International human rights lawyer Helen Duffy named ‘Lawyer of the Month’
Helen Duffy, Professor of International Human Rights and Humanitarian Law, Grotius Centre for International Legal Studies, has been named ‘Lawyer of the Month’ for April 2026 by Scottish Legal News, recognising her global human rights work and her unique combination of academic expertise and strategic litigation practice.
In addition to her affiliation with Leiden University, Duffy also leads a legal practice based in The Hague, focused on strategic human rights litigation before international courts. With more than 25 years of international legal experience, she has worked on cases involving genocide, slavery, counter-terrorism and international criminal justice. She highlights how her academic and legal work complement each other, while warning of rising global conflicts and a lack of leadership in the field of human rights.
A recent high-profile case brought Professor Duffy significant public attention. She serves as international counsel for Guantánamo detainee Abu Zubaydah and has secured several victories on his behalf at the European Court. Most recently, he received substantial compensation from the UK government as part of a settlement in a civil claim before the English courts. She was also recently appointed to the Spanish Truth Commission.