Academic view: Professor Kimberley Trapp on the UCL PIL Pro Bono Project
Professor Kimberley Trapp writes about the UCL Public International Law Pro Bono Project.
The PILPBP is comprised of three ‘generations’ of law scholar: two Co-Directors, who are Professors in the UCL Faculty of Laws; several PhD Coordinators, all of whom are also Teaching Fellows in the UCL Faculty of Laws; and LLM Researchers – in 2019-20 we have sixteen LLM student participants. The PILPBP is not a formal part of the curriculum, relying entirely on volunteer participation. We partner with leading international non-governmental and inter-governmental organisations, providing cutting edge legal research, analysis and advice to help address some of the world’s most pressing and difficult human rights challenges. Students work together in teams (based on the partner organisation we are assisting), with a PhD Coordinator and Co-Director directing their research and managing the relationship with our partner organisations. Last academic year, the PILPBP also sent interns to two of the organisations we work with – further developing the skills and opportunities of our LLM cohort, and providing support to our civil society partners. These internship opportunities are subject to available funding, and we rely on the generosity of donors to ensure these internships are made possible. We ask you to consider giving a donation of any size to help support future internship opportunities.
The PILPBP has been very fortunate in its partnerships. For instance, we have engaged in research to support the World Refugee Council, a non-governmental organisation established by leading global policy makers (including several former leaders of national governments and a Nobel Peace Prize winner). Students prepared a detailed report for its Executives, setting out innovative ways of unlocking the frozen assets of refugee creating regimes with a view to responding to the global refugee crisis.
The PILPBP also has a unique co-operation agreement with the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, producing cutting edge research memos on novel and difficult legal issues put to us directly by the Judges of the Court. The PILPBP has also submitted an amicus brief to assist the Court in respect of Ecuador’s request for an advisory opinion on asylum, and is this year preparing a further brief in respect of the human rights effects of denouncing the American Convention on Human Rights or the Charter of the Organisation of American States.
We are also working with Redress, a leading non-governmental organisation committed to securing justice for survivors of torture, combatting impunity for governments and individuals who perpetrate torture, and developing and promoting compliance with international human rights standards. In 2018/19 we assisted in the preparation of a report that Redress submitted to the UK Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights, in respect of its Inquiry on the Human Rights Act. This year, we are contributing to the preparation of materials which Redress will use to help build the capacity of human rights lawyers addressing torture related wrongs around the world.
Finally, this year the PILPBP is doing research for Geneva Call, a neutral and independent humanitarian organization working to improve the protection of civilians in armed conflict. Our research bears on the legal regime which applies to the conduct of non-state armed groups participating in armed conflicts, when those non-state armed groups exercise territorial control. It will feed in to Geneva Call’s work in conflict areas around the world.
The PILPBP began as a PhD and LLM student initiative, inspired by public-spiritedness in an era of serial global crises. With Faculty support, it has become an innovative collaborative educational enterprise, connecting our LLM and PhD students with UCL Laws academic staff, enhancing the skills development of our students and putting them at the centre of research-based learning. But it remains, perhaps most importantly, an outward-facing project – driven by the highest traditions of public service in academia in striving to make a positive contribution to the world.
About the author
Support the UCL Public International Law Pro Bono Project
Internship opportunities for students taking part in UCL PILPBP are made possible through the generosity of donors. We ask you to consider giving a donation of any size to help address some of the world’s most pressing and difficult human rights challenges.
