In this series, we introduce some of the people that make up Stephens Scown. We learn about their expertise, what drew them to join the legal profession and find out a little bit about who they are outside of work.
Here we introduce Rebecca van der Veer, Paralegal, in our Immigration team.
Why did you choose to work in Immigration law?
I decided to study law because I wanted to ‘change the world’ and ‘help people’. This led to me completing a Masters in Criminal Justice and Human Rights, followed by a PhD researching the intersection of human trafficking, criminal justice and human rights. Since leaving university I have been on a journey to find a field where I could bring together my passion, skills and knowledge.
Having been a migrant myself most of my life and most recently in the UK, I have had personal experience in immigration. Immigration plays a huge role in peoples’ lives. Whether it is because someone wants to be with their loved one(s), work or study in a different country, or is seeking safety; being a big part of helping people achieve their goals and/or live with their loved ones, is very fulfilling.
Immigration law is a field which is complex and constantly evolving. This can be frustrating at times, but it also keeps our work interesting and means I am learning something new all the time. Whilst there are exceptions, nothing appears to be straightforward in immigration law, it keeps us sharp!
What’s the most rewarding part of your job?
Every time we get an email from the Home Office notifying us an application is granted, I am reminded that this is a huge moment in someone’s life. Being part of this person’s journey to come to or remain in the UK is a privilege.
How do you spend your time outside of work?
One of the main reasons I live in the South West, is the beautiful outdoors. I am a lover of the sea and can be found surfing when there are waves, or swimming when there aren’t. I try to get some long-distance walking in every year along the coast or on Dartmoor. Sleeping under the stars is magical.
I combine my work at Stephens Scown with my role as a director of Reclaim The Sea, a CIC (a community interest company) which aims to provide the tools to people to reclaim the sea as a place of safety, joy and healing. Over summer we run trauma informed programmes to teach people with potential adverse experiences at sea to swim, paddleboard and surf.
Why Stephens Scown?
Throughout my law degrees I never expected or planned to work at a law firm. I was focussed on progressing my career in either research or the charity sector. In my previous role as a caseworker at Devon and Cornwall Refugee Support, I started getting a taste of immigration law in practice. After realising that this was something that I really enjoyed, I was hoping to progress in this further and was looking for a supportive environment to do this in. When I heard more about Stephens Scown, the firm as a whole and the immigration team specifically, I realised I should probably not discount law firms as a potential employer. I am very glad I changed my mind. The people I work with are very supportive, acknowledge potential, and have given me ample opportunity to learn more about immigration law in practice.
Making a switch from the charitable world to the corporate world was something I was apprehensive about, but Stephens Scown has been an excellent step in my career. The people and Firm’s ethos as an employee-owned company, also as a BCorp that has a real emphasis on giving back to our communities, make it a great place to work.