Name: Fiona Scolding Chambers: Landmark Chambers Location: London University: University of Cambridge Degree: History
For students aspiring to make a difference by pursuing a career at the human rights Bar, it’s worth noting that salary doesn’t make it onto Fiona’s list of career attractions. “I certainly wouldn’t say that you should do it just for the money, because unless you’re one of a small number of people practising in a small number of areas, the pay isn’t going to balance,” she concedes. “It also can be difficult at times because you are alone without a team around you, and you have to do things by yourself.” For those still set on the career path, Fiona has these words of encouragement: “The job is intellectually challenging in a way that many jobs aren’t, and I find myself challenged every day, even now. Every day is different. Why wouldn’t you want to do it?”
grandparents and great aunts to various family relatives – who were not being paid adequately for the work they were doing. These people were not famous or important in any way other than to the children whose lives they transform. I fought to win them adequate remuneration for their work and the recognition that they should be treated equally to other foster carers who were doing the same job.” You’ve got human rights cases that deal with property law, criminal law and family law, to name a few. Human rights are just a set of principles that you can apply to pretty much any area of practice Lots to fight for There is no denying that the legal aid side of the profession is currently going through a tumultuous period, and you don’t have to look far to see the news of barrister strikes and the underfunded legal aid system. Fiona admits that money has been tight for the past decade. “The criminal justice system is at breaking point,” she says. “There have been so many cuts and morale is low at times, so it’s not necessarily the happiest time to enter the profession from a student’s point of view. But it is certainly an interesting time to enter the profession because there is lots to fight for.” Listing the advantages of becoming a human rights barrister, Fiona talks about the flexibility of the job, as well as the independence and opportunity to think for yourself. “The thing I most enjoy is meeting people, finding out about their lives and trying to make them better. It’s a privilege to become involved with a person’s life during a time of crisis and do what I can to help.”
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