Profile: Kirsty Thomson

Tell us about your career so far?

I graduated from the University of Strathclyde in 2001 with an undergraduate degree in European law. I then completed a master’s in international law and human rights where I focused on the rights of women and children, migration, and armed conflict situations. 

For the last 18 years, I have practised law in Scotland, in both the private and NGO sectors. I initially practised in the litigation sphere with two commercial law firms before moving to work in the NGO sector in 2007. In 2017, I co-founded a human rights and equality NGO called JustRight Scotland. 

One of the things I have loved about working in the NGO sector is the ability to practise law in addition to working alongside a wide variety of different people undertaking capacity building and policy and research work, at a UK and European level in the areas we work in. 

What drew you to join Council?

I joined the Council of the Society in November 2020 as its first co-opted member representing the third sector within Scotland. I was really pleased that the Society had recognised the importance of hearing views from this sector, and I was very proud to be its first member to represent my colleagues in this way. 

Has your perception of the Society changed since you joined Council?

I genuinely had not been aware of the multiple and interconnected layers of expertise, people, and structures that are needed to ensure the Society operates as it does. Furthermore, it is an incredibly friendly, supportive, and engaging team and I would encourage people to consider playing a bigger role in the operation of the Society through its committees as well as being a member of Council.  

What are the main issues that you think the Society/the profession should be addressing at the moment?

We live in increasingly challenging and complicated times where the impact of a global pandemic as well as global security, climate concerns and the resultant cost of living challenges confront us all. The legal sector, like all others, will be called on to support and assist individuals and organisations to meet these challenges. Inevitably, we will be called on to do more with less. No one individual, firm or sector can address these by themselves, and I don’t think it has ever been so important that we work together to support each other to meet these challenges, whether this is in terms of ensuring access to justice, funding or how we operate as a sector.  

What’s next in your career?

This year, in addition to my work at JustRight Scotland, I have been working in Central and Eastern Europe assisting with the civil society response to the full scale invasion of Ukraine. To do so, I have been able to draw on all of my previous academic and work experience as a human rights lawyer in Scotland. I have recently taken the very difficult decision to leave Scotland in order to continue this work in Europe from next year. Therefore, the chance to represent the third sector in the Society’s Council will soon become available. While I may be leaving Scotland, I am certainly not leaving the access to justice and human rights sector and hope to continue to work with my colleagues in both Scotland and Europe going forward.