Lawyers deal with a wide variety of legal cases, but the majority specialise in specific areas due to how incredibly broad and complex the law is. Criminal defence, personal injury, family law, and corporate law are some of them, so if the problem you’re dealing with doesn’t fall under the area of expertise of a certain attorney whose services you asked for, you will most likely be referred to one of their colleagues instead. One of the areas that concerns a lot of members of the general public is public interest law. But what does a professional operating in this field actually do?
What is public interest law?
Public interest law is a broad category that refers to all the practices undertaken in order to support and assist underrepresented, marginalised, or impoverished people, as well as effect changes in social policies that are in the public interest. Some of the areas that this part of the law deals with include civil rights and liberties, human rights, consumer rights, and environmental protection. Most of the lawyers operating in this field say that their common ethic remains “fighting for the little guy”.
Public interest law is incredibly complex itself, with the attorneys taking on cases ranging from defending the rights of disabled people, to helping immigrants, helping those affected by predatory lending and debt collection practices, and assisting with issues like homelessness and eviction. Law firms such as Public Interest Lawyers carry out compensation claims across a variety of issues, including medical negligence, data breaches, or criminal injuries.
In the case of medical negligence, public interest law is likely to deal with systemic cases or civil rights violations in the healthcare world. Data breaches have to do with the rights of consumers because the information is typically accessed because a business or organisation didn’t take good enough care of the data entrusted to them. Criminal injuries such as assault, abuse, or domestic violence fall under the jurisdiction of public interest as well. In many cases. lawyers advocate for systemic reforms and the rights of victims as well.
The challenges and benefits of public interest law
Public interest law isn’t a simple area to work in. Most of the lawyers deal with heavy caseloads and have to battle systemic inequality as part of their job. That’s not something that many people can put up with over the long term. Many also struggle with limited resources, while the work environment is naturally very draining, both emotionally and mentally. Most of the cases are very high-stakes as well, even more so given how they need to navigate structural obstacles and restrictive rules that make reforms very difficult.
There’s a large gap between the number of cases that exist out there and the number of lawyers that are available to deal with them. Unlike commercial disputes, which are regarded as much more lucrative, public interest litigation generally doesn’t seek disproportionate financial damages, meaning that private litigation funders (companies that offer capital to either law firms or plaintiffs so that their legal fees are covered in exchange for a part of the financial recovery) are less likely to be interested in them. The lawyers working directly with highly traumatising cases concerning extreme abuse and violence or systemic oppression are much more likely to deal with burnout as well due to vicarious trauma.
This phenomenon refers to the profound impact and psychological changes resulting from engaging with victims and survivors in an empathetic way. Healthcare workers, therapists, and first responders deal with this issue as well. Altered worldviews are common in this profession, as is emotional fatigue. Unless they’re careful, these attorneys can end up confronting severe emotional exhaustion and end up with a highly increased sensitivity to danger, too.
But it’s not all doom and gloom. There are many areas of this practice that are highly rewarding as well. Deep purpose is one of the most important things. In fact, most workers, regardless of the field they operate in, say that they want their job to have meaning. Working for a cause you believe in and seeing that you can make a tangible difference in the world, especially for vulnerable individuals, is perhaps one of the best things you could do.
Since public interest lawyers deal with really diverse cases whose circumstances vary considerably from one to the next, they get the chance to build their skills and experience at a much faster rate, unlike those operating in other fields, who are more likely to specialise in highly specific tasks instead. The job also doesn’t really require strict hours, meaning that the lawyers generally have a better work-life balance. The intense night and weekend pressures other lawyers deal with are typically not a concern here.
Since the lawyers operating in the public interest field are motivated by a desire to help and take this mission seriously, they’re more likely to build communities that support these core values as well, making for work environments that are more supportive and highly collaborative.
Which sectors employ public interest lawyers?
Many different environments and sectors require public interest law. Legal aid and civil services are the most obvious, with the attorneys providing direct representation for low-income or other underrepresented individuals who struggle with issues pertaining to employment, housing, or human rights. Knowing how to manage clients is also very important in this area. Impact litigation is another one, with the work here being more focused on research. Sometimes, cases can take several years as they include class action, administrative advocacy, or legislative lobbying.
Criminal defence for clients within state agencies is also covered under public interest law. On top of that, labour unions, non-profit organisations, local legislation offices, and civil rights institutions all need occasional assistance from a public interest expert.
To sum up, public interest is one of the most complex legal fields. Those operating in this environment need to be well-equipped to handle the demands of this world, as they’re likely to work on several cases at once, deal with very heavy topics, and have to spend extended periods of time on some of them.
