Careers in Law

Useful Links

• lawcareers.net– law advice site with information on many firms, including when they have been in the news.
• The Lex 100 – a student guide to UK law firms. Includes advice from trainee solicitors with inside information on the firms.

Human Rights Law

Whether you want to be a barrister or a solicitor, there are many opportunities to work in human rights law. For information about research fellowships in human rights which are offered to recently graduated lawyers, see the Fellowships Section

Barristers Chambers

Barristers chambers generally work in a range of practice areas, but there are several which specialise in human rights law:

• Doughty Street Chambers – A leading barristers' chambers with a committment to the promotion of human rights and civil liberties through the law, and a committment to publicly funded casework.
• Matrix Chambers – A leading human rights barristers' chambers, it was "set up in 2000 in anticipation of the complex challenges facing the law in the 21st century"
• Tooks Chambers - A barristers' chambers offering advice on a wide range of civil and criminal law, but "driven by a profound belief in human rights and civil liberties for all". It emphasises access to justice for the most marginalised people in society. It was founded in 1984 during the miners' strikes and remains "unashamedly political".

Other barristers' chambers that include human rights in their practice areas:

• One Crown Office Row - has chambers in London and Brighton
• Francis taylor Building
• Blackstone Chambers
• Brick Court Chambers
• Chancery House Chambers - in Leeds
• Garden Court Chambers
• Garden Court North Chambers - in Manchester
• Lincoln House Chambers - in Manchester
• One Garden Court
• Ropewalk Chambers - in Nottingham
• Axiom Advocates - in Edinburgh

Working with NGOs

The following NGOs employ staff with legal expertise (although other positions may also become available):

• Amicus - a charity based in London which aims to provide representation for those awaiting the death penalty in the USA. Employs staff in the UK to research particular areas of law. Runs an internship scheme for postgraduate law students and experienced lawyers to go and work in the office of a US death penalty attorney for 3-6 months.
• Amnesty International - Please note that there are often Law related
  Internships available with Amnesty; these also vary in aim and content and are displayed on their website periodically, in the 'jobs' section.
• Centre for Justice and International Law (CEJIL) - offers legal internships, (see Internships Sectionfor more details).
• Fair Trials Abroad - works to ensure that EU citizens accused of a
  crime in a country other than their own receive a just and fair trial. Welcomes volunteer applications (see Internships for more details).
• Global Rights - offers internships, (see Internships Section for more details).
• Human Rights First - a leading human rights advocacy organization based in New York City and Washington, DC. In addition to a vacancy website which lists current positions vacant, there are a number of internships available (see Internships Section for more details).
• The Institute for Human Rights and Development in Africa - a non-profit, non-governmental pan-African organization, based in The Gambia, West Africa. The Institute’s mandate is to increase the effectiveness and accessibility of the human rights protection mechanisms of the African Union.Internships are available, (see Internships Section for more details).
• The International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) - a non-governmental organisation dedicated to the legal promotion and protection of human rights and the rule of law. There are a number of internship programmes available, (see Internships Section for more details).
• Justice
• Lawyers for Human Rights - Vacancies are displayed under the ‘news’ section of the site; volunteer and internship applications are welcome from students of law and applicants should visit the website for details of where to send their application.
• Liberty

Free Representation

• Free Representation Unit - a charity which seeks to provide legal services to those who could not otherwise obtain it. Provide representation for employment tribunals, social security and child support tribunals and immigration cases. Recruit volunteers who are still students or in the early stages of their career.

Immigration Law

• Wesley Gryk Solicitors- immigration specialists
• Electronic Immigration Network - has listings for all kinds of jobs in immigration law

Environmental Law

• Environmental Law Foundation (ELF) - “national UK charity founded in 1992 that helps people use the law to protect and improve their local environment and quality of life.” Have volunteering programmes (unpaid internship) – but not necessarily just for people with background in law or env. science.
• Environmental Law Centre is a registered charity that specialises in helping to protect peoples' human rights on issues that concern health and the environment.
• Client Earth works to protect the environment through advocacy, litigation and research. 
• One example of using environmental law to bring about global systems change is the barrister Polly Higgins' campaign Eradicating Ecocide.

Advising Charities

Charities are highly regulated, and as such require solicitors to advise them on their trading activities. Due to the increasingly competitive environment, many charities also seek legal services to explore mergers, partnerships and joint ventures. Few firms deal only with charities, but many have a charity team, some of which are listed below.

• AJ Lutley - A solicitors firm which deals only with charities and non profits.
• Stone King Sewell - recognised as one of the leading practices in the UK, Stone King Sewell act for many hundreds of voluntary organisations, including over 150 of the largest charities.
• Campbell Hooper - has a well established charities team.
• Carter Lemon Camerons - have a wide range of clients, which includes charities and their trustees.
• Cheyney Goulding - Specialists in business law, their clients include small and large charities.
• Cripps Harries Hall - represents charities and non-profits amongst other clients. Also prides itself in corporate social responsibilty.
• Fieldings Porter Solicitors - has a charity team.
• Howard Kennedy - has advised a number of charities in the past including the Multiple Sclerosis Society, NSPCC, The Old Vic Theatre Trust 2000, The Alexandra Palace and Park Charitable Trust.
• Hunters Solicitors - has a well established background in charity work.
• Rollits - have a specialist charity group.
• Ward Hadaway - a law firm in newcastle with a charities team and a corporate social responsibility policy. Offer summer work experience placements.