
JUSTICE- the all-party law reform and human rights organisation is inviting applications for its Kalisher Trust internship.
The Kalisher Trust funds a series of legal internships designed to prepare an individual to enter the Criminal Bar by expanding their knowledge and experience, and helping them to forge professional relationships.
Chambers has held a long-standing relationship with The Kalisher Trust which was set up in 1996 to provide opportunities for talented law students from non-traditional backgrounds who often face significant financial hardship to gain experience in a range of relevant fields.
Kalisher JUSTICE interns are given the opportunity to develop skills and experience within an established and respected legal charity. Interns work on a range of criminal justice matters, assisting with the development of policy, research and analysis to support JUSTICE’s arguments for or against law reform. The interns accompany JUSTICE at meetings with law-makers and NGOs, speaking engagements and events as well as court hearings.
Zoë Chapman, Kalisher JUSTICE intern in 2015 , Bar Council Social Mobility Advocate and RLC member commented:
“I was lucky enough to undertake a Kalisher Trust-funded scholarship to work for law reform and human rights charity, JUSTICE, in September 2015. This was by far the most formative and interesting experience on my ‘journey to pupillage’. Working at JUSTICE gave me unparalleled access to the legal profession at all levels (especially for someone who had spent most of their twenties working in call centres and data entry jobs!), as well as the wider context in which the legal system operates, and insight into the practical application of law, procedure and policy. I had never done an internship before, but my fears of being banished to the photocopier were dispelled from day one. I was given work that was directly applicable to the projects and working parties JUSTICE were engaged with at the time and was made to feel like an integral part of the team.
I will always be extremely grateful for this experience, which would not have been possible without the mind-blowing generosity of the Kalisher Trust – and the doors it opened to me were life-changing: following my internship, I was offered a full-time position at JUSTICE. Whilst working there I secured pupillage at Red Lion Chambers, where I am now a tenant and able to contribute to the various outreach programmes chambers runs and engages with, aimed at nurturing a diverse and representative Bar.”
Seán Binder, Kalisher JUSTICE Intern in 2022 and future RLC pupil barrister commented:
“The Kalisher Trust Scholarship allowed me to work with JUSTICE, one of the leading legal reform organisations in the country, directly after completing the GDL. As someone who did not have access to the legal profession previously, this scholarship afforded me the chance to begin my career as a lawyer. Beyond providing invaluable financial support, the Kalisher Trust also offered a mentorship programme, which I eagerly joined. My mentor was one of the first to illuminate the Bar. Candid conversations with my mentor helped me prepare for a challenging career at the criminal bar. I am delighted to have since been offered pupillage at Red Lion Chambers. I was motivated to join Red Lion not only because it is a leading criminal set but because it supports programmes that ensure a diverse and sustainable profession, for example, via the Kalisher Trust.”
Internships are paid and based at JUSTICE’s London Office. One position is available per year, for a three month period between October and December 2023.
The closing date for applications is Monday 11 September at 10pm with interviews taking place on Wednesday 27 September 2023.
For more info: [The Kalisher Trust]