Slynn Fellowship can be the start of a lifetime journey

The Slynn Fellowship offers a valuable opportunity for young, promising lawyers from overseas selected by our trustees and the professional bodies from countries in which the Foundation has current projects, to spend time working in London at leading city firms and barristers’ chambers and sitting with serving judges.

Two Zambian fellows share their story...

Zambian Legal Research Advocates are qualified lawyers who assist the judges and courts in a variety of research and administrative tasks providing a vital role that allows the courts to function effectively. After a number of years’ service they may apply to become judges.  Their work contributes to greater access to justice and helps shape the future of the legal system in Zambia.

Prior to the Slynn Fellowship, there was no formal support for induction or further training for this group as they fell between two areas of the legal system so no funding was available to assist them. In 2024 and 2025 through sponsorship Slynn was able to offer four fellowships (two for each year) to Research Advocates from Zambia who spent three weeks in London working in the Royal Courts and barristers chambers gaining valuable international experience.

One year on Slynn fellows Thandiwe Hatoongo and Chewe Musonda reflect on their Fellowship and how it has shaped the development of their roles working within the Zambian judiciary and contributed to a new standards handbook for Research Advocates.

Thandiwe Hatoongo

“Chewe and I recently looked back at our one year past journey of the Slynn foundation fellowship and the value of the international exposure that came with it. We were called upon to share our experience at a recent training on the use of Ai and electronic resources for legal research. The program was held in collaboration with the African Judicial Research Network and the British Institute in East Africa.

It was refreshing to share our experience on the exposure we got from working at the Royal Courts and how this has contributed to how we carry out our work as Research Advocates and how the exposure to the British system has helped us create our own mirrored skills and values that are helping us be more efficient in our role.

Chewe Musonda

Slynn’s commitment to contribute to judicial training will never go unnoticed because through our experience, a domino effect of experience and knowledge keeps getting passed down to other judicial officers.

I will say it was a very enlightening training and a timely one in the fast moving world of artificial intelligence. We got insights on how generative Ai can be used as a tool for efficiency but at the same time mitigate emerging risks and integrity of judicial systems.

 It was indeed a beautiful way to commemorate our one year Slynn fellowship Anniversary and we shall keep the banner flying” Thandiwe Hatoongo

Subject to funding Slynn offers fellowships to young lawyers nominated by their Judiciary, Law Society or Bar Council to spend time in London firms and courts gaining international experience.  Sponsoring the Fellowship is a small financial cost to a large organisations but the long term value of the relationships built is clear and many past fellows have gone on to hold senior roles withing their judiciaries and governments. 

Could your firm offer sponsorship to continue the benefits of Fellowship to Zambia or other countries?  See more details of fellowships on our website https://www.slynn-foundation.org/fellowships or

Contact us:   Slynn-foundation@outlook.com with the subject heading “sponsorship” please note we do not offer Fellowship to individual applicants.