Hi all, thanks for joining me!

When I say all, I’m not presuming there will be many of you out there. I decided to start writing this blog because I find it hard to sit still apparently. Got to love a self-imposed project. I am halfway through an LLM in International Law & International Relations – I am studying part-time and have just finished my first year. I felt that starting a blog where I can reconsider some things I’ve learnt this year might be a good way to keep my hand in over the Summer, and I thought it would be particularly fascinating to try and apply some of this knowledge to current events.

Challenging, I know. A slightly bizarre way to spend a summer vacation too I’m sure, but I like keeping my brain ticking. Otherwise all the sun and cider that a British summer definitely provides will remove all acquired knowledge by September.

Basically this blog is somewhere I can look at specific topics I have found interesting over the year, and maybe help me to explore new things I find fascinating too. Bear with me whilst I work out my style and structure – I have never done anything like this before so it will be a bit of an adjustment to exams and academic essays. I will try and include all of my sources and maybe some further info, so that if there is anyone out there who finds what I’m talking about remotely interesting they can have a look themselves.

So, a bit about myself. I initially studied History at undergrad, and thought the idea of International Law & Relations sounded remotely interesting…little did I know that it would lead me to want to become a lawyer. I have completed some work experience in Property Law at the National Trust and employment law with a Chambers in Bristol, as a way to explore different aspects of the law and investigate where I would like to go with this. In my own research I have been primarily focused upon human rights, specifically in regards to discrimination and migration, and in environmental law.

Who knows where I will end up and what field I will go into at this point, but ultimately I want to try and make some form of positive difference. Cheesy and idealistic I know, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try. There is so much injustice out there, and many many structural flaws in the practice of law itself – but sometimes you have to work to change the system from the inside.

Without hope and aspirations for change, what is the point anyway?

Anyway, enough of my naivety. To the first concept! I will be examining the ‘effective control test’ and the attribution of state responsibility for internationally wrongful acts. This will be a 3 parter I reckon, just because of the sheer amount there is consider, so I will split it up into the following: consideration of the existing law of attribution, the contentions that arise from these understandings, and contemporary considerations.

Keep an eye out for these posts coming soon, and wish me luck!