Public Interest Litigation in Northern Ireland
Public Interest Litigation in Northern Ireland is the no-nonsense title of a new research report by Lawmanity.
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Based on a series of workshops and interviews with key stakeholders in Northern Ireland and beyond, this report lays out a clear roadmap on how public interest litigation can be maximised to advance human rights and equality (as well as safeguarding the progress already made).
Its findings are grounded in local expertise.
Report author Jen Ang draws on the communal knowledge of human rights organisations, legal professionals, statutory commissions, universities, funders and regulatory bodies – all in pursuit of answers to the following question: what does a vibrant and supportive environment for public interest litigation look like in Northern Ireland?
Public interest litigation is the (somewhat unwieldly) way of describing legal challenges taken by one person for the benefit of many more. If successful, the legal action will clarify, develop or change the law in a way that benefits society, as well as the person at the centre of the case. Fundamentally, it is problem-solving litigation.
The good news is that is that public interest litigation has already had a positive impact on all our lives. While readers in Northern Ireland will be (all too) familiar with the erratic nature of our power-sharing Executive, public interest litigation has proven itself to be a formidable tool, capable of holding power to account, even when our political institutions are not sitting.
The series of (real-life) success stories, peppered throughout the report as case studies, are testament to the creative legal thinking that is already been deployed by human rights organisations and lawyers across Northern Ireland.
Even better news is the fact that public interest litigation has not reached its zenith… yet! There is still legal potential to unleash in Northern Ireland. Each of the recommendations made in the report are clearly directed at those that have the power to make the required changes happen.
This research was commissioned by Public Interest Litigation Support, the Belfast-based non-profit established in 2009 to support this very type of public interest legal action. Made possible by a grant from the Community Foundation for Northern Ireland, PILS commissioned the report in the public interest. We will be making its findings publicly available for the benefit of everyone in the community, voluntary and legal sectors.
Launched during UK Pro Bono Week 2024, Public Interest Litigation in Northern Ireland offers human rights campaigners, lawyers, grant makers, legal regulators and policymakers clear, compelling ways to increase access to justice.
Public Interest Litigation in Northern Ireland: the interview
Report author Jen Ang (Lawmanity) sat down with Emma Cassidy (Public Interest Litigation Support), Paul Collins (IEF) and Mary Kitson (ECNI) to dive into the findings in more detail.
Our wide-ranging conversation covers everything from why public interest litigation is a creative tool to counter political inactivity, to how it is being used by communities across NI.