Prison Law with Shkar Kider
Our guest this week is Shkar Kider. A Prison Law Solicitor and Criminal Appeals Supervisor at Kesar and Co, Shkar sat down with us to give some insights and offer advice from his decade working in the area of prison law.
Despite the close relationship between the law and criminality, prison law is often overlooked on university courses. In basic terms, prison law is everything that applies to an individual and their rights from the moment that they pass through the prison’s gates. The statutory framework for prison law in England and Wales is provided by the Prison Act 1952 and the Prison Rules 1999, but prison law itself is a fairly umbrella term. Basically, it covers all the statutory legislation, instruments, case law, policies and local guidance concerned with the running of prisoners, and with the people both detained and working within them.
One of the most exciting and attractive aspects of working in prison law is the huge variety of work that you undertake. All sorts of different areas intersect with prison law, so you’ll have the opportunity for a broad range of practice. It’s no exaggeration to say that every day is different, bringing a new offence or something you’ve never seen before – it’s certainly never repetitive or mundane! As a prison law solicitor, Shkar undertakes work in judicial review, upholding prisoners' human rights, and in administrative, procedural and disciplinary issues, as well as educating and supervising members of his team. One day you might be overturning a conviction at the Court of Appeal, the next you might be facilitating a prisoner’s visit to a sick relative, or a transfer to a lower security establishment. Prison law affords you the opportunity to explore many different facets of the law, while at the same time developing you into a real specialist because this breadth of experience is all within the prison context. Most of all, it’s a satisfying job which allows you to make a direct personal impact on someone’s life for the better.
What’s more, the tradeoff for having a diverse, exciting workload doesn’t have to be a lack of financial security. Money is a big motivator for many people to choose a career in law, and the perception that civil law is poorly paid can be a turn-off. It is true that the majority of prison law cases are state-funded, and therefore poorly paid. Firms will often start you off on a lower salary, at or close to minimum wage. There’s no getting around the fact that the first two years can be tough, but usually there’s an opportunity to earn a good wage from the third year onwards, and overtime this will only grow as you gain in experience and value. The pay may not compare to what you could expect from a major commercial firm, but it’s still a good living which provides for a good lifestyle. Most of all, it’s important to remember that salary really isn’t everything – you might get paid a lot at a commercial firm but if you’re stuck doing boring work and crazy hours, without time to actually enjoy the money you’re making, is it worth it? Lots of people move over from commercial law into civil and legal aid work after a few years for the greater variety, more interesting work, and better work-life balance.
Of course, the ‘interesting work’ involved isn’t for everyone. Anybody considering a career in prison law needs to be mentally strong and have a strong stomach. You will come across things that will shock and horrify you, and you’ll have to be able to work with and represent some people who have done pretty terrible things. Knowing exactly how you’ll react and cope can be difficult to work out; if at all possible, Shkar recommends going down to the Old Bailey once or twice and attending court. It’s free to go and watch and, because of the nature of the cases heard there, it’s a good way to learn if you have the stomach for a career in this area.
The other skills required to be a successful prison lawyer are the standard ones any good lawyer needs. Good communication and advocacy skills are vital, as you’ll be representing people from all sorts of educational and cultural backgrounds at parole hearings or in front of independent judges. An interest in human rights is also important, as is a certain ideological compatibility with the work you’ll be doing – people with very conservative approaches often run the risk of alienating their clients and not meeting their needs.
There are many things that you can do to develop these skills and cultivate your knowledge before you land your first job. If prison law is your goal, take some time to work out the steps you can take to get there and then be proactive about achieving them. Work experience is key; even if it’s only one day a week during summer, you’ll get a great insight into how firms work and build your network of contacts. It will also help you stand out when it comes to applying for jobs! Voluntary work can also provide and develop invaluable skills, and places like your local Citizens Advice bureau, the Prison Advice Service, the Prison Reform Trust or the Kessar and Co Intervene Project charity are all fantastic places to look into for this experience. At the very least, be brave and put yourself out there by reaching out to people over LinkedIn. Ask if they need any help and offer your services, or just get in touch for some advice – these people have been in your shoes and might be able to shine a light on methods or routes into a law career that you haven’t thought of yet.
If Shkar’s story and experience have inspired you to forge ahead with your own career in prison law, here are our three main takeaways from this week’s episode:
It’s more dynamic than you think! Prison law gives you the opportunity to explore many different areas, whilst still working under the umbrella of prison law. You can develop a specialism whilst still gaining a wide breadth of experience.
Financial security and satisfaction. Although it’s not as extravagantly paid as commercial law, you can still make a very good living, if you stick it out for the first two years. What’s more, the workload will probably be more interesting and exciting too!
Develop your skills (and a stomach): There are lots of opportunities to develop key skills which are essential in prison law, so make the most of them. Things like work experience and volunteering are invaluable. But don’t forget to work out if you’ll be able to handle the darker sides of the job too!
Contact Shkar Kider on LinkedIn
