Newly Qualified Lawyers' Programme

Do you want to get more from your qualification leave, see something different, develop your skills AND make a contribution to social and environmental change?

 

1. OVERVIEW

 

The Newly Qualified Lawyers' Programme ("NQLP") offers a series of high quality bespoke opportunities endorsed by leading law firms. Each is designed to fit within qualification leave and each is tailored to suit the skills of newly qualified lawyers.

 

Working in-country offers the opportunity to make a strong contribution to international development. Achieving this can be hard to fit around legal practice. The NQLP is a solution.

 

• Our opportunities last for 6 - 12 weeks (longer placements are available for participants with flexible leave);
• Possibilities include supporting the development of groundbreaking new legislation, promoting international best practice, research and advocacy;
• Each has been identified as an area where newly qualified legal assistance will meet a local need. In return for sharing your expertise, you develop your skills;
• You will see a different culture and be part of it. You will demonstrate your ability to work independently, take the initiative and achieve results in a new environment; and 
• Through the NQLP, lawyers, your employers and host organisations involved all benefit.

 

The NQLP is currently offered primarily to UK newly qualified lawyers. If you are practising in another jurisdiction and would like to take part, you would be very welcome provided that you can attend interviews and pre-departure training in person in London.

 

The Newly Qualified Lawyers' Programme is a collaboration between the development and legal sectors. It draws on the strengths of specialist charities.

 

The NQLP has been designed in partnership with Challenges Worldwide ("CWW"), a Scottish charity that aims to support the development of the most socially and economically disadvantaged members of society and promote environmental sustainability by strengthening 'local partners' - including local social entrepreneurs, civil society organisations and governments in the developing world. CWW matches UK business and the skills of their employees with its local partners to support the provision of vital health, livelihood, environment and human rights services to people in developing countries. CWW has been operating since 1998. In that time it has recruited, trained and managed more than 500 volunteers with professional skills and experience to work full-time for up to 6 months alongside delivery partners in South Asia, Central America and the Caribbean, West Africa and Eastern Europe. For further information about CWW, please visit www.challengesworldwide.com.

 

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2. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

 

How does the selection procedure work? 

 

If you are qualifying or able to take qualification leave in September 2010 please download and complete a copy of the application form below and return it with a covering e-mail to nqlp@a4id.org by 1st February 2010.

 

Do I get training? Is there support when I am working?

 

Yes, all participants will receive training and support as part of the NQLP. This includes pre-departure training, an in-country briefing, a 24 hour helpline and a debrief upon your return.

 

How can I show that I've developed new skills?

 

Before the placement starts you are encouraged to set objectives for the skills that you would like to develop. Your firm or chambers and mentor can be involved in this process. During the placement you will have regular discussions with CWW to make sure that you are on track and at the end the organisation with which you are working will report on all that you have achieved.

 

How do you ensure that the NQLP contributes towards the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)?

 

Every NQLP opportunity is vetted. First, we check the local organisation. Then we review the project itself. Each is designed to make sure that it helps achieve the MDGs. Finally there is an end of placement evaluation to make sure that the objectives of the placement have been met.

 

How much does it cost?

 

Placements cost approximately £5,350 to run. A4ID and CWW subsidise all placements.

 

A number of fee packages are offered to enable you to tailor the services that we provide to your budget.  These are as follows:

 

BASIC PACKAGE - £2,000

The costs of the basic package cover bespoke programme planning and management, training, in-country support, 24 hour remote support, debriefing upon return to the UK, comprehensive travel and medical insurance and visas.

 

TIER 2 - £3,000

Tier 2 includes all the above as well as accommodation and in-country transfers for those who would prefer the organisers to arrange these.

 

TIER 3 - £4,000

Finally Tier 3 includes all of Tier 2 plus flights to the destination.

 

The cost is designed to ensure the continued financial sustainability of the NQLP. All funds contribute to the programme and no profit is made by the organisers.

 

 

PARTICIPANTS ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED AND SUPPORTED TO FUNDRAISE TO COVER THE COSTS OF THEIR PLACEMENTS.

 

Payments for September 2010 qualifiers are to be made as follows:

 

• £1,000 to be paid by 1 May 2010.
• £1,000 is to be paid by 1 July 2010
• Any additional monies for those taking the Tier 2 or Tier 3 options to be paid by 1 August 2010.

 Instalments are transferable at the discretion of A4ID and CWW but are not refundable.

 

3. PLACEMENTS

 

Newly-qualified lawyers took part in placements in Africa, South Asia and Central America in September 2009. Examples of their placements can be found below and blogs describing the experiences of previous participants can be accessed via A4ID Connect. Placements for September 2010 qualifiers will be announced in due course.

 

The NQLP is designed to be as flexible as possible to participants and their employers/clients. This is why applications are to be made 8 months prior to qualification.

 

Potential candidates apply to take part in the programme as a whole as opposed to a particular placement as it is not possible to provide placement specifics at the time offers are made. If you are successful in securing a place on the NQLP, you will be notified of placement opportunities 3 months in advance of departure.

 

4. Next Steps

 

(a) Applications

 

Applications for September 2010 placements should be submitted by 1 February 2010.  

 

(b) Interviews

 

Interviews will take place in Central London the week commencing 15 February 2010.

 

(c) Offers

 

Candidates for the September 2010 placements will be notified if they have been successful in March 2010.

 

(d) Training

 

Pre departure training for September 2010 qualifiers will take place in Central London in August 2010.

 

 

The NQLP is developed in conjunction with legal professionals and local NGOs to ensure that it continues to harness the skills of junior lawyers to meet the needs of those in developing countries.

 

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FURTHER DETAILS CAN BE FOUND IN THE NQLP BROCHURE BELOW