Activist Lawyer

Ep 108: Mental Health and Well Being in the Legal Profession - A Personal Reflection

In this special episode of the Activist Lawyer Podcast, we explore a topic that’s incredibly important, yet still not properly understood – the state of mental health in the legal profession.  Host Sarah Henry speaks with Activist Lawyer co-founder Jonathan McKeown who, as a solicitor and owner of multiple businesses, shares his journey and personal insights into his own mental health struggles throughout his career.  Sarah and Jonathan discuss issues around ‘burn out’ within the profession, barriers to seeking help and the importance of striving for work-life balance in the hope that employers and managers can contribute to a more inclusive and safer workplace for all practitioners.  
It’s a conversation that we think needs to be heard and we are interested in feedback and thoughts from our listeners on this pertinent topic!

Ep 107: For Those Who Know the Words, But Have No Voice – with Dr S Chelvan

In this compelling episode, host Sarah Henry speaks with the acclaimed and inspirational Dr S Chelvan – a multi-award-winning Activist Lawyer, Head of Immigration and Public Law at 33 Bedford Row Chambers, and Adjunct Professor at Southampton Law School. Dr Chelvan shares his personal and professional journey into law, offering insights into refugee and human rights cases centred on sexual or gender identity and expression. This episode is a deep dive into the work of a true Activist Lawyer – someone whose advocacy not only transforms individual lives but also shapes national and international legal landscapes. Not to be missed!
Multi-award winning queer, person of colour, first generation Jaffna Tamil immigrant, living with disability, and self-identified Activist Lawyer Dr S Chelvan, Head of Immigration and Public Law at 33 Bedford Row Chambers, and Adjunct Professor at Southampton Law School,  is a globally recognised legal expert on refugee and human rights claims based on sexual or gender identity, and expression.
Having practised in the field of Queer Refugee law since 2001, he has spearheaded strategic litigation in cases in the UK, up to and including the Supreme Court, and the European Court of Human Rights. Chelvan is specifically renowned to adopt a symbiotic approach to spearhead litigation, academic research, and policy development in refugee and migration law.  The past six months have included the judgment of the Strasbourg Court in MI v Switzerland, an Honorary Doctorate by the Open University, and profiled as the Times Lawyer of the Week.
He adheres to, “being the mouthpiece for those who know the words, but have no voice” knowing as an activist lawyer, you will be driven by seeking justice for others, not yourself.
For more about Chelvan and for links to cases discussed in this episode, please see https://www.33bedfordrow.co.uk/people/chelvan-s#content/introduction

Ep 106: May: Activist Lawyer Book Club Info

A short reminder of the Activist Lawyer Book club with registration details is discussed in today’s episode.  The next Book Club Meeting features 'Righting Wrongs’ by Kenneth  Roth. Tune in to find out more!

Ep 105: Ending Gender Apartheid: Irish students call for action!

In this special episode of Activist Lawyer, we continue the conversation on gender apartheid with a focus on youth activism and international advocacy. We're joined by Emily Humphreys from the Irish Campaign to End Gender Apartheid (ICEGA), alongside two passionate student activists, Rachel Forrest and Phoebe Sexton, from Midleton, County Cork.
Rachel and Phoebe share how they’re mobilising young people in their community to take a stand, raise awareness, and demand action on gender apartheid. Emily provides vital updates on global developments, the growing movement to codify gender apartheid as a crime against humanity, and what campaigners and listeners need to know moving forward.
Tune in for an episode filled with purpose, passion, and the powerful voices pushing for change!
 
 
Show notes:
Check out and follow @end.genderapartheid on Instagram to find out more about the End Gender Apartheid Walk and campaign initiated by students in Midleton, County Cork. 
Please also take the time to read this important article by Basira Paigham referred to in the recording: Read here: 
https://maynoothinternationaldevelopment.home.blog/2025/04/16/voices-of-defiance-womens-struggle-for-freedom-in-the-face-of-oppression/ 
If you want to find out more about how you can get involved in the Irish Campaign to End Gender Apartheid contact Robbyn Swan by email: swanrobbyn@yahoo.co.uk. 

Ep 104: Holding Perpetrators of War Crimes Accountable: Lawyers taking Action

In this episode, Sarah sits down with Tayab Ali, Director of the International Centre of Justice for Palestinians (ICJP), to discuss the organisation's critical work in response to the ongoing crisis in Gaza and the Occupied Territories. The conversation explores ICJP’s efforts and introduces Global 195, a new initiative aiming to coordinate legal interventions across multiple jurisdictions to hold those responsible for international crimes accountable. Tayab, also a partner and Head of International Law at the renowned London firm Bindmans LLP, shares his inspiring journey in law and activism. If you've ever found yourself deciding between a career in politics or law, listen in to this episode!
 
Tayab Ali, Director at International Centre of Justice for Palestinians.
Tayab is an internationally recognised and highly respected Solicitor Advocate. His practice encompasses criminal and civil/public law in both the UK and international jurisdictions. He is a partner and Head of International Law at leading and award-winning London law firm Bindmans LLP.
As a lawyer, Tayab’s work and case profiles have consistently been recognised by the principal Legal Directories which have ranked him as a leading lawyer in multiple practice areas.
Chambers & Partners described him as “an irresistible force – he’s fearless and he always gets the right results for his clients”. He is rated as a Super Lawyer by Thompson Reuters and recognised in the field of Civil Liberties by The Legal 500.
 
Find out more about Global 195 https://www.icjpalestine.com/2025/03/18/global-195-launched/
Find out more about the ICJP https://www.icjpalestine.com/ 
 

Ep 103: Breaking the Chains: Challenging Modern Slavery in Global Supply Chains with Nusrat Uddin

Host Sarah Henry is joined by Partner Solicitor Nusrat Uddin, Head of the Public Law and Human Rights department at Wilsons Solicitors. In this episode, Nusrat shares insights into her work, with a focus on modern slavery, forced labour, and human trafficking. She discusses several groundbreaking cases she has worked on, as well as her involvement in Business and Human Rights cases, particularly those addressing forced labour within supply chains.
Nusrat Uddin specialises in public law and human rights, with a particular focus on modern slavery, forced labour and human trafficking. She brings cases against central and local government bodies for failing their duties, as well as claims against those who have exploited their workers. In 2023 she was awarded Public Law Lawyer of the Year in the Legal Aid Lawyer of the year awards.
Nusrat also specialises in Business and Human Rights work. She has provided evidence for several US investigations into complaints against companies, from the fashion industry through to rubber gloves. US authorities have banned products from entering the US where indicators of forced labour in supply chains have been found. She believes the UK’s approach is far weaker and is critical of the Modern Slavery Act’s approach. Nusrat’s team have pioneered the first case against the UK authorities in relation to forced labour in their own supply chains, which settled with the government conceding and agreeing to improve their due diligence. The case was covered widely in the media and Nusrat was interviewed by Channel 4 News which can be seen here. She is currently building a second case in relation to the government’s due diligence of Uyghur made products in their supply chain.
Nusrat was instructed in the key Supreme Court case of Wong v Basfar 2022 dealing with diplomatic immunity in trafficking civil claims. The Supreme Court established for the first time worldwide, a current diplomat is not protected from claims of human trafficking. The judgment was groundbreaking with global political implications. Nusrat was presented with the 2022 Anti-Slavery Day Award for Outstanding Contribution to Reducing Vulnerabilities, in Parliament, for her work on this case.
Nusrat has a particular focus on improving state support for victims of trafficking and modern slavery. Last year she was instructed in the lead case, K and AM v SSHD [2018] EWHC 2951 (Admin), challenging the cuts by the Home Office to subsistence monies paid to support victims. The High Court found the cuts to be unlawful, resulting in victim support being reinstated to the full amount, and rebates being paid of around £1 million. She often advocates for safeguarding support and accommodation for victims who are facing homelessness and risks of further exploitation. Nusrat was profiled as Lawyer in the News in the Law Society Gazette for the successful case.
Nusrat was also awarded a Research Fellowship by the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust to compare the UK’s models of support to those in the US and Europe, for victims of trafficking and modern slavery who are involved with criminal prosecutions against their traffickers. She presented her research findings at the end of last year and made recommendations to improve the UK’s systems. The research has been shared widely, including by Anti-Slavery International and endorsed by Luis deBaca who was the US ambassador for trafficking. She also gave oral evidence in Parliament to the Home Affairs Select Committee for their Inquiry into Modern Slavery in 2019. She outlined key issues for victims in relation to support services, immigration and the criminal justice system; particularly highlighting problems of victims being wrongfully criminalised by the police and immigration systems, instead of being correctly identified and protected. Nusrat is also currently instructed in a significant challenge to police policies in relation to this issue. In recognition of her work in this field, Nusrat was shortlisted in the 2019 Anti-Slavery Day Awards, for Outstanding Contribution to the fight against Slavery, in the Enabling and Supporting Survivor Rights and Entitlements category.
Nusrat was Highly Commended in the 2019 Law Society Excellence Awards for Human Rights Lawyer of the Year. Nusrat was also shortlisted as a finalist for Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year 2019, in the Children’s Rights category, organised by the Legal Aid Practitioners Group.
Nusrat has gained international experience having worked in the Human Rights and Legal Aid department of BRAC in Bangladesh, (formerly Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee) one of the world’s largest NGOs. She also volunteered at Al-Haq, a Human Rights NGO based in Palestine, building potential cases against corporations operating in the West Bank. Nusrat is currently a Trustee of Lawyers for Palestinian Human Rights.

Ep 102: Activist Lawyer Book Club info!

A short reminder of the Activist Lawyer Book Club with registration details are discussed in today’s episode.  The next Book Club Meeting features ‘The Power in the People, Not the People in Power,’ by Michael Mansfield KC! Tune in to find out more.

Ep 101: Taking Global Legal Action – Dr. Gearóid Ó Cuinn on the Pioneering Work of GLAN

In this episode, Sarah interviews Dr. Gearóid Ó Cuinn, Director of the Global Legal Action Network (GLAN), to explore the organisation's innovative cross-border legal actions. They discuss key initiatives, including climate justice cases and GLAN’s recent legal challenge against the UK government over its ongoing weapons exports to Israel. Tune in for an engaging and thought-provoking conversation about international law in action and gain valuable insights into how to get involved in global human rights efforts.
Link to GLAN: https://www.glanlaw.org/
 
About Dr Gearóid Ó Cuinn:
 Gearóid is the founding director of the Global Legal Action Network (GLAN) where he is responsible for GLAN's legal actions and strategic growth. He is an adjunct lecturer at the Irish Centre for Human Rights and formerly lectured at Lancaster University Law School and was a visiting fellow at the Transnational Law Institute at Kings College London. Gearóid was educated at the National University of Ireland, Galway (LLB), University of Nottingham (LLM) where he also completed his doctorate which was funded by the Wellcome Trust. His academic research focuses on public international law, human rights and public health governance. Gearóid has active links with the legal profession and is interested in new avenues in clinical legal education, especially within public international law and the use of technologies in pro bono legal work.

Ep 100: Celebrating 100 episodes of the Activist Lawyer Podcast!

In this special episode, our host and co-founder, Sarah Henry, takes the hot seat, interviewed by solicitor and fellow co-founder, Jonathan McKeown. We’ll reflect on the podcast’s journey so far, what we've accomplished, and our goals for the future of the Activist Lawyer community. Are there any favourite episodes you’d like to highlight? Let us know!
Thank you to all of our listeners, podcast and blog contributors.  We truly value your time and your energy!

Ep 99: Domestic Violence – a reflection on the justice system in NI, featuring solicitor Anne Marie Featherstone

We kick off the New Year and the new season of the Activist Lawyer podcast with an interview featuring family law expert Anne Marie Featherstone. Anne Marie, a solicitor at Rafferty and Co Solicitors in Newry, shares insights into her legal career and her journey to specialising in all areas of family law. In this important conversation, Anne Marie and Sarah delve into the legal system's response to domestic violence. This discussion is particularly timely, given the alarming number of women who have lost their lives due to violence in the UK, and specifically in Northern Ireland, over the past year and beyond.
Anne Marie Featherstone is an experienced family law practitioner who works in Rafferty and Co Solicitors in Newry, County Down.  Her experience includes working on the law society for Northern Ireland Children Order Panel, working on the Court Children Guardian panel and on The Hague Convention panel for the abduction of children.  Anne Marie has a Masters in Human Rights and Criminal Justice where she focused her dissertation focusing on children’s rights in the youth court.  Anne Marie has great familiarity with the courts in Northern Ireland and the needs and assistance required for those who find themselves seeking support and guidance in the family law arena to include the area of domestic violence.  Anne Marie has been involved in a number of reported cases including McG v McG (2002) NIFam10 and in one of the recent post office Horizon cases in the Court of Appeal (2023). 
Trigger Warning: This podcast episode discusses sensitive topics, including domestic violence. Listener discretion is advised.
If you or someone you know needs help and support in relation to domestic violence, please see the following links:
24 Hour Domestic and Sexual Abuse Helpline (NI) https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/contacts/24-hour-domestic-and-sexual-abuse-helpline
Safe Ireland (ROI) https://www.safeireland.ie/get-help/where-to-find-help/
Refuge (UK) https://www.nationaldahelpline.org.uk/
Police UK https://www.police.uk/advice/advice-and-information/daa/domestic-abuse/support-organisations/