would be to be able to copy his
corporate memory to my own brain!
2. When did you decide to follow a career in human rights? Was there one defining
moment?
I started out life as a criminal law practitioner and initially joined the criminal law team at the
Ministry of Justice. However, one of the nice things about working as a Government lawyer
is that we are encouraged to gain experience in as many areas of law as possible during our
careers. I joined the information and human rights team at the Ministry of Justice in 2010
and was a data protection lawyer before taking over responsibility for human rights law last
year.
3. Did you do any internships or voluntary placements on your route into human rights
work?
I worked as a Citizen‟s Advice Bureau Advisor at university.
4. What has been the high-point of your human rights career so far?
The first time I sat in the officials‟ box during a committee debate on a Bill and heard a
speech I had helped draft read out by our Minister. Realising that that speech would be
recorded in Hansard and become part of history was a real “I can‟t believe I‟m doing this”
moment.
5. What has been the low-point?
Pupillage in general!
6. Is there a current human rights debate that you are particularly interested in?
I think the current relationship between our domestic courts and Strasbourg is fascinating.
7. What is your favourite human right?
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The right to education, so fundamental but so easily overlooked.
8. Do you support the work of a particular human rights NGO?
None in particular but I have a lot of time for those who are willing to engage constructively
with the Government to work towards finding solutions to human rights issues.
9. What is your dream job?
Professional Triathlete.
10. When was the last time that you pulled an all-nighter?
Either I‟ve led a sheltered life or been very lucky because I‟ve never actually stayed up all
night, I value my sleep far too much anyway.
11. What was the last book you read?
I asked for a Kindle for Christmas fully intending that I would use it to download some books
that I “should” have read…. I‟m currently reading the Shopaholic series!
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Anthony Robinson
Equality and Human Rights Commission
1. Which human rights practitioners do you find most inspiring?
Margareta Rendell, Who was my tutor when I was doing my Masters in Human Rights in the
mid 1980‟s, when very few people knew anything or cared about human rights. She was one
of the leading people that used the learning from the American civil rights movement to
successfully fight for the introduction of the Sex Discrimination Act and the Race Relations
Act. She was a genuine polymath who was a leading thinker and authority in manner fields:
she is a barrister; a mathematician; a philosopher; sociologist; a leading thinker on women‟s
rights and women‟s history; a real expert on human rights; an historian and the most
wonderful person anyone could meet.
2. When did you decide to follow a career in human rights? Was there one defining
moment?
Once I decided as a child that I wanted to be a lawyer I was determined that I wanted to
work with the poor, the vulnerable and the marginalised so as to change society to make it a
better place.
I only decided to become a lawyer because when I was at school we used to go on trips to
museums and galleries and on those trips I recall seeing barristers wearing their wigs and
gowns. I asked a teacher why they were wearing those costumes and the teacher explained
who they were. I was fascinated by the wig and gowns that and I decided that I wanted to
become a barrister so that I could wear the costume.
3. Did you do any internships or voluntary placements on your route into human rights
work?
At the time I don‟t recall that there were such a thing as internships. If there were I was not
aware of them. Such an opportunity would have benefited me and enabled me to have got a
better insight into the kinds of things I would be dealing with.
4. What has been the high-point of your human rights career so far?
I have been really lucky working at the Commission for Racial Equality and Equality &
Human Rights Commission because this has enabled me to be involved in some of the
leading equality and human rights cases. I have either been involved directly dealing with
key cases in the highest courts, or providing the strategic direction to one of my senior
lawyers and counsel in those cases. Virtually every day our cases are in the higher courts
and tribunals and are reported in the newspapers and on televisions. Most of the time these
cases are very controversial or are very politicised when we are against a government,
challenging a major policy area or initiative.
5. What has been the low-point?
Whenever I lose a case I get disappointed and feel that things are really bad. However, I
quickly pick myself up and think about appealing or finding another similar case where the
matter can be challenged again but with a different focus.
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6. Is there a current human rights debate that you are particularly interested in?
I am trying to think about what the new generation of human rights could cover. The issue
with orthodox human rights thinking is that it has very ancient roots and after the 2nd World
War the main international instruments came into being. However due to the pace of
technology the world has changed massively and I am not sure that human rights thinking
and the discourse has kept pace with technological and societal change. For instance take
issues like the ownership of the web or the means to access the web; or even freedom of
expression in a virtual world without national boundaries – these are things that we need to
think about in human rights terms but we haven‟t really started thinking about the properly.
7. What is your favourite human right?
Without doubt my favourite and I think the most important human right is the right to life.
8. Do you support the work of a particular human rights NGO?
The Equality & Human Rights Commission currently funds some of those major human
rights organisations.
9. What is your dream job?
A top footballer. Unfortunately I wasn‟t good enough at football but I think my favourite job
would have been to manage Arsenal Football Club.
10. When was the last time that you pulled an all-nighter?
I regularly work late into the night in the run up to a major case or when I am having difficulty
combining my writing and other interests with my work.
11. What was the last book you read?
Chronicle of a Death Foretold by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
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Roger Smith OBE
Director, Justice
Roger Smith OBE has been director of the British-based, all-party, human rights and law
reform organisation since 2001. He is a solicitor who qualified in 1973 and worked in law
centres and national organisations like the Child Poverty Action Group. He was director of
the Legal Action Group from 1986-98. From 1998-2001, he worked for the Law Society,
originally as Director of Legal Education and Training then Head of Strategy and Acting
Director of Policy. Roger is a visiting professor at London South Bank University and an
honorary professor at the University of Kent. He has an honorary doctorate from the
University of Westminster. He is a member of the board of INQUEST (particularly concerned
with the rights of those affected by a death in custody), The Rights Practice (concerned with
training and research in China), the Public Interest Litigation Service (a body funding test
cases in human rights and other topics in Northern Ireland) and the Advisory Board, Centre
for Applied Human Rights, York University. Roger has written widely on matters relating to
human rights and legal services. He has a monthly column in both the New Law Journal and
the Law Society Gazette.
1. Which human rights practitioners do you find most inspiring?
Phil Shiner of Public Interest Lawyers who has at least twice mortgaged his own house in
order to keep human rights litigation going and triumphed in the cases relating to Baha
Moussa
Rabinder Singh QC, although he is now a judge and Mr Justice Singh – commitment,
competence and credibility personified. An ace lawyer whose personal engagement shines
through his professional performance.
2. When did you decide to follow a career in human rights? Was there one defining
moment?
There was a process and a moment. I did my articles, as then they were called, at Allen and
Overy. I had not been particularly radical at university but I didn‟t see why corporations
should be allowed to head for tax havens. And I was bored by long documents.
Simultaneously, I discovered through working as a volunteer in legal advice services that
there was a way in which law could be exciting and actually change things for otherwise
marginalised people. The day at Camden Law Centre when I got my first family back in by
teatime after a breakfast-time eviction was the day I got hooked on using the equality of the
law to rebalance some of the inequalities of society.
3. Did you do any internships or voluntary placements on your route into human rights
work?
I cleansed my soul, learnt new skills and worked for free for a time at Camden Law Centre
as what might now be called an intern.
4. What has been the high-point of your human rights career so far?
JUSTICE‟s work in response to the idea of a „British‟ Bill of Rights; a successful European
Court of Justice case (Drake v Chief Adjudication Officer) in the mid 1980s about equal
treatment for women after which I saw no profit in litigating again – there would never be
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another success like that; working with other organisations in relation to human rights in
legal aid, particularly in Europe.
5. What has been the low-point?
I despair sometimes at the bombast of Parliamentarians who cite the doctrine of
Parliamentary Sovereignty to denigrate universal standards and the sheer double talk of
some of the language in relation to a „British‟ Bill of Rights which is often code for reducing
rights not extending them.
6. Is there a current human rights debate that you are particularly interested in?
I am concerned that we embed a commitment to human rights into the UK constitution and
understand what we mean by that.
7. What is your favourite human right?
Difficult to call it a favourite but I would never have believed that the right against torture,
Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights, would become so important. Article
6 is pretty good too – it provides some degree of protection for legal aid, at least in criminal
proceedings. They are all generally inter-related so it is wrong really to separate out any one
in particular.
8. Do you support the work of a particular human rights NGO?
JUSTICE. You wouldn‟t expect me to diss the organisation for which I work and of which I
was a member long beforehand. JUSTICE has a student membership and a student human
rights network which I commend.
9. What is your dream job?
The one that I have had since 2001 at JUSTICE.
10. When was the last time that you pulled an all-nighter?
I don‟t believe in macho working hours. In any job, you may have occasionally to work long
hours to deal with an emergency but, if anyone is working consistently very long hours, then
that is a sign that the organisation or the individual has a management problem.
11. What was the last book you read?
I have been stuck for ages on IQ84 by Haruki Marukami which is, I think, a real
disappointment compared with the enjoyable imagination of some of his previous novels.
Embarrassingly, the last book I actually completed was The Affair by Lee Childs, something
that a human rights activist should be ashamed to acknowledge since the main character,
Jack Reacher, is less than committed to Article 6 fair trial rights, somewhat weak on Article
3, not terribly good on Article 2, rather feeble on Article 5 and pretty well created to be the
individual antithesis of the rule of law and internationally enforceable human rights norms.
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Martha Spurrier
36 Bedford Row Chambers
Martha is a junior barrister specialising mainly in public law and human rights. She works
part-time as in-house counsel for Mind, the mental health charity, and for the rest of the
week is based at 36 Bedford Row Chambers. Prior to taking up her tenancy at 36 Bedford
Row, Martha was a judicial assistant at the Court of Appeal. Martha is the assistant editor of
the European Human Rights Law Review and is writing the forthcoming edition of Halsbury’s
Laws on Rights and Freedoms.
1. Which human rights practitioners do you find most inspiring?
The many people working in law centres and voluntary organisations who don‟t get much
money or status or recognition but help vulnerable people with important issues every day.
2. When did you decide to follow a career in human rights? Was there one defining
moment?
There wasn‟t a defining moment, more a series of influential ones: working with learning
disabled children while I was at university, volunteering at Wormwood Scrubs prison when I
first graduated, joining the London Feminist Network, reading Crimes Against Humanity by
Geoffrey Robertson.
3. Did you do any internships or voluntary placements on your route into human rights
work?
I volunteered at the Islington Legal Advice Centre while I was studying. I also did a three
month internship at the Mental Disability Advocacy Centre in Hungary. I now volunteer for
Rights of Women and Bail for Immigration Detainees.
4. What has been the high-point of your human rights career so far?
The law can be a very blunt instrument when it comes to trying to help vulnerable people
deal with the injustices that come their way. The high points for me are when the law really
does solve a problem and I‟ve had a part in figuring it out.
5. What has been the low-point?
I represented a man who had been detained in immigration detention for over four years and
developed serious mental health problems as a result. I put my heart and soul into his bail
application but the immigration judge didn‟t grant bail. I sobbed while the judge made her
closing remarks: a bad day for fairness and a total failure to hold myself together.
6. Is there a current human rights debate that you are particularly interested in?
Yes: the growing role of positive obligations, particularly under Article 8, and the potential
they have to protect the vulnerable, especially abused women, children and those with
mental health problems.
7. What is your favourite human right?
Article 14.
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8. Do you support the work of a particular human rights NGO?
Mind (obviously), Rights of Women, the Mental Disability Advocacy Centre and the Howard
League for Penal Reform.
9. What is your dream job?
I‟d like to run a café with a theatre and a law centre in it.
10. When was the last time that you pulled an all-nighter?
Thankfully not for a long time.
11. What was the last book you read?
Every Secret Thing by Gillian Slovo.
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Shubhaa Srinivasan
Leigh Day & Co
Shubhaa is a partner at Leigh Day & Co. She specialises in business related human rights
litigation, civil actions against the MoD and FoC and group actions in general. She currently
represents 73 farmers in rural Colombia in an environmental claim against a subsidiary of
the multi-national BP plc for the damage caused by the construction of an oil pipeline. An
earlier similar case was successfully mediated with no admissions on liability in 2006.
Shubhaa has also represented Iraq clients on a number of cases against the MoD in claims
for alleged torture and inhuman treatment by the British Army. She represented Baha
Musa‟s family and other Iraqis in their civil claim and also Iraqis involved in the abuse at
Camp Breadbasket.
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Adam Wagner
One Crown Office Row
Adam practises in human rights, public law and medical law. He is a founding editor of the
UK Human Rights Blog and is ranked as a 'leading junior' in the latest edition of The Legal
500. He has recently been nominated to the Attorney General's 'C' panel of counsel to the
Crown. He was longlisted for the 2011 Orwell Prize for his legal blogging and regularly writes
for The Guardian and Legal Week on human rights law.
Adam is regularly instructed in Public Inquiries. He is currently acting for most of the Army
witnesses in the upcoming Al-Sweady Public Inquiry. He represented most of the Army
witnesses in the Baha Mousa Public Inquiry and was junior counsel for the Department of
Health in the Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust Public Inquiry.
Before joining Chambers, Adam graduated from St Anne‟s College, Oxford with a first
class degree in Politics, Philosophy and Economics, and received an MA in International
Relations from Columbia University. He also worked as the Chair of a national youth
organisation.
1. Which human rights practitioners do you find most inspiring?
All the usual suspects!
2. When did you decide to follow a career in human rights? Was there one defining
moment?
When I studied in the United States – they have a quite different attitude to law there. There
is a much stronger sense (certainly outside of the profession) of the importance of
administrative and constitutional law as a check on Executive power and a positive force in
society.
3. Did you do any internships or voluntary placements on your route into human rights
work?
I volunteered for the Liberty Advice Line for a year
4. What has been the high-point of your human rights career so far
Too early to say…
5. What has been the low-point?
Also too early to say…
6. Is there a current human rights debate that you are particularly interested in?
Secret trial proposals.
7. What is your favourite human right?
Article 10
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8. Do you support the work of a particular human rights NGO?
Not formally
9. What is your dream job?
Probably what I‟m doing
10. When was the last time that you pulled an all-nighter?
At university
11. What was the last book you read?
The Frozen Rabbi by Steve Stern
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Nick Williams
Legal Counsel, Amnesty International
Current role:
I am a solicitor and Legal Counsel at Amnesty International (at Amnesty‟s International
Secretariat based in London). My role as Amnesty‟s in-house lawyer is primarily operational,
but is diverse - I provide legal support to all parts of the organisation on libel, litigation,
governance, intellectual property, compliance and supporting Amnesty‟s international
operations and membership work.
Previous roles:
Save the Children UK: legal adviser (2008-2009) worked as a full-time in-house lawyer
Hogan Lovells – training contract then associate in litigation team. Worked on international
commercial disputes; gained higher rights of audience (2003-2007)
Education
Masters in Human Rights at the London School of Economics and Political Sciences (20072008)
Postgraduate Diploma in Law, Nottingham Law School (2001- 2003)
BA (joint hons) Russian and German languages, University of Leeds (1996-2001)
Volunteer work / memberships
Volunteer work/ internships with the European Human Rights Advocacy Centre (London),
Global Witness (London) and OHCHR (Geneva). Member of Human Rights Lawyers
Association and Amnesty International. Member of RAW in WAR
1. Which human rights practitioners do you find most inspiring?
I find all sorts of people inspiring, but incredibly inspiring are those whose work as human
rights practitioners puts them (and their families or friends) at serious personal risk, for
example the lawyers who work for the Russian human rights group Memorial. I also went to
a recent talk by Gareth Peirce on Shaker Aamed at LSE; Gareth is an inspiring speaker.
2. When did you decide to follow a career in human rights? Was there one defining
moment?
I have always been interested in human rights issues, but a defining moment was a visit to
Burma/Myanmar while a law student. I met some members of the political opposition
movement whose ongoing work demonstrated required huge bravery and personal sacrifice.
3. Did you do any internships or voluntary placements on your route into human rights
work?
Yes, I did placements at Global Witness, and European Human Rights Advocacy Centre
(EHRAC, London), and an internship at OHCHR (Geneva)
4. What has been the high-point of your human rights career so far?
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There are a lot of high-points; recent highpoint work with a report on oil spills in the Niger
Delta – we release our latest report in November 2011 entitled „the True Tragedy‟; we are
now launching a campaign.
5. What has been the low-point?
No real low points so far working in NGO sector, quite a few previous low points in corporate
law career (working one Christmas day afternoon is one example)
6. Is there a current human rights debate that you are particularly interested in?
The debate around the deportation of Abu Qatada and the ECHR.
7. What is your favourite human right?
Right to liberty and security of the person
8. Do you support the work of a particular human rights NGO?
I‟ve been a long time supporter of Amnesty International (and still a member!)
9. What is your dream job?
I am really enjoying my current job (but to work in human rights at the UN is something I‟ve
always dreamed of)
10. When was the last time that you pulled an all-nighter?
Not since my days in corporate law (5 years ago now)
11. What was the last book you read?
John Pilger: Freedom Next Time
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Human Rights Organisations
Access to Justice Alliance
The campaign for civil legal aid: the AJA fights for civil litigants to enjoy the same access to
representation as criminal defendants by protecting, reviewing and publicising the need for
such funding. Activities include demonstrations, debates, marches and government
lobbying.
www.accesstojusticealliance.org.uk
Advice Services Alliance
The umbrella body for independent advice services in the UK. Its members are national
networks of voluntary organisations providing advice and help on the law.
www.asauk.org.uk
Advocates for International Development
Lawyers with an international conscience. Poverty and inequality are the order of the day,
and organised action is the response. Comprehensive network of ways to involve yourself,
including campaigns for Millennium Development Goals. Focused towards practitioners,
A4ID operates through organised work groups.
www.a4id.org
AIRE Centre (Advice on Individual Rights in Europe)
Advises individuals on the punch that European Human Rights law can pack. Their support
spans the micro (case by case guidance, provided you aren‟t trying to skewer the Little Guy)
to the macro (expert materials for those organising conferences etc).
www.airecentre.org
Amicus
Works on death penalty cases in the US. Offers internship opportunities as well as casework volunteer positions and publishes Amicus Journal, covering death penalty issues
worldwide.
www.amicus-alj.org
Amnesty UK
The old favourite. Justice, freedom, fairness and truth. Universal values. Often quoted, often
given short shrift in the real world. Amnesty organise truly international campaigns
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championing human rights wherever they are trampled upon. Current causes include
abolishing the death penalty, ending internet repression, the China situation and violence
against women worldwide. Extensive volunteering opportunities.
www.amnesty.org.uk
Bail for Immigration Detainees
This charity adopts a two-prong approach to protect individuals detained as asylum seekers.
First, campaigning in the political sphere to amend human rights provisions for detainees
and requiring more robust protection mechanisms. Secondly, recruiting volunteers to handle
detainees‟ applications to end their detention. Volunteers recruited in London, Oxford and
the South East.
http://www.biduk.org/
Bar Human Rights Committee
Network for human rights-concerned barristers, organising legal research, advocacy training
and publicity in Africa, America, Asia, Europe, Middle East and Russia. Particular focus on
protection of the rule of law and the people upholding it.
http://www.barhumanrights.org.uk
Bar Pro Bono Unit
Barristers have social consciences too. They established an organisation to prove it.
Volunteer a minimum of three days of time and expertise per year and bridge the gaping gulf
between private funding and the legal aid purse. Short registration process, then an
apparently unlimited licence to make law work for people, by working for free.
http://www.barprobono.org.uk/
British Institute of Human Rights
BIHR seek to bring human rights to life by producing and shaping human rights tools, public
policy and practices that empower people to improve their own lives and the lives of others.
They focus on working with the voluntary and third sectors, as well as lobbying government,
running research projects and promoting human rights awareness. BIHR offer many
internship and volunteering opportunities.
http://www.bihr.org.uk/
British Irish Rights Watch
BIRW aims to monitor, support and publicise the people and groups affected by conflict in
Ireland. No affiliations with politics, religion or community. Activities include seminars,
55
publications, ad hoc consultation for lawyers, third party interventions and attending public
inquiries. Formidable body of work, recognised via the Beacon Prize for Northern Ireland
2007.
http://www.birw.org/
Campaign Against Criminalising Communities
Opposing laws based upon a pretext of counter-terrorism, campaigning for such laws to be
repealed and defending the right to dissent.
www.campacc.org.uk
Campaign for Freedom of Information
The rubber stamp of secrecy is the enemy, statutory right is the weapon and sustained
campaigning is the bread and butter of this group. Sign up for email updates and prove that
millions of voices are louder than singular action.
www.cfoi.org.uk
Centre for Capital Punishment Studies
Project based at the University of Westminster. Chiefly aimed at researching the death
penalty. Based on the notion that statistics speak louder than assertion, CCPS aims to coordinate NGOs, civil society and the state through research and publication. Attractive
internship programme to places including Jamaica, Malawi and Uganda.
www.wmin.ac.uk/law/
Child Poverty Action Group
Does what it says on the tin; a major force for social and economic justice in the UK. For
lawyers, it is a major publisher of leading reference books, particularly on welfare rights, and
it provides both telephone advice and training courses to welfare rights advisors.
www.cpag.org.uk
Coalition for the International Criminal Court
Network of NGOs supporting the ICC, via a Universal Ratification Campaign and general
work to keep constituent states informed and alive to the workings of the Court. Internships
available in Summer and Autumn in New York and The Hague.
www.iccnow.org
Constitutional and Administrative Law Bar Association (ALBA)
Interesting, varied and up-to-date lectures offered in the Temple in London. Worthwhile
56
speakers, usually free attendance and no need to be a fully fledged lawyer to participate.
Advance registration required for some events, but turning up early is usually the best
guarantee.
www.adminlaw.org.uk
1 Crown Office Row's Human Rights Update website
Barristers' chambers 1 Crown Office Row runs a website providing details of developments
in human rights law, and articles on topical matters.
www.1cor.com/humanrights
Death Penalty Project
Campaigns focus upon the Caribbean and Africa with palpable results: 500 lives saved since
1992. Two pronged approach to legal intervention, via helping individual prisoners and
strategic litigation on the public law stage. Plus the research, information dissemination and
publication.
www.deathpenaltyproject.org
Discrimination Law Association
Membership available to anyone who cares about preventing discrimination. Activities
concentrate on conferences, publications. Particularly useful „Responses‟ section setting out
the DLA position on legislative instruments impacting on discrimination law.
www.discriminationlaw.org.uk
Doughty Street Chambers Human Rights Bulletin
A periodic publication summarising important UK and European human rights cases.
Subscribe at - www.doughtystreet.co.uk/members/join/
Employment Lawyers Association
Extensive roster of events with comprehensive topics without the usual London-centric
locations. Essential for employment law practitioners. Membership heftily discounted for
golden-hearted people working in the voluntary sector.
www.elaweb.org.uk
Equality and Diversity Forum
Networking organisation bringing together previously disparate groups. Core issues include
age, disability, gender, race, religious and sexual orientation discrimination, all set against a
broader human rights backdrop. Consistently active with e-bulletins and frequent online
57
news of previous and future events. Formidable body of publications. Notables include the
long term Human Rights and Justice Seminars at London Metropolitan University.
www.edf.org.uk
Equality and Human Rights Commission
Ensures the Human Rights Act couples bark with bite. Where once the Equal Opportunities
Commission, the Commission for Racial Equality, and the Disability Rights Commission
paved the way for human rights monitoring in the UK, the EHRC now treads. Aimed at
ensuring protection and publication for individuals‟ right to participate fully and equally, this
non-departmental government body is responsible for its own public funding but politically
independent.
www.equalityhumanrights.com
European Criminal Bar Association
Aimed at monitoring the European Union influence on national criminal justice matters, the
ECBA encourages defence lawyers to contribute, share information and make public
submissions on prospective legislation. Current projects involve the European Arrest
Warrant, Cross Border Financial Crime and the death penalty in China.
http://www.ecba.org/content/
Free Representation Unit
FRU - touchstone for the aspiring law student. Undertake the training course, grasp
employment or social security law and help litigants (who would otherwise be flying solo)
navigate the system. Personal support from qualified case workers. Hugely rewarding.
www.freerepresentationunit.org.uk
Global Rights
Based at a grass roots level of local activism via field offices in Asia, Africa, Latin America,
Europe and the United States, Global Rights includes volunteers as staff, fellows and
interns.
http://www.globalrights.org/site/PageServer?pagename=gr_index
Haldane Society of Socialist Lawyers
Monthly lectures on diverse and on-the-pulse topics, delivered by in-the-know practitioners,
plus a great publication, Socialist Lawyer.
www.haldane.org/
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Housing Law Practitioners Association
Heavily involved in responding to legislative proposals for housing law, the social justice
aspect of housing needs no drum roll. Essential for practitioners representing homeless and
vulnerable tenants, HLPA facilitates information sharing between members in addition to
campaigning.
www.hlpa.org.uk/
Howard League for Penal Reform
Current campaigns include „Community Sentences Cut Crime‟, „Real Work in Prison‟ and the
obvious „Prison Overcrowding‟. Independent and pro-active, the Howard League offers one
internship each year and has extensive support for students interested in establishing a
society at their university come September.
www.howardleague.org/
Human Rights Lawyers Association
Excellent, constant stream of lectures on contemporary human rights issues. Bursary
scheme for students seeking funding of related placements and helpful vacancies links to
fellow organisations. Events are free or heavily subsidised for members, students are
welcome and interaction is encouraged. Free student membership.
www.hrla.org.uk/
Human Rights Watch
Defending human rights on a country-by-country basis, the sheer breadth of the
organisation‟s influence is awe-inspiring. Extensive employment and internship opportunities
for the human rights devotee.
www.hrw.org/
Immigration Law Practitioners Association
Dedicated to co-ordinating immigration law specialists through training, a robust body of
publications and political updates of Government briefings. Boasts a list of immigration
related job vacancies for those wanting to jump from the volunteering to the professional
boat.
www.ilpa.org.uk
Innocence Network UK
Students helping prisoners overturn wrongful convictions.
www.innocencenetwork.org.uk
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INQUEST
Provides support and advice to people concerned about contentious deaths and navigating
the inquest system. Targeted both towards lawyers and bereaved families. Tri-annual in
house magazine supplements individual campaigns.
www.inquest.org.uk
INTERIGHTS - the International Centre for the Legal Protection of Human
Rights
Strategic litigation – focusing upon areas of human rights law (on a global stage) where
there is most potential for development or protection. This work is bolstered by publishing
and disseminating legal information to anyone in need. Amazingly comprehensive news
review, covering hoards of global human rights cases.
www.interights.org
International Commission of Jurists
Sixty eminent jurists represent different legal systems of the globe, dedicated to advancing
human rights via the rule of law. Prides itself on impartiality and objectivity and has a strong
international slant (five regional projects). Unfunded internships programme with rolling
deadline.
www.icj.org
International Federation of Human Rights (Fédération Internationale des ligues
des Droits de l'Homme)
Multi-lingual website, advocating four statutory priorities: assisting victims of human rights
abuses, mobilising member states participation, supporting local NGOs and raising
awareness. A notable thematic priority is prioritising human rights in the fight against
terrorism.
www.fidh.org
International Lawyers Project
Aims to link willing skills of solicitors and barrister and the huge need for pro bono human
rights advice and representation. Operates via a centralised database onto which interested
individuals sign up, then await a request for their help (reasonable expenses are
reimbursed). Dual international and local emphasis.
www.internationallawyersproject.org
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Joint Council for the Welfare of Refugees
Aims to combat racism and discrimination in asylum and immigration cases by providing
support and advice to practitioners with Legal Service Commission contracts. Does not offer
representation directly to applicants. Publishes reasoned responses to legislative initiatives
and organises training courses and one-off seminars.
www.jcwi.org.uk
JUSTICE
Possibly the most lawyerly of the UK's campaigning human rights organisations. A law
reform-motivated group focusing on criminal justice matters, privacy, asylum and
discrimination. Aims to see that the Human Rights Act is worth more than the paper its
written on. Get involved via an annual intern programme, ad hoc volunteering or full-time
employment.
www.justice.org.uk
Law Centres Federation
Central support body for all pro bono Law Centres, offering representation to society‟s most
disadvantaged. Offers support and advice to those brave enough to attempt opening a
centre in their own community. Affiliated to the LawWorks project, now run by the Solicitors
Pro Bono Group – see below.
www.lawcentres.org.uk
Lawworks
Solicitors working for free. Yes, really. Includes support for those wanting to establish a pro
bono society within their law school (and compete for a spot in the prestigious Law School
Pro Bono Awards prize-giving), training courses, and volunteering (for practitioners and
students). Regional and London projects.
www.lawworks.org.uk
Legal Action Group
Never lagging behind, promoting equal access to justice to those who need it most.
Extensive publications and a very wide ambit (crime, housing, mental health and more), an
excellent journal and frequent specialist legal updates. Register your interest for free
updates, or join for £30 per year.
www.lag.org.uk
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Legalternatives
Looking for a legal internship? Want it to exactly fit your interests and abilities? Search the
Legalternatives database, gather a wealth of organisation specific information and read
feedback from people who have personal first hand experience of the options listed.
www.legalternatives.co.uk
Liberty
Including the Liberty Guide to Human Rights (www.yourrights.org.uk). Omnipresent,
tirelessly campaigning organisation aiming to keep civil liberties a practical aspect of modern
living, chiefly by influencing government. Student membership from just £1 per month.
http://www.liberty-human-rights.org.uk/
Medical Justice
Seeks basic medical rights for detainees and failed asylum seekers in the UK; publishes a
worrying list of case studies in which rights have been denied to individuals. Research
projects allow the Foundation to make submissions to the UN. The Habeas Corpus Project
aims to challenge the legality of indefinite detention through applications to the High Court,
fertile grounds for reform.
www.medicaljustice.org.uk
Mental Disability Advocacy Centre
Working on the human rights of children and adults with actual or perceived intellectual or
psycho-social disabilities. A European Central Asian focus. Volunteering opportunities in its
Budapest office.
www.mdac.info/
Mental Health Lawyers Association
www.mhla.co.uk/
National Critical Lawyers Group
www.nclg.org.uk/
NO2ID
This single-issue group aims to curb government‟s pre-occupation with recording and
monitoring its citizens‟ movements and activities. Sign up for free updates, make the No 2 ID
pledge and hope no more liberties are taken.
http://www.no2id.net/
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Oxford Pro Bono Publico
More than just a proof reading organisation: the OPBP supports those preparing submission
documents for a wide variety of purposes. Volunteers must be affiliated with the University of
Oxford and can expect to work closely with high profile NGOs and be exposed to world class
academics.
www.law.ox.ac.uk/opbp
Prison Reform Trust
Aims to ensure prisons are just, humane and effective. Provides critical comment on
prospective prison reform and criminal justice issues. Become a friend of Prison Reform
Trust to receive their Magazine prisonReport and enjoy discounts on specialist publications.
www.prisonreformtrust.org.uk
Prisoners' Advice Service
Provides practical advice (free and confidential) to prisoners in England and Wales, aiming
to ensure they are treated according to Prison Regulations. Direct opportunities to volunteer
as an advisor or support worker.
www.prisonersadvice.org.uk/
Privacy International
Fights to protect the fragile right to privacy, usually the first casualty in the surveillance state.
Based in London, with offices in Washington DC. Campaigns include border security, antiterrorism measures, policy laundering and identity cards.
www.privacyinternational.org/
Public Law Project
PLP aims to increase public authority accountability by providing legal advice directly to
people affected. Opportunities for specialist practitioners to volunteer on the telephone
advice line and students in administrative or legal research capacities.
www.publiclawproject.org.uk/
Refugee Council
One stop shop for refugees‟ needs – through four regional offices, the Council offers
representation and advice to those arriving in the UK with no support network and facing
legal proceedings in order to stay. Over 300 volunteers cover everything from football
coaching to serving lunch and teaching English.
www.refugeecouncil.org.uk
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Refugee Legal Centre
A national organisation and charity offering legal advice and representation to asylum
seekers and refugees.
www.refugee-legal-centre.org.uk/
Release
Drugs, the law and human rights: Release aims to guide those affected by drug use through
the mire. Offers both a Legal helpline and Legal Outreach project in London. The innovative
Bust Card reminding drug users of their legal rights.
www.release.org.uk/
Reprieve
Internationally campaigning for prisoners denied justice by various governments through
litigation investigation and public education. Excellently regarded US Internships allows law
students to work directly on death row projects. Wealth of experience with Guantanamo Bay
detainees.
www.reprieve.org.uk/
Rethinking Crime and Punishment
Prison has never been a hotter agenda topic – this strategic initiative of the Esmée Fairbairn
Foundation aims to implement findings about how effective our punishment system is.
Follow the Project‟s progress by reading reports online.
http://rethinking.org.uk/facts/public.shtml
Rights International
Fights for protection of the rights contained in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Campaign methods include a Brief Bank, with downloadable model human rights appeal
templates, research guide and on going publications programme. Boasts the Frank C
Newham Internship programme and Law School consortium, allowing educational
establishments to be directly involved.
www.rightsinternational.org/
Rights of Women
Maintains a popular telephone helpline advising the public and publishes information sheets
on every legal issue impacting on women‟s lives specifically. Sports the two hallmarks of a
support charity: free and confidential, and is currently recruiting legally qualified volunteers.
www.rightsofwomen.org.uk
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Solicitors' International Human Rights Group
Supporting human rights protections by herding solicitors into a hive of voluntary activity. A
massive twelve separate working groups, including the death penalty and human trafficking.
Online forum for members and free entry to compelling monthly speaker event, covering upto-the-minute legal issues.
http://sites.google.com/a/sihrg.org/solicitors-international-human-rights-group/Home
Social Security Law Practitioners Association
Organises meetings and other happenings for lawyers and specialist advisers working in the
social security law field.
www.sslpa.org.uk/
Statewatch
Keeps an eye on the State whilst it keeps an eye on us. Dedicated to maintaining civil
liberties and democratic standards in Europe, by campaigning and publicity. Services
include a database of 24,000 articles whilst current projects relate to CIA rendition, border
wars and asylum crimes.
www.statewatch.org/
Stonewall
Well known organisation that aims to ensure equal treatment for lesbian and gay people, by
raising awareness, campaigning against/for legal reform and providing Diversity Champions
to over 300 organisations. And counting.
www.stonewall.org.uk/
Unlock Democracy
What once was Charter 88, now different label on the same constitutionally concerned tin.
Aims to put the people power back into democracy, through campaigning for a written
constitution, elected House of Lords and Citizens‟ Convention (direct democracy).
www.unlockdemocracy.org.uk/
Young Legal Aid Lawyers
But you don't have to be young - just committed to legal aid and either a student or of no
more than ten years' qualification or call. Membership's free.
www.younglegalaidlawyers.org
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