TUD law student wins Law Society essay prize
TUD law student Aoife Hegarty has won the Law Society’s Human Rights and Equality Committee Essay Prize 2026.
Titled ‘Promoting the Rule of Law’, Aoife’s essay displayed a keen interest in human rights.
The 21-yer-old said that her essay focused on how vulnerable people might experience difficulties in accessing the rule of law.
“I discussed how the rule of law can become hollow if it is just words on paper, and not actually providing effective protection for vulnerable groups,” she explained.
The essay competition aims to showcase new talent in the field of human rights.
Enhanced uptake
This year’s essay competition saw an enhanced uptake, with the introduction of the paid internship as part of the prize – an initiative supported by committee member Eithne Lynch.
As part of Aoife’s prize, she will spend the month of June as one of 26 young people chosen for a paid internship at A&L Goodbody LLP (ALG), under the mentorship of ALG head of pro bono, Eithne Lynch.
Prize-winner Aoife, a fluent Gaeilgeoir who attended Dublin’s Coláiste Íosogáin, explained that she enjoyed English at school. This drew her towards studying law at TUD, where she has just finished her second year. She has particularly enjoyed learning about prisoner rights.
As a Gaeilgeoir, she may eventually pursue a job as a lawyer-linguist, working on the translation of documents for EU bodies.
Excited
“I’m really excited to spend some time in a corporate law firm,” she said. “I’m keen to see the work that they do,” she said.
Eithne Lynch explains that her unit offers interns practical experience in human rights through legal casework on international-protection applications, refugee-family reunification, and advising families experiencing homelessness or insecure housing.
The intern will shadow the team’s solicitors and work with the trainee currently on rotation.
The four-week internship programme is open to students from various disciplines, including law, economics, and the arts. Participants may also interview for a solicitor traineeship at the end of the learning period.