JUSTICE, a leading charity in legal reform, is using their internship programme to provide practical experience, professional mentorship and new career pathways for young law graduates.
Getting a foot in the door after graduating is often the hardest part of starting out in a career. That’s why placements can be so valuable. They give young people the chance to build their confidence and learn in a real working environment.
The legal profession faces a big challenge when it comes to diversity. According to the Solicitors Regulation Authority, 21% of lawyers attended a fee-paying school (compared to around 7% of the general population), and only 19% of lawyers in firms are from Black, Asian, or minority ethnic backgrounds.
JUSTICE is a charity that’s working hard to create a fairer, more accessible legal system. Since 2023, we’ve awarded them £73,000 to help fund their internship programme, which gives young people the opportunity to get hands-on experience in this area of law.
The programme is designed to be an immersive experience. Rather than just shadowing or handling basic office admin, the interns are treated as proper members of the team. They work alongside legal professionals on areas like legal research, community outreach, policy advocacy and public education. It gives them a complete view of how legal reform actually works in practice.
One of the young people to complete a JUSTICE internship was Omonefe. He joined the team for a three-month placement after graduating from the University of Exeter with a First-Class Honours degree in Law.
Motivated by his ambition to build a successful career in public law, he wanted a placement that would help him strengthen his research and analytical skills and to see how the legal system operates day to day.
During his time at JUSTICE, Omonefe was given the space to explore some really complex, high-profile legal issues. His daily work included researching the Rwanda Bill and the outsourcing of public contracts. A key highlight for him was stepping out of the office to attend a meeting with two senior MPs to discuss public policy.
On top of the research, the placement focused heavily on building practical skills. Omonefe spent time refining his legal drafting, learning how to take complex information and present it clearly. Working closely with the JUSTICE team also meant he could grow his professional network, connecting him with senior mentors who could offer career guidance.
The interns work on core research that we wouldn’t be able to do without them.
Philip Armitage
Public and Administrative Lawyer
It’s great to see the impact that these internships have. Previous interns have gone on to gain pupillages at barristers’ chambers, and Omonefe is already on a similar path. His time at JUSTICE helped him secure a place on the Bachelor of Civil Law postgraduate course at Oxford University.
We’re so proud to continue supporting a programme that gives young people the confidence, practical skills and connections to get started in their careers.
Want to apply for a Portal Trust grant? Read our full criteria on our Funding page.