Human rights are the fundamentals of a fair and just society and it is the task of human rights lawyers to defend them.
As well as representing individuals, human rights lawyers will perform a range of other duties including highlighting discriminatory laws and policies, working with NGOs and think tanks, educating people on the importance of human rights, and conducting research into how social justice can be achieved.
Legal Representation
As with the majority of other lawyers, one of the main responsibilities of a human rights lawyer is to represent their clients.
Human rights lawyers provide advice and representation both in and out of court to those who have had any of their legal rights violated or freedoms restricted.
They do this in a number of ways from making their case in court to negotiating terms with the opposing counsel as well as the less glamorous job of filing paperwork and ensuring a case is not voided purely due to a clerical error.
Human rights lawyers represent a higher number of individuals from minority groups than other lawyers such as those who work in corporate law and often work with refugees, those in poverty, and those who have experienced racism, sexism, or another form of discrimination.
Regardless of their status or background, human rights lawyers represent each and every one of their clients in the same way, fiercely defending their right to be respected and treated the same as anyone else.
As well as representing those who have had their rights breached in a one-off incident, human rights lawyers will also challenge any systemic discrimination they see that may impact on a person’s access to justice or threaten their human rights.
Campaigning
Besides their role representing clients, human rights lawyers spend a significant amount of their time on advocacy work, campaigning for increased awareness of human rights and the threat that marginalised groups face.
They will often work alongside Government groups, NGOs, think tanks, researchers, and more as part of this role and unlike other lawyers will often engage with the media to maximise awareness.
From organising protests to producing detailed reports on discrimination within society, human rights lawyers are committed to bringing about positive change within society.
Conducting research on human rights issues
Human rights lawyers will research and analyse any legal issues pertaining to human rights including academic research, legal documentation, case law, and much more besides.
They may even publish their own research in the area. Both research and the analysis of said research is integral to human rights law and lawyers are required to have an extensive knowledge of all the relevant legislation and policy before they can enter the industry.
For those training to be a lawyer, they will often choose to specialise in human rights law after having completed a degree in general law in order to obtain a broad understanding of all the topics that they may have to deal with on a daily basis.
Helping to bring about change
Human rights lawyers don’t simply help to ensure that the law is upheld, they help to bring about positive change in legislation and set new precedents for the treatment of people by individuals, organisations, and the Government themselves.
They also bring about change by engaging in a variety of education activities, spreading awareness of human rights issues and ensuring that the most vulnerable groups are aware of their rights and cannot be taken advantage of.
They will also work with companies and decision makers to help them do better in terms of accounting for the rights of their workers. Human rights lawyers will also work with schools and universities to promote increased human rights education and inspire the next generation to be passionate about protecting both their own and other’s rights and freedoms.
Continued learning
No lawyer has ever mastered their art and the career of a lawyer is one long learning process. Human rights lawyers in particular must be constantly on the lookout for any development opportunities and willing to adapt their services based on the discovery of new information or changes in legislation.
A human rights lawyer must stay fully up to date with the latest legal and policy developments and look to build strong relationships with stakeholders in order to influence decisions at the highest level.
This attitude of constantly looking to improve is possessed by all of the very best human rights lawyers in history who have honed their advocacy and representation skills over decades in the field. If you are looking for a human rights lawyer to represent you, make sure to choose one who has extensive past experience in the field with a track record of success and a positive attitude.