Last summer, law student Samantha Lush finished her first-year exams and left Halifax for Cape Town, South Africa to intern with the Projects Abroad Human Rights Office. The non-profit legal clinic was established to raise awareness of human rights and give legal advice to at-risk groups such as indigent people, refugees and asylum seekers, women, children, and young offenders.
Lush’s main focus was in the Office’s Legal Services Department, where she helped clients in various areas, including divorce, criminal justice, labour and immigration. During her two-month Schulich Summer Internship, one of several awarded each year, she worked on 25 different cases.
The opportunity to take her learning out of the classroom and into the field was an invaluable experience. “I was given a level of autonomy and responsibility that was quite unexpected,” says Lush. “I often conducted solo consultations with clients, took their statements, and investigated the merits of their claims. For each case, I also completed legal research and drafted all of the relevant legal documents.”
Lush’s work in the Legal Services Department was incredibly rewarding, and working closely with clients made her cases more meaningful. “I loved what I was doing, and my clients were grateful for my support,” she says. “One client baked me cookies; another made me a bracelet. These were people who had very little but still wanted to give something to me. It was humbling.”
Her work was also heartbreaking, because most of her clients’ lives were falling apart. The reality of racial tension, xenophobia and corruption frustrated her. “I had a client who was fired from his job for being Congolese,” she says. “I had another who was fraudulently represented at a settlement hearing that he knew nothing about. These types of situations really made me appreciate Canada!”
Lush also worked in the Social Justice Department of the office, where she helped plan and lead life-orientation workshops at juvenile detention facilities. “I created and presented workshops on topics such as role models, starting a business, and interview skills,” she says. “I also participated in holiday programs and home visits for children at risk and in need of care in impoverished townships.”
The Social Justice programs were a great opportunity to build kids up and give them hope. Lush felt that she was able to make an immediate and positive impact by acting as a role model and teaching the kids what she could to help them get back on their feet. “I often went to a facility called Bonnytoun, a detention centre for teenage boys,” she says. “On my last day there, one of the boys thanked me for inspiring him to straighten out his life.”
During her internship, Lush met inspiring people, received practical legal experience and made life-long connections. In helping others, she learned more about herself than she ever thought possible. “In particular, I became more confident in dealing with difficult situations, both in a work environment and a new cultural one,” she says. “I had always been fascinated by South Africa but had never been there before. I lived with a wonderful host family, so I was able to immerse myself in the local culture."
Lush also took the time to experience some of South Africa’s unique outdoor experiences and adventure opportunities, such as bungee jumping at Bloukrans Bridge and walking with lions at the Botlierskop Private Game Reserve. “It was the best summer of my life,” she says.
As for Lush’s plans for this summer? In May, she’ll start another internship at Bennett Jones in Calgary. “I’m very excited,” she says. “Bennett Jones has a highly respected reputation as a leading law firm and employer, and I’ll have the opportunity to gain valuable practical experience from brilliant lawyers in diverse practice areas.”
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