Human Rights - Graduate Profiles

What path has your career taken since graduation?

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Before I went to Edinburgh I worked as a legal advisor to the Catholic University of Temuco (Universidad Católica de Temuco), and taught as a part-time professor at the Sociology and Political Science Department of the Social Sciences Faculty. The University gave me an unpaid leave to go study at The University of Edinburgh, having my job waiting for me at my return.

On my return to the University I took my old post and took contact with some academics to create a Diploma on Human Rights for Educators in Intercultural Context (in this region lives the largest population of indigenous people -mapuche- in the country.

I have also been a voice regarding human rights issues, given some interviews and wrote a few things to promote human rights public knowledge.

Since then I have been teaching and participating in the organisation of that programme and getting more involved in the University government, until last November I was appointed as the University General Secretary.

What is your current role and what does your work involve?

I am currently the General Secretary of the Catholic University of Temuco (Universidad Católica de Temuco). As such, I lead the legal department and act as the University’s certifying officer.

I participate in the government of the University contributing in all kinds of projects from the higher education legal perspective.

What experiences do you feel helped you get to your current position?

Of course, my law degree is essential to my current position. But it is also important that I have been working in higher education for the last 9 years, including 3 years in the Higher Education Division of the Ministry of Education, as chief of staff and lawyer of its legal department.

I first came to the University to work on a project at the Faculty of Education and after a year I was invited to work at the General Secretariat as a legal advisor.

I believe that studying an LL.M. at The University of Edinburgh made a substantial difference in the kind of projects I got involved when I came back and that ended with my appointment as General Secretary.

How have you used the skills and/or knowledge developed during your degree in your career?

One of the skills I use the most is to do thorough research after dealing with an issue and make a decision. Also, The University of Edinburgh, and specially my programme, is so international, that I learned how to communicate, work and produce valuable results with people with different profiles, backgrounds and interests than me.

I have only used the specific knowledge for the classes at the Diploma I helped to create, and for some public statements or opinions regarding national contingences; but the way the UoE helped me acquire that knowledge (learning methods and the international profile of its students) is something I carry with me every day since I got my degree.

What do you think was the most valuable aspect of your time at Edinburgh in preparation for your career?

The access to an enormous variety of “knowledges”: the wisdom of the professors, the diversity of my classmates, the incredible access to any issue I could imagine that the Library offered (it would be amazing if I could still have access). And of course, the city and its wonderful people.

What advice would you give to students who are interested in your area of work?

It is important to know your subjects, the law, but it is way more important and essential to know how to work with people at every level. In the world of work, being able to do teamwork, interdisciplinary work and producing results and decisions with people from different fields is not only the only way to do things properly, but also the most rewarding things I have encountered during my career.

What path has your career taken since graduation?

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I have ten years of work experience in the public and non-governmental sectors. Before and after graduation, I have closely defended victims of torture, disappearance, sexual violence, and medical malpractice, among other abuses in Mexico, because I am committed to seeking justice for those most in need. A particularly salient example is when I represented legally more than thirty families whose children died or were injured in the fire at the ABC Daycare in Hermosillo, Sonora, on June 5, 2009. To this day, this remains one of the most emblematic cases of human rights violations in Mexico. My work successfully obtained the first resolution of remedy and reparation for the families from a federal court.

What is your current role and what does your work involve?

I just started to work in a new position in the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women, also known as UN Women, within the Spotlight Initiative, a project aimed to eliminate violence against women and girls at the headquarters in Mexico City.

My job will be to provide legal advice to contribute to the effective prevention and eradication of femicide and other forms of violence against women and girls through a holistic approach.

What experiences do you feel helped you get to your current position?

Before I obtained my Master's Degree at The University of Edinburgh, I attended three specialized courses in human rights and international humanitarian law, which I believe helped me to move forward in my career. The first one at the Inter-American Institute of Human Rights in Costa Rica, the second at the Institut International des Droits in L’Homme in Strasbourg, and the third at the American University Washington College of Law.

How have you used the skills and/or knowledge developed during your degree in your career?

I firmly believe that having studied a master's degree at the University of Edinburgh, opened the doors to me to be able to work in a United Nations entity, which had been a professional goal of mine for a long time, but which until now was achieved.

What do you think was the most valuable aspect of your time at Edinburgh in preparation for your career?

The most important aspect of my time at the University of Edinburgh was being able to learn from teachers who have not only academic experience but who have been directly involved with the most relevant cases and situations in the world of human rights. Likewise, the diversity of my classmates greatly enriched the entire process.

What advice would you give to students who are interested in your area of work?

The general advice that I could give to students interested in pursuing a career in human rights is, firstly, to work from the beginning, because if you wait until you finish your studies, it will be tough to get a position, there must be an adequate balance between academic and professional experience. Secondly, is that you should never stop learning, don't just stay with the master's degree, look for international courses that will provide you with more tools and experiences.

Finally, and this is a piece of personal advice, working in the world of human rights requires a lot of passion and conviction, because sometimes we are going to face challenging situations, but at the end of the day, we will be satisfied to contribute to building a more just world.

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What path has your career taken since graduation?

After completing my LL.M. thesis, but prior to graduation, I began practicing immigration law in the United States. My first job in the field was working as an associate attorney at a private law firm in Oakland, California. After a year in private practice, I accepted a position with a non-profit organization, Catholic Charities East Bay, where I was brought on to build their “Removal Defense” program as an Immigration Removal Defense Attorney. In the U.S. immigration context, removal defense work involves representing people in immigration court, whom the U.S. government is trying to deport from the country. In Fall 2019 I was also hired by UC Berkeley Law School to begin teaching a course in legal research and writing in their LL.M. program; unfortunately this position has been postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

What is your current role and what does your work involve?

As a Removal Defense Attorney for Catholic Charities East Bay, I represent immigrants in removal proceedings in American immigration courts. I identify what forms of relief from removal they may be eligible for, assist them in applying for those forms of relief (such as asylum), and represent them in each stage of litigation. The part of my work that I find most rewarding is my client engagement: building a relationship with a client involves developing a huge degree of trust, as these people are coming to me at a deeply vulnerable time, often times after having suffered extreme trauma (which they then are expected to recount in excruciating detail time and time again, for complete strangers, in a system designed to exclude them). I can never promise a client that we will win their case, but I strive every day to earn their trust with honest, compassionate, and zealous representation. The feeling when we are successful in their case is incomparable – for everyone who succeeds in these cases, it changes their lives; for many, it saves their lives.

What experiences do you feel helped you get to your current position?

Prior to obtaining my LL.M. at the University of Edinburgh, I obtained both a bachelor’s degree and a juris doctor in the United States and became licensed to practice law there. During each of these degree programs I completed multiple internships to develop specialisation and gain work experience. Both the degrees and the internships were vital to my competitiveness as a candidate when entering the field.

How have you used the skills and/or knowledge developed during your degree in your career?

My degree programs most notably taught me to think, research, and write, like a lawyer. These skills are central to the work I do every day!

What do you think was the most valuable aspect of your time at Edinburgh in preparation for your career?

My time at Edinburgh was incredibly valuable in many respects, but I think the most valuable thing it offered in preparation for my career was twofold: 1) giving me an international perspective / world view outside of the American educational system, and 2) teaching me to apply the ‘human rights’ lens to any practice area. These things help keep me centred on the role my work plays in the broader fight for human rights, globally.

What advice would you give to students who are interested in your area of work?

Get as much experience as you can while you are in school. Volunteer, do internships, seek out fellowships, etc. Your degree will give you the exposure to the subject matter and critical thinking skills you need, but you won’t get a real feel for what it means to do the work (and whether it is something you’re interested in doing as a career) until you get hands-on experience. These experiences will also make you more competitive when it comes time to apply for a job in the field!

What path has your career taken since graduation?

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I am currently a social welfare paralegal at Hackney Community Law Centre. After graduating from Edinburgh in July 2016, I undertook the Graduate Diploma in Law in 2016-2017 and the Bar Professional Training Course in 2017-2018. Whilst studying, I volunteered for and was involved in various pro bono projects: clinic manager of the Dalston Debt and Consumer Advice Clinic; student director of the BPP Enterprise Clinic; advice line volunteer at Liberty; and volunteer researcher at Big Brother Watch. My first experience in the social welfare sector was as a welfare benefits tribunal advocate for Hackney Community Law Centre starting in April 2017. I was tasked with representing vulnerable clients who had been rejected for disability benefits in the Tribunal System. My volunteering led directly to the Law Centre offering me an internship in January 2019, where I assisted with housing law while continued to represent benefits claimants.  In July 2019, I was offered a role as Social Welfare Paralegal.

What is your current role and what does your work involve?

As Social Welfare Paralegal, my core areas of developing expertise are social securities, housing and public law. My responsibilities span from advising benefits claimants on what benefits they can claim to representing tenants in disrepair claims in County Court. Many of my clients are vulnerable - survivors of domestic violence, refugees, single parents or former children who were in the care of the Local Authority. I help them obtain housing when they are homeless, benefits when they are in poverty, and relief when they are wronged. Often when people approach me for assistance with their legal problems, they are stressed and feel overwhelmed. I find it rewarding when explaining to my client what steps we can take to resolve their issue calms them down and am thrilled whenever we are successful. However, the role can be difficult and taxing especially since not every case can be won and the law cannot necessarily be changed.

What experiences do you feel helped you get to your current position?

Beyond the basic skills which are required, such as drafting, letter writing, strategical and tactical planning, understanding of the law, or conferencing, my success has been a combination of luck and proving myself through my work. My connection to Hackney Community Law Centre started while I was completing my GDL. I was the clinic manager for a pro bono project that was affiliated with the Law Centre. After around 6 months, in April 2017, they invited me to be a volunteer tribunal advocate. Whenever they contacted me with a potential case to do, I almost always signed up to help. By July 2018, when I completed my BPTC, I had represented over 15 clients in benefits Tribunals and successfully appealed to the Upper Tribunal in 3 cases. I proved myself to be reliable and, in the beginning of 2019, I was offered an internship at the Law Centre. This was a 3 day per week internship so, on one of the spare days, I volunteered for Liberty writing advice letters and, the other, for Big Brother Watch as a volunteer researcher. These experiences gave me a good understanding of the core areas of law which I now utilise for my clients and led to me being hired as a Social Welfare Paralegal.

How have you used the skills and/or knowledge developed during your degree in your career?

Studying a non-legal degree can be a great starting point for developing a career in law. Although the benefits are manifold, the following are some examples of transferrable skills. Classics honed my attention to detail and understanding of language. For example, much of my job involves the interpretation of legislation. Since I started my legal education, I have found that my knowledge of grammar has greatly assisted in the considering the meaning of statutes. Further, as a humanities subject, Classics developed my written communication skills as well as my ability to construct (or deconstruct) arguments. This gave me an advantage when learning to draft legal documents and make legal submissions.

What do you think was the most valuable aspect of your time at Edinburgh in preparation for your career?

Broadly speaking, the substance of my degree has shaped my perspective of the world, whether criticising Creon in Sophocles’ Antigone for transgressing the unwritten natural laws or reading about the failed overseas wars fought by Athens in the 5^th Century BCE.

My studies developed my drive to help others, uphold good administration, and seek remedies for those who have been wronged. More specifically, my lecturers at Edinburgh always pushed me to learn and develop my academic and forensic ability. While taking a course of Homer’s Iliad taught by Professor Douglas Cairns, he encouraged us to not only see what the characters were doing but to try to understand the motives behind their actions. Identifying and acting upon your clients’ concerns and objectives is a vital component of succeeding in law. I use this skill to assist my clients to the best of my abilities every day.

What advice would you give to students who are interested in your area of work?

The earlier one starts in building up their knowledge and experience of the legal sector they wish to join, the more likely they are to find success. In a highly competitive legal world, it can be difficult for employers to differentiate between students based on academics alone. It is important, then, to actively search out opportunities such as volunteering or internships, build a strong CV, and understand what it means to work in the social justice sector. Persistence and an eagerness to learn are key because only a few individuals will get to where they want to be straight away.

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What path has your career taken since graduation?

After graduation, I relocated to South Sudan and took up a job as a Legal Protection Officer focusing mainly on the legal rights of refugees and the creation of awareness on their rights and responsibilities. I Conducted Bi-weekly access to justice forums and community dialogues with various stakeholders that included the Community leaders, the public prosecutor, the Lady judge as well as representatives from the police and prisons service. Having obtained the theoretical knowledge from my Master’s program, I was excited to put what I had learnt into practice in the field. A couple of months later, I moved on to take up a job with a UN agency and focused mainly on ensuring the rights of beneficiaries or persons of concern are well protected. I also participated in the adjudication of biometric duplicates in the beneficiary database while factoring in protection concerns that may arise. This helped in ensuring accountability to both the beneficiaries and the donors.

What is your current role and what does your work involve?

I currently work as a team mentor with a UN agency here in South Sudan. I regularly conduct trainings to colleagues on how best to handle biometric duplicates while factoring in their protection concerns. Additionally, I lead a team of 10, in the deduplication and adjudication processes both online and in the field. Working with beneficiaries during case management and resolving their issues online has made me appreciate humanity and given me a chance to serve my people who have been gravely affected by the conflict in South Sudan. Through my work, I am able to put a smile on the faces of people and give them hope for a better tomorrow.

What experiences do you feel helped you get to your current position?

I have been working is South Sudan in various capacities for close to 5 years. My background in law topped up by my master’s degree have helped me get my current position. In a short period of time I have been a team leader and team mentor thus influencing the work of my colleagues and helping them achieve their set targets.

How have you used the skills and/or knowledge developed during your degree in your career?

Having been exposed to diverse living and work environments, I am able to embrace diversity and inclusion thus thriving at my workplace. The Mastercard Foundation program at the University of Edinburgh prepared me to ably take up leadership roles and transform the community I live and work with. The values I hold dear guide me daily in my transformative leadership journey. The younger generation can see the value of education through me.

What do you think was the most valuable aspect of your time at Edinburgh in preparation for your career?

Well, the work-based placement and opportunities for volunteering were my most valuable aspects. I was able to practice what I learned in the classroom and relate well with a multicultural and well experienced team. It was therefore easy for me to transition from an academic environment to work. I was motivated and looked forward to excelling and making greater strides in my career. 

What advice would you give to students who are interested in your area of work?

Having a background in Law and understanding various judicial systems in the world is helpful. It is important to also develop a reading culture and proper research and analytical skills. Being open minded is also key as it will allow you interact with people of diverse backgrounds and learn as much as you can.

What path has your career taken since graduation?

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I work as a project officer for the Edinburgh-based food justice NGO, Nourish Scotland, where I work with climate change, human rights and food policy. I had gotten to know the organisation through the work-based placement I completed in lieu of a dissertation during the LLM. The role is part time, and I am working as a research assistant at the Global Academy of Agriculture and Food Security at the same time. Before starting these roles, I worked as a research assistant to the programme director of the LLM human rights.

Before the LLM I studied law and languages with a year abroad and volunteered with a handful of NGOs and charities working on human rights and environmental issues. The decision to study for an LLM human rights degree at the University of Edinburgh was a deliberate career step as I knew from my volunteer experience and research that it would help me obtain a career in this field. 

What is your current role and what does your work involve?

My job title with Nourish Scotland is food policy project officer and I coordinate two projects in collaboration with international partners in other NGOs that both aim to contribute to the international policy discourse on climate change. These projects include working together with partner organisations to draft and disseminate a high ambition declaration and organising a dialogue between cities and farmers at COP26. I also contribute to my organisations’ work on human rights, particularly the right to food and with grassroots food organisations.

What I love about working in a small organisation is that I get a lot of responsibility and autonomy in my projects, but also have a diverse team to rely on and collaborate with. One of the most rewarding things about my job is getting to work with international partners, learning about their work and contexts and seeing what comes out of bringing our ideas together. I also enjoy how the cross-cutting nature of the organisation makes the job very interdisciplinary and gives scope for continuous learning.

My main responsibilities include project and concept development, organising and chairing meetings, disseminating information about the projects, analysing policy and staying informed in my field, networking with potential collaborators, responding to government consultations, writing blog posts and assisting my team members in their projects as needed.

What experiences do you feel helped you get to your current position?

Successfully completing a work-based placement on the right to food with Nourish Scotland during the LLM meant that I was already well-informed about their work and that the both the organisation and I knew that I fit in well with the team. I developed a lot of skills and specific knowledge during that placement, which I am able to apply in my current role.

Staying in Edinburgh and working as a research assistant at the School of Law where I worked with human rights incorporation and civil society, meant that I helped run events that my current employer attended. I also stayed in touch by volunteering at the organisations’ conference and attending food policy related events at Edinburgh University after graduating.

Having studied diverse subjects and volunteered in different organisations also gave me experience that I think made me a good candidate for my current interdisciplinary role. For example, while I specialised in international human rights law, I have also studied international climate change law and EU law and subjects in other disciplines. Having volunteered and worked in a range of fields while studying I have a broad skill set to rely on, which I found helpful when applying for both my current position and the work-based placement.

How have you used the skills and/or knowledge developed during your degree in your career?

I use my specialist knowledge of human rights law to assist team members who work on national human rights implementation specifically. Knowing I wanted to work with human rights and environmental issues, I made an effort during my degree to dive into this topic in essays and in my work-based placement report. I draw on this knowledge a lot in my current role. I also sought out opportunities to combine my academic study with practical experience by participating in a human rights clinic and by selecting to do a work-based placement with a local NGO. In both modules I learned about project management, teamwork, and presenting research findings and developed in-depth knowledge of how my subject applies locally in Scotland, all of which I apply in my current role.

My career thus far has also benefitted from my participating in extra-curricular activities and getting to know people who work in the field both at the university and elsewhere by attending events, volunteering and making my interest in the field known.

What do you think was the most valuable aspect of your time at Edinburgh in preparation for your career?

The most valuable aspect of my time at Edinburgh would probably be the opportunity to gain practical experience in the local human rights field in Scotland, which led directly to my current job. I also think having the autonomy to write essays on topics that I wanted to work with going forward helped me demonstrate my interest in the field (of human rights and the environment) to potential employers and develop invaluable knowledge that I continue to build on.

What advice would you give to students who are interested in your area of work?

For students interested in working with an NGO, whether international or local, my advice would be to obtain practical experience alongside specialised academic study. Relevant volunteer experience is indispensable as it allows you to gain new skills and connections and demonstrates to employers that you have a genuine interest in and awareness of their field.

Also, to make strong connections with people you come into contact with at university and would like to work with in the future, be it lecturers, classmates or people you meet at events or extra-curricular activities or volunteering. Make your interest in their work known and make sure to stay in touch. My experience is that putting yourself out there and demonstrating your interest and potential can lead to people offering or signposting you relevant opportunities.

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What path has your career taken since graduation?

After my graduation, I decided to go back to my home country, Indonesia, to participate in some research activities from local organizations while starting a business with my husband. Considering my preference and family situation, I decided not to work at the office and set up a home office instead. Luckily, I had established a good network and developed new skills during my stay in Edinburgh, which helped me to build my career as a legal translator and researcher.

What is your current role and what does your work involve?

I work as a legal translator for a translation company in Jakarta and as a researcher for some projects related to human rights, education and political administration. My job as a legal translator involves researching legal and technical phraseology and terms, assisting in the preparation of confidential legal documents, collecting and analysing relevant legal documents from different sources to ensure the consistency of the nuances in the translated documents, ensuring that the intended message contained in the source text is maintained and coherent with the target language. Some projects that I worked on included translation of draft bill, presidential / ministerial regulation, notarial deed, national court documents, international arbitration documents, reports of UN bodies and so on.

What experiences do you feel helped you get to your current position?

I would say that my study period at the University of Edinburgh and my short internship at the UN House Scotland were fundamental in terms of legal research and case study. It is widely known that legal translation work requires a comprehensive and technical understanding of legal framework in different countries. Although my current projects are not always related to my degree course, I notice that the knowledge, skills and competence that I obtained at the university are applicable in a wide range of expertise areas.

How have you used the skills and/or knowledge developed during your degree in your career?

Among other things, I have gained the ability to analyse, collect and summarise essential information from legal documents in a short amount of time. I am also able to perform legal research and produce legal articles and commentaries in different languages.

What do you think was the most valuable aspect of your time at Edinburgh in preparation for your career?

I think discussing and receiving feedback from the professors at the University of Edinburgh were the most valuable aspect which helped me to improve my ability, gain different insights and develop my skills, both in theoretical and practical levels.

What advice would you give to students who are interested in your area of work?

A legal translation career requires hours of extensive reading and research, attention to detail and precision, understanding of technical and scientific terms as well as comprehension of different legal cultures and systems. It may seem like an exhausting job at first, but it is worth it as it may offer you a chance to learn about new subjects every time a new project is coming your way.