Human rights lawyers are a fundamental part of a humane global society, protecting the basic rights that all humans deserve.
Human rights lawyers can work in some of the most dangerous places in the world, on the front line for example, or from an office block in your local town, helping local people to ensure they get the justice they deserve from public authorities and private companies who have violated their human rights.
Human rights law can be complicated, confusing, and highly emotional and becoming a human rights lawyer requires a resolute mind and an iron-clad will to do good in the world.
From representing those who have been discriminated against in the workplace to ensuring that the Government is held to account for their actions, the role of a human rights lawyer is wide ranging and unique from any other type of legal practice.
There are so many different things that can come under the remit of a human rights lawyer that it would be impossible to cover everything these highly trained experts do in a single article. However, to give you an idea of what to expect when you go to see a human rights lawyer or if you are looking to become a human rights lawyer yourself, we have put together a list of some of the common things they do on a daily basis.
Representing Clients
As with most lawyers, human rights lawyers spend a large portion of their time representing clients who may have been a victim of a human rights breach.
In the UK, the clients of human rights lawyers are often those who have been unlawfully detained by immigration authorities. Institutionalised sexism and racism within Government agencies is another reason why someone may consult with a human rights lawyer.
Some of the ways in which a human rights lawyer will assist their clients is by filing a claim and handling all of the associated paperwork, compiling all the evidence required to support their claims, and instigating court proceedings if a settlement and admission of guilt is not achieved.
Take on the Government
Human rights lawyers are some of the only lawyers who regularly tackle Government decisions in court.
They hold the Government to account by asking the courts to review any decisions that are unlawful or put the rights of individuals or certain groups under threat.
They do this through a process called a judicial review which can be used in a wide variety of different situations from stopping someone from being deported to preventing the Government gaining power unlawfully.
As deportations and evictions in particular can be pretty fast processes once they have been triggered, human rights lawyers are often under a significant amount of pressure to act quickly on behalf of their clients and must work within tight time constraints.
As such, fast decision making and an ability to perform well under pressure are both key attributes of a successful human rights lawyer. If these are skills that you believe you possess, you may well suited to a career in human rights law.
Work on behalf of loved ones
In the tragic event that a person dies as a result of a human rights violation, in military detainment or as a result of malpractice, for example, human rights lawyers will often represent the family of the deceased in the subsequent inquest. It is their duty to ensure the truth comes out and justice is served by calling the relevant witnesses and analysing the details of the death in detail.
Working for Non-profit Organisations
Human rights lawyers not only help to ensure that existing regulations regarding human rights are followed, they actually play a major part in the development and implementation of new legislation in the area.
They will often work alongside charities, Government committees and other groups to oversee and promote enhanced human rights across the globe.
In fact, human rights lawyers may well be the ones who are tasked with writing new laws or assisting organisations such as the United Nations in writing treaties and conventions and developing new policies that are designed to protect the human rights of citizens across the world.
Obtaining Injunctions
In the event that a person wishes to protect their right to privacy by avoiding being named publicly in a high-profile court case, a human rights lawyer will be the one to assist them in filing for an injunction. Injunctions have a number of different uses including protecting those who have been the victims of domestic violence. As most injunctions revolve around keeping the name of their client out of the media, most human rights lawyers have a pretty extensive knowledge of media law as well as media.