Since 2010, The Bar of Ireland has sponsored junior members to travel to the USA to work on innocence project cases, which are focused on exonerating wrongfully convicted individuals. This year up to five barristers will receive scholarships to travel.
Paddy Armstrong was falsely convicted of helping carry out the Guildford and Woolwich bombings in 1975 and spent 15 years in prison. A native of Belfast now living in Clontarf, Dublin Paddy commended The Bar of Ireland for supporting access to justice through the annual innocence scholarships; “It’s a sad state of affairs that in 2018 people the world over are still being robbed of their human rights and spending years in prison for crimes they did not commit,” he said.
“People working in the legal profession gain very valuable insights by both witnessing this injustice and in working to counter it, first-hand. I commend The Bar of Ireland for supporting these scholarships on an annual basis, and in particular I thank the barristers who travel each year. I am very confident your efforts and commitment mean the world to the people at the centre of the innocent projects cases you represent.”
Paul McGarry SC, Chairman of the Council of The Bar of Ireland, said; “Every year we are reminded of the importance of our Innocence Scholarships when participants return home and share their experiences with us. The experience they gain both professionally and personally working on cases of such importance is invaluable. As barristers, advocating for access to justice on behalf of our clients is central to our day to day work. Doing so on behalf of wrongfully convicted and imprisoned individuals heightens that mission even further.”
Also speaking at today’s launch were two of the barristers who were awarded with Innocence Scholarships in 2017; Maria Watson BL, who travelled to Wisconsin and Patrick Crowe BL who travelled to Florida.
Application Process
Applications for summer 2018 are now open; anyone wishing to participate should submit a CV and letter by email to communications@lawlibrary.ie outlining why you wish to be considered, deadline is 5pm on Wednesday 7th March and interviews will be held on Wednesday 14th March.