Gabriela is a 22-year-old aspiring criminal and family law Barrister. She has recently obtained and graduated with a degree in LLB Law from London South Bank University. Gabriela has been a legal observer for well over a year and a half and has previously volunteered at NKLC at the reception, as well as part of the employment team. In this guest blog she shares what it means to be a Legal Observer.
I have been a legal observer for well over a year and a half now. In my time of legal observing I have participated in Notting Hill Carnival, the Extinction Rebellion protest, Black Lives Matter protest and many more. A legal observer has many duties and responsibilities, including a responsibility to ensure public safety by speaking to members of the public, recording interactions with the police where necessary to ensure all unlawful arrests are recorded, and handing out the North Kensington Law Centre (NKLC) business cards to the public in the event they are arrested and in need of a defence.
During my time of observing I have learnt the importance and the value of this project. Legal observing is responsible for not only bringing about social justice to some of the most targeted and stereotyped groups of people, but also bringing a community together. While I was observing I saw firsthand the injustice, prejudice, and abuse of power by people of authority towards certain race groups and people of lower socio-economic backgrounds.
‘Legal observing gives a voice to the voiceless and a hope to the hopeless.’
Being part of this project has allowed me to make a change and defend all those targeted based on factors that are deemed prejudicial. It has allowed us to come together as a community and challenge all the injustices innocent people are having to battle. I find it highly rewarding to be able to offer my knowledge of the law in order to defend and in a sense protect these vulnerable individuals. Legal observing gives a voice to the voiceless and a hope to the hopeless.
About the Author
Gabriela is a 22-year-old aspiring criminal and family law Barrister. She has recently obtained and graduated with a degree in LLB Law from London South Bank University. Gabriela has been a legal observer for well over a year and a half and has previously volunteered at NKLC at the reception, as well as part of the employment team. In her spare time Gabriela enjoys indulging in reading crime and psychology-based books as well as watching crime documentaries.