Leveraging Legal Clinics for Experience in Human Rights Law

Feb 22, 2024

Written By Lewis Ogg

Legal clinics are an invaluable step in students’ legal journeys, allowing them to bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application. In getting the opportunity to translate concepts from the classroom to the courtroom, students can develop necessary professional skills that they can later deploy in their career in human rights law.

Understanding legal clinics

For those who are unaware, legal clinics are pro bono initiatives that offer free or low-cost legal assistance to individuals who may not otherwise have access to such services. Clinics can cover virtually any area of the law, but they are most commonly engaged in immigration, criminal or employment law.

Human rights is a common focus of legal clinics. They typically try to address issues such as discrimination, civil liberties, asylum and refugee rights, with a core ethos of access to justice for marginalised groups. Legal clinics tend to focus on protecting and promoting human rights at the local level, through serving local communities. The admirable work conducted by these clinics helps to safeguard the rights of some of the most vulnerable people within our society, serving as a testament to the belief that everyone deserves proper legal representation.

Clinics usually operate through partnerships with universities, legal aid organisations, or nonprofit entities, allowing students to volunteer in conjunction with more experienced practitioners. Under the supervision of faculty members or practitioners, students handle cases, conduct legal research, draft documents, and support clients through legal proceedings.

Teamwork and collaboration are central pillars of a clinic environment. Assigning teams of students to specific cases allows for the responsibility and time commitment to be spread out, so no one feels overburdened by the workload.

Benefits of participating in legal clinics

Volunteering within a legal clinic offers the opportunity to gain practical experience in real-world procedures under the guidance of experienced solicitors. Within the legal clinic, students have exposure to legal research, client interviews, case analysis, and courtroom advocacy, all of which are vital skills for a future legal career. Prolonged participation in legal clinics provides students with an unrivalled insight and understanding into the legal profession, creating a robust intellectual foundation that you can use to navigate complex legal issues in your later career.

Furthermore appropriate and effective communication is one of the most difficult skills to develop, and legal clinics offer ample opportunities to develop both. Whether you are engaging in written reports, oral advocacy, negotiation, or client counselling, the breadth of engagement within legal clinics is invaluable for fostering professional communication skills and developing the requisite confidence to deploy such skills.

While there are obvious personal benefits to working within legal clinics, a highly motivating reason is the opportunity to advocate for vulnerable individuals and marginalised communities. Volunteering at a legal clinic allows you to help others, promote equality under the law and address systemic injustices. Being involved in this kind of positive impact can be deeply fulfilling.

Finding and joining legal clinics

I would encourage any aspiring human rights lawyer to take the time to research nearby legal clinics, whether that be through their university or wider legal community. Aside from your university career website and job directories, LawWorks and the Citizens Advice Bureau are great starting points for finding a suitable clinic. When researching, remember that joining a legal clinic is a considerable time commitment, so you need to find one which matches your interests, values, and desired level of engagement.

Application processes can vary greatly between clinics, but they typically include submitting a CV and cover letter, potentially followed by an interview or orientation session. In your CV and cover letter, it is vital that you emphasise and demonstrate your interest in human rights law, preferably the specific area that the clinic engages with. Clinics are looking for passionate volunteers who have a real sense of commitment to their community. When applying, do not be afraid to seek guidance from lectures, mentors, or university careers teams who might be able to offer practical guidance in applying.

Making the most of your legal clinic experience

As with all things legal, you will get back from volunteering in a clinic exactly what you put into it. If you actively engage with the work, take the time to attend client meetings and court proceedings, and ask experienced professionals informed questions, you will find it a very insightful experience. Also, remember that while you may be a volunteer, your colleagues and clients deserve a trustworthy legal professional. As such, it is vital that you act with the requisite professionalism, reliability, and morality expected of a legal professional.

Another reason to ensure that you act appropriately is that working within a legal clinic is an amazing opportunity to expand your professional network, whether that be with supervisors, fellow volunteers, or clients. Maintaining these relationships can open you up to a variety of opportunities in the future, from getting a glowing reference from a supervisor to being referred to future opportunities.

It’s also important that you take the time for self-reflection on your legal clinic experience. After completing a project, write down what aspects you enjoyed or had a particular interest in, which things you struggled with and how you can improve them going forward. While it may seem trivial, taking a few minutes for reflection after each project will allow you to become a more well-rounded and self-aware solicitor in future.

Conclusion

Working within a legal clinic is a fantastic opportunity for any student to gain insightful and prolonged exposure to the legal profession, while also making a significant contribution to safeguarding vulnerable people and communities. For most students, this will be their first opportunity to meaningfully participate in the law and translate their academic knowledge to real-world settings. So, consider dedicating just a few hours a week to helping both your own career and the lives of others by volunteering at a legal clinic near you.

Legal Work Experience