Catherine - BABSEACLE Legal Externship

Bachelor of Laws (Hons)
July 2017

My experience

Interning with BABSEACLE is an experience few could forget. Not only was my internship a challenging opportunity for learning and personal development, but it offered a safe and encouraging environment which fostered both lasting friendships, depth of learning, and the sharing of valuable insight, creativity, and ideas between the Thai Team and other interns. As part of this opportunity I proofread and drafted a range of legal documents and reports; attended organisation functions such as an access to justice roundtable with local pro bono services; and helped create training materials for legal service providers across Asia, covering legal issues such as migrant worker rights.

Outside of the office, we joined the team in personal-development and recreational activities including an international cooking night, hiking Doi Suthep, and completing a 10km run together. I am very grateful to the directors, Wendy and Bruce, as well as the fabulous Thai Team, for promoting an inclusive work environment not only through activities such as these, but by their kindness, approachability, and inspiring passion.

Aside from the incredible people I had the privilege of meeting at BABSEACLE, one of my most memorable experiences was the opportunity to see access to justice development first hand in both the day-to-day work of BABSEACLE, and their involvement with other legal service providers. Overall, this was an exceptionally rewarding educational, cultural, and team working experience – particularly in understanding the advantages and limitations of legal work in a foreign jurisdiction. I am very glad to have been a part of BABSEACLE’s rich history of pioneering access to justice initiatives in the region, and highly recommend this experience to anyone with a genuine passion for working to achieve tangible access to justice.