Ruth is a specialist youth justice lawyer. Her legal career was inspired by her experience as an intern for a charity in Texas, providing representation to people facing the death penalty.
The focus of Ruth’s career has been representing children and promoting this as a specialist area of legal practice. She helped to set up the charity Just for Kids Law and went on to work with them in various capacities over the following years. She spent 9 years at Hodge Jones and Allen Solicitors, a top tier Legal 500 firm, where she helped to establish a dedicated youth team within the criminal department. Ruth has facilitated and presented practitioner trainings with Youth Justice Legal Centre for some years now. She also covered Laura Cooper’s maternity leave during 2021-22 acting as co-head of the organisation alongside Katya Moran.
A variety of extra-curricular activities deepen Ruth’s experience in working with children. She was a trustee of the Zahid Mubarek Trust for almost 12 years; a charity advocating for systemic change within the criminal justice system with a particular focus on equality and prisoner’s rights. She also volunteers with the children’s educational charity Forest School Camps, managing groups of children and their staff in outdoor settings.
Ruth is now based in Sheffield and, from there, runs the YJLC national Advice Line, providing free legal advice and support to children, carers, and practitioners on issues relating to youth justice law and practice. Alongside this role she also represents children at the police station and Court on a consultancy basis with local firm Shah Hague, keeping her practice knowledge up-to-date. She is passionate about the impact that charities can have on improving the justice system.