Where to start
The range of organisations supporting access to justice, human rights and the application of law in the national and international public sector is extensive. Get some idea of which area would best match your skills, interests and values by reading the description of their mission and activities. They include law firms, barristers’ chambers, legal aid support, public sector organisations in the UK and internationally, intergovernmental organisations (including courts), NGOs, and research institutes.
The pathways to practice in this area and the scope of additional qualifications is extensive. Finding examples from the real-life experience of others can act as a focal point to start your thinking.
Follow public law blogs such as those listed by the Law Society or Public Law for Everyone to assess your level of interest. Consider the stance you would take on public law issues highlighted in the media and press and whether you’d like to know more. For those attracted to this sector money will not be the prime motivation compared to practice in the private sector so be clear that your personal and professional career values align themselves more with public service, the need for effective access to the justice system, and the framework of law needed to support democratic ideals.
It would be useful to volunteer for one of the nationally recognised NGOs such as Liberty or Amnesty.
If you are a student, there are many societies in which you could become active (Wilberforce Society, or Cambridge University Amnesty International), and positions of responsibility within colleges (such as Welfare Officer) also demonstrate a set of personal values and interests that align with public interest legal careers.
Although an LLM (postgraduate law degree) or MPhil in areas such as human rights law or social policy is not required to qualify to practice, it may well be of interest and provide activities and experiences which will validate a career choice and strengthen an applicant’s profile. Many of these courses are listed on the Prospects website.
For roles in national and international organisations it is likely that a higher-level course of study or research will be the expectation and norm.
Research potentially interesting employers and search their websites for formal internship schemes and application deadlines. International roles can often be found advertised on the Idealist website.
If you are looking at courses in human rights and public international law to either inform or demonstrate an interest, the Coursera website hosts several free ones.
Provide a motivational rationale balanced between having the appropriate skills and experience to match the role, evidence of interest in the work that is carried out, and a set of values that drive a vocational commitment. When writing cover letters or statements, bear in mind that it is easy come across as simply idealistic - you should also demonstrate some pragmatism.
Refer to the two part video Career Essential series on Making successful applications at (Getting Prepared) and (Starting Writing)
You can draw on the support, guidance and career interests of an extensive spread of Cambridge alumni on LinkedIn. Once on the LinkedIn alumni pages, search either “Human Rights”, “Asylum” or “Public International Law” to see the contact details and complete career profiles of our graduates. This will be equally useful for identifying organisations to research and apply to.
Current vacancies, potential employers and relevant events can be found via Handshake.
You can also find Cambridge alumni to network with through Handshake's 'community' section.
Here are some resources on Handshake to help you get recruitment ready for legal careers.
Here is a Handshake journey to help disabled students who are considering a career in law.
Use social media to follow leading organisations and keep up to date with their posts on Twitter/X and LinkedIn. The list of the 25 leading organisations in London is a starting place for human rights based NGOs.
And for those particularly interested in organisations involved in the management of the national and international system of justice there is an internally produced directory of organisations as part of the "Getting Ready for Law" Handshake resource.
Now you have looked at this page, think about your next steps. Everyone's journey is different. There are many ways to move forward. Here are some actions you could take now:
- Look for roles using the resources above.
- Talk to alumni working in this field via Handshake or LinkedIn.
- Talk to a Careers Consultant - book a 1:1 appointment through Handshake.
- Attend events - watch for relevant events.
- Ready to apply? Use the CV and cover letter guide to draft a CV or an application. CareerSet is a tool you can use to review your CV and cover letter. Write a speculative application.
- Subscribe to the Law Careers Newsletter