What is a Human Rights Lawyer?
In this episode we speak with a barrister and solicitor working in the field of public interest law. Our guests speak about how their work focuses on the use of the law as a tool for social change and how public law is linked to many issues at the heart of society and government policies (immigration, upholding rights on policing, education and homelessness).
Show notes
In this episode of ReImagineLaw we speak with two lawyers who work in the field of public interest law, solicitor Helen Mowatt from the Public Interest Law Centre and employed barrister Matthew Aluwahilia from the Public Law Project. Helen and Matthew talk about how their work takes them to the front line of live social issues ranging from policy issues, to education and homelessness. This episode explores the feeling of being ‘on the front line’ of campaigns and social movements and the rewards that having a career centred around social good can bring.
The episode also discusses what it means to ‘be a human rights lawyer’. Helen and Matthew talk about the challenges they faced in developing careers in this area, the need for proactivity and how to ask for support at certain key moments.
We always encourage listeners to undertake practical actions after listening to the episode.
Stop and think for a moment: what do I care passionately about and what type of impact do I want to have in my career?
At different phases of your career doors will close and you will need to open others. Stretch outside your comfort zone and reach out to someone who does a job you would like to do: “I’ve admired what you do for a long time and am considering a similar career path: do you have 10 minutes for a quick call so I could learn more about your role?”
Useful resources:
Public interest law, what is it?
Information on being a Justice First Fellow like Matthew Ahluwalia