By Rosa Grenfell
One year ago, I started my journey to become a qualified solicitor and began my two-year training with JustRight Scotland. As I now have one year left, I thought I would reflect on my time and look towards the future.
As well as being a legal trainee with JustRight Scotland, I am also a Justice First Fellow. This fellowship is supported by the Legal Education Foundation and aims to encourage more people to go into social welfare law by promoting training opportunities across the UK. Traineeships in this area are rare, and I wanted to do a traineeship with an organisation dedicated to defending people’s rights. I was excited and extremely grateful when I was given the opportunity to complete my traineeship at JustRight Scotland.
It will last two years in total, and I will rotate between the four centres within the organisation as part of my learning and development plan.
My First Seat
For my first six months, I worked at the Scottish Women’s Rights Centre (SWRC). I learned how to work in a trauma-informed way to create the best environment possible for women who have experienced gender-based violence. I underwent valuable training provided by the SWRC, Understanding Domestic Abuse, shadowed their in-person surgeries with Kairos Women+, and engaged in various stages of important casework.
My Second Seat
My last six months have been with the Scottish Just Law Centre (SJLC). This centre aims to reduce discrimination through strategic litigation and promotes access to justice by informing people of their rights.
The SJLC has a number of ongoing cases that challenge the unfair and discriminatory decisions of public bodies across Scotland. It has been valuable to learn how decisions can be challenged at different stages and how understanding one’s rights is key to driving change.
Currently, they are collaborating with members of the Gypsy, Traveller, and Showpeople communities to address violations of their rights, as well as working on cases related to disability discrimination and human rights infringements. Additionally, they are advocating for better access to justice, bringing attention to how Scotland’s legal aid system is failing to provide fair and affordable support.
As part of the Justice First Fellowship and in this specific context, I am working on a project that aims to advance access to justice for all across the country. My project will be part of the current policy and campaign work led by the centre, with a focus on reforming the Scottish Legal Aid system.
My Future at JustRight Scotland
During this period, while learning about legal processes and assisting with strategic legal cases, I noticed a common thread across all the cases I have worked on – the unwavering and inspiring dedication of our clients to challenge the people and systems that seek to violate their rights. It is extremely hard to advocate for yourself in the face of institutionalised injustice, and informed strategic change would be impossible without them.
In light of this, I am looking forward to completing my training with the Scottish Anti-Trafficking & Exploitation Centre and the Scottish Refugee & Migrant Centre, where I expect to learn more, challenge myself, and expand my mindset. I look forward to working with other legal teams, meeting new clients who are fighting against a hostile environment, and supporting the change we want to see in our society.
