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Human Rights Lawyer

  • 17-08-2013 5:33pm
    #1
    brian_t
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,788 ✭✭✭


    Just curious about the term "Human Rights Lawyer"

    Michaella was taken hostage, says solicitor
    She is now "prepared to work with the police" in Peru in order to bring down the drugs cartel who threatened her life, said Belfast human rights lawyer Peter Madden.

    In the past I have also heard Pat Finucane and others referred to as "Human Rights" Lawyers.

    Surely all Lawyers protect the Human Rights of their clients.


Comments

  • #2
    McCrack
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,991 ✭✭✭McCrack


    Yes trained lawyers are acutely aware of human rights.

    However lawyers tend to practice in certain areas.

    Human rights lawyers are solicitors and barristers for example whose practice involves criminal defence and immigration. They are also lawyers who work pro bono (without fee) for people marginalised in society fighting against the machinery of the State and any emanations of it such as the HSE for example.

    Pat finucane (Peter maddens former partner) was a northern solicitor who had clients that were victims of a number of human rights violations by British agents. He fought on behalf of his clients against those abuses hence the noun human rights lawyer.


  • #3
    johnnyskeleton
    Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Politics Moderators Posts: 14,550 Mod ✭✭✭✭johnnyskeleton


    brian_t wrote: »
    Just curious about the term "Human Rights Lawyer"

    Michaella was taken hostage, says solicitor



    In the past I have also heard Pat Finucane and others referred to as "Human Rights" Lawyers.

    Surely all Lawyers protect the Human Rights of their clients.

    It is a very vague term alright, but for example lawyers who act exclusively for banks for example wouldn't be human rights lawyers, and probably wouldn't like the description. I suppose broadly there are human rights lawyers and commercial lawyers as the big two types of lawyer.


  • #4
    Lbeard
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 311 ✭✭Lbeard


    johnnyskeleton wrote: »
    It is a very vague term alright, but for example lawyers who act exclusively for banks for example wouldn't be human rights lawyers, and probably wouldn't like the description. I suppose broadly there are human rights lawyers and commercial lawyers as the big two types of lawyer.

    Human rights lawyers have to do a lot of pro bono work. Generally the oppressed do not have much money. Whereas the bad guys usually have an unlimited supply and an unlimited supply of people who are willing to work for that money. As the Hindu saying goes; the devil is always strong.

    Pat Finucane was just a family solicitor, caught up in extraordinary circumstances. His killing was to send out a message.


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