Activist Lawyer

Host Sarah Henry meets Joshua Colangelo-Bryan, a renowned human rights lawyer and special counsel at Human Rights First. Joshua shares his journey into law, his role in the fight for justice at Guantanamo Bay, and the inspiration behind his new book Through the Gates of Hell: American Injustice at Guantanamo Bay.   Joshua Colangelo-Bryan is Special Counsel at Human Rights First, where he spearheads impact litigation and advocacy efforts to uphold democratic principles and support defenders of human rights. Beyond representing Guantanamo detainees, he has sued Turkey for assaulting protestors in Washington, D.C., the Trump administration for attempting to deport a college student based on protest activity, and a U.S. pastor who fomented legislation in Uganda criminalizing the LGBTQI community. Josh has conducted human-rights investigations in countries such as Yemen, Syria, and Bahrain. He also served with the United Nations Mission in Kosovo.   To find out more on Through the Gates of Hell, American Injustice at Guantanamo Bay visit: https://humanitasmedia.org/through-the-gates-of-hell/   For more on the work of  Human Rights First please see: https://humanrightsfirst.org/

A short reminder of the Activist Lawyer Book club with registration details is discussed in today’s episode.  The next Book Club Meeting features 'Pride and Prejudices Queer Lives and the Law by Keio Yoshida. Tune in to find out more!  

In this special episode of The Activist Lawyer Podcast, host Sarah Henry sits down with international human rights lawyer and barrister, Keio Yoshida, to explore their journey into law and the release of their new book ‘Pride and Prejudices: Queer Lives and the Law.’ Celebrating the progression in LGBTQ+ rights while highlighting the pressing issues still faced by queer communities around the world, this conversation is an inspiring yet sobering look at the path ahead for LGBTQ+ legal advocacy.   Dr Keio Yoshida is a human rights barrister at Doughty Street Chambers and author of Pride and Prejudices: Queer lives and the law (Scribe, 2025), and co-author with Jen Robinson of Silenced Women (Octopus, 2024)/How Many More Women (Allen & Unwin, 2022). Keio is an international advisory board member of the Senator George J. Mitchell Institute for Global Peace, Security and Justice. In 2025, Keio was named by Attitude Magazine as one of the top 101 global LGBTQ+ trailblazers. Keio´s main domestic practice is in the areas of inquests, inquiries, and human rights law.   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/keioyoshida/

In this episode,  criminal defence attorney, business coach, and visionary educator Courtney Teasley, Esq. joins host Sarah Henry to discuss her revolutionary approach to justice. As the founder of emeffen™ and creator of the MFN Framework for Proactive Advocacy, Courtney is changing the way we fight systemic injustice. She shares how her work empowers disproportionately affected, marginalized minorities (D.A.M.M.) with the legal knowledge and strategies to prevent convictions before they even reach the courtroom. From grassroots campaigns to innovative legal education, Courtney is reshaping the criminal justice landscape and providing communities with the tools to proactively resist its most harmful traps.   Courtney Teasley, Esq. Criminal Defense Attorney | Advocacy Strategist | Founder of emeffen™ Courtney Teasley is a nationally recognized criminal defense attorney, business coach, and visionary educator shifting the paradigm on how we fight systemic injustice. As the founder of emeffen™ and creator of the MFN Framework for Proactive Advocacy, Courtney leads a movement to empower disproportionately affected, marginalized minorities (D.A.M.M.) with the legal knowledge and strategy to prevent convictions—before the courtroom ever comes into view. Her impact spans grassroots campaigns, justice-focused curriculum development, and legal education for both community members and lawyers. Through her Easy Way to Learn Your Rights book series, school-based criminal justice literacy programs, and D.A.M.M. Advocate and Legal Warrior trainings, Courtney equips everyday people, educators, and defense attorneys to proactively resist the criminal justice system’s most insidious traps. Whether speaking to students, churches, or national audiences, she delivers bold, accessible frameworks that challenge the status quo and offer real, community-rooted alternatives. Her work has not only influenced elections but has also helped reunite families separated by state violence and launched legal innovations that are reshaping justice across the country. Links to Courtney’s work: https://emeffen.com YouTube: @blacklawgirl https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_NMLkUJhmlU221ERBSAP7g Book Series: The Easy Way to Learn Your Rights https://emeffen.myshopify.com/products/book-bundle

In this episode, Sarah speaks with Roman Shortall, a solicitor and investigative journalist, about his unique career at the crossroads of law and media. Roman shares examples of where his legal background and journalistic approach have combined to secure impactful outcomes. This timely discussion also addresses the recent detention of activists and humanitarians by Israeli forces in international waters - a situation that has drawn criticism over the inaction of the international community. The conversation also explores High Court proceedings concerning the use of Irish airspace by military flights transporting arms to Israel.   Roman Shortall is a practising solicitor and co-founder of independent Irish news platform The Ditch. He won Newcomer of the Year at the Law Society of Ireland Justice Media Awards 2023 for his work exposing wrongdoing at Ireland's state planning body. For the past year, he has collaborated with investigative news outlets across the globe to uncover the flow of weapons to Israel.    To follow Roman’s work please see links below: https://www.ontheditch.com/ https://www.instagram.com/wereontheditch/?hl=en

In this episode, human rights expert and senior policy advisor Brian Dooley joins Sarah to share his experience of working in conflict zones and supporting human rights defenders as they work under extremely challenging circumstances.  This episode explores the intersection of activism and policy while offering insights into working in the human rights sector more generally. As Senior Advisor, Brian supports Human Rights First’s work with human rights activists in hostile environments. Prior to serving as Senior Advisor, Brian directed Human Rights First’s engagement with the U.S. government and other partners to end threats and obstacles to human rights defenders. From 2020 to 2023, he served as Senior Advisor to the U.N. Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders. Prior to joining Human Rights First, Brian spent twenty years working for U.S., Irish, and international NGOs. He led Amnesty International’s work on partnering with national NGOs in the global South. Brian has also worked as Head of Media for Amnesty International in London and in Dublin and as Director of Communications for Public Citizen in Washington, D.C. He is the author of several books about civil rights and U.S. politics. He had early experience on Capitol Hill, serving as a legislative researcher for Senator Edward Kennedy in the mid-1980s when he contributed to what ultimately became the 1986 Anti-Apartheid Act. In 1981 and 1982, Brian lived and worked as an English teacher and community organizer in a black township in South Africa, which was prohibited under apartheid’s racial segregation laws. Brian earned a PhD in the transnational history of rights from the University of East Anglia, an MPhil in Government and Politics from The Open University in London, and a B.A. with honours in Political Science from the University of East Anglia.

We kick start a new season of Activist Lawyer with dual-qualified solicitor Miglena Ilieva.  Miglena is founder of ILEX Law Group – a law firm specialising in UK and Irish immigration law.  Miglena shares what motivated her to build upon her career as an immigration lawyer practicing in multiple jurisdictions before setting up her own practice providing services across the UK and Ireland.  Miglena touches on some important cases flagging challenging areas of immigration law impacting her clients.  If you ever contemplated working in immigration law, listen in for solid advice and insights from an experienced immigration lawyer.   Miglena Ilieva - Founding Partner of ILEX Law Group, a law firm specialising in UK and Irish immigration law Miglena Ilieva is a dual-qualified solicitor in Ireland and in England and Wales with over 15 years of experience in immigration law. Her practice covers nationality, asylum, human rights, personal and corporate immigration. She has worked in leading markets including London, New York and Dublin and advises on both UK and Irish immigration matters.   Originally from Bulgaria, Miglena moved to the UK as a teenager. Her personal experience informs her practical, client-focused approach. She has handled a wide range of cases, including high-profile and complex matters, and has undertaken extensive pro bono work throughout her career. Miglena is motivated by helping clients succeed against systemic barriers in an area of law that is politically sensitive, fast-moving and often adversarial. Miglena has lived and worked across four continents. She is Co-Chair of the International Women’s Rights Committee at the New York Women’s Bar Association and previously co-chaired the Professional Support Lawyers Group at ILPA. Under her leadership, the PSL team she managed was shortlisted for a LexisNexis Award in 2019. Miglena also provides training on  Immigration Advice Authority (previously OISC) exams with Free Movement - a prominent UK immigration publication   She founded ILEX Law Group, a law firm specialising in UK and Irish immigration law in January 2025. 

Sarah speaks with solicitor Aine Rice, who works on the Legacy Litigation and Historical Institutional Abuse Team at KRW Law, about Stormont’s proposed inquiry and redress scheme for survivors of Mother and Baby Homes. With growing concerns over the scheme being ‘unfit for purpose,’ Aine shares insights from her work supporting survivors and challenging systemic failings.   Aine Rice graduated from Queen’s University Belfast with a degree in Law in 2020. In 2021, she joined KRW Law as a paralegal, before commencing a training contract with the firm in September 2022. She qualified as a solicitor in 2024 and joined the firm’s Legacy Litigation and Historical Institutional Abuse Team. In this role, Aine has been involved in civil actions against religious organisations and state bodies in relation to historical abuse. She also advised the creators of the television series Blue Lights on a storyline involving a trainee solicitor working on a legacy case.   For more on Aine’s work follow: https://krw-law.ie/

A short reminder of the Activist Lawyer Book Club with registration details is discussed in today’s episode.  The next Book Club Meeting features ‘Just Mercy’ by Bryan Stevenson. Tune in to find out more!   Next Activist Lawyer Book Club 4th September 6.30pm (GMT) Register: info@activistlawyer.com

Activist Lawyer welcomes Kenneth Roth, former long-serving Executive Director of Human Rights Watch, for a compelling conversation about his career at the forefront of the global human rights movement. Drawing on his new book, Righting Wrongs: Three Decades on the Front Lines Battling Abusive Governments, Kenneth shares insights into confronting authoritarian regimes, defending the ‘rule of law’ in the Trump era, protecting academic freedom, and evaluating the role of international institutions today. He also shares valuable advice for those aspiring to a career in international human rights. This is a timely and thought-provoking episode with one of the world’s most respected human rights advocates- not to be missed!

In this inspiring episode, host Sarah Henry speaks with Lucy Barnes,  a Pupil Barrister at East Anglian Chambers.  Lucy is also Co-Founder and CEO of Lawyers Who Care, the UK's first organisation to facilitate mentoring, community and legal opportunities for care-experienced aspiring lawyers.  Lucy shares the story behind the movement she started advocating for meaningful change within the legal profession. From her personal journey to her recent recognition as Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Champion of the Year at the Women and Diversity in Law Awards, this conversation highlights the power of empathy, action, and what it truly means to be a lawyer who cares.    Lucy Barnes is a Pupil Barrister at East Anglian Chambers and Co-Founder and CEO of Lawyers Who Care, the UK's first organisation to facilitate mentoring, community and legal opportunities for care-experienced aspiring lawyers. Lucy is proudly care-experienced herself and an advocate for social mobility. In 2024, Lucy was recognised as one of the #100 faces of the Universities UK 100 Faces campaign, highlighting those who were the first in their family to go to university. She is also a TEDx speaker and a Major Scholar of the Honourable Society of the Middle Temple. Lucy appeared on BBC 4 Women's Hour in December 2023 and has also been featured in The Times and Counsel magazine. In March 2025, Lucy won Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Champion of the Year at the Women and Diversity in Law Awards.   Lucy passed the Scottish Law Society ‘Trauma-Informed Law’ accreditation course in 2023 and is passionate about making legal practices in England and Wales trauma-informed. As part of this aim, Lucy co-designed and facilitated the UK's first 'Care Aware' and 'Trauma-Informed training' course for Lawyers Who Care as part of mandatory training for its mentorship scheme. Lucy also wrote the first case for inclusion of care-experienced people in the legal sector in her June 2024 Bar Council article 'Raising the Bar: care-experienced people belong here.'

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!

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

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!

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. 

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/   

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.

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.

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.

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!