Meet The Team

Avaia Williams – Founder
Avi was called to the Bar of England & Wales in 2022 following completion of a masters in law and completion of a human rights law degree in 2021 and is a pupil barrister specialising in child and adult protection. Avi has a passion for human rights and civil liberties and founded the NRI as a way to ensure wider promotion and understanding of human rights concerns both within the UK and abroad. He is particularly passionate about rights concerning freedom of speech, rights of domestic abuse victims, the rights of children detained under the Mental Health Act, and all situations concerning child protection. Avi also has interests in more niche areas of law such as the law of armed conflict, mental capacity, and the Inherent Jurisdiction.
Avi has fought through adversity to get to the bar, including growing up in “the Slum of Birmingham” and spending two years in a homeless hostel, as such, Avi is determined to provide opportunities through the NRI to those from disadvantaged and non-traditional backgrounds to access the legal profession, particularly the bar.

Thekla Sorokkou – Writer
Thekla is currently undertaking her training to qualify as a lawyer in Cyprus having previously worked as a paralegal at one of the largest criminal law providers in London. She holds an LLB Law (Hons) Degree from the University of Leeds. She has also completed the Legal Practice Course (LPC) incorporating an LLM Masters degree in Professional Legal Practice from the University of Law in Manchester, United Kingdom. Through her role as a criminal law paralegal, she gained valuable insights into the shortcomings of the criminal justice system in England. As a result, she has developed a strong interest in human rights within the context of criminal law, particularly in areas concerning children and prisoners rights.

Lily Barnett – Writer
Lily (she/her) is currently completing her final semester of her double degrees in Law (LLB) and Arts, majoring in Political Science and International Relations, at the University of Queensland, Australia. Through her studies, Lily has developed an understanding of the world through a justice-based lens. She sees these disciplines as a way to bring about real and tangible change. Through her roles as an intern at a community legal criminal justice clinic that focused on the rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, in combination with her role at a local highschool as a teaching assistant, Lily has developed a keen interest in the rights of the child, specifically within the criminal justice system. She hopes one day to be able to make the criminal justice system fairer for all, and to provide legal support to those who need it most. 

Inès Carter – Writer
Inès is dual French and English nationality and accomplished her undergraduate degree in law in France at the University of Nantes where she undertook a special course on the Common Law system, enabling her to now be pursuing a double degree. Indeed, Inès is now completing the final semester of her LLM in international law at UWE Bristol before returning to the University of Nantes next year to complete her second masters in environmental law. 
It was during an internship in immigration law that her interest in human rights intensified along with volunteering experiences with underprivileged children which gave Inès the opportunity to understand the importance of cultural and economic rights. 
Inès is interested in the intricacies of environmental law and how this interacts with human rights.

Jasmine Lowen – Writer
Jasmine is a Humanities student (having previously studied Media) and political campaigner with a rich volunteering history. She can be found delivering safety courses to children, litter picking in the local community, hosting speeches and marches on feminist issues – or on a Greek island sipping a cocktail! 
Jasmine has been through her share of struggles, experiencing addiction, psychosis and sex work first hand, and now wants to spend every waking moment fighting for the people who need it. 
Jasmine also belongs to the neurodivergent community. 

Maria Baker – Writer
Maria is a journalist, soon-to-be published author and filmmaker, who graduated with her journalism degree in 2016. Since studying journalism law and ethics during her course, a growing interest in human rights, ethical issues in the world and rights and freedom of reporting started to grow.
She has previously written children’s stories for the charity KidsOut WorldStories, an organisation that helps children seek sanctuary from domestic abuse within refuges. Additionally, she has contributed pieces to Shout Out UK with her pieces focused on feminism. She aims to keep on writing to help spread awareness, knowledge and resources about injustices to those that need it.  

Melis Ergodan – Writer
Melis is a dedicated linguist currently pursuing her MA in Comparative Studies of English and American Language, Literature, and Culture at HHU in Düsseldorf and is additionally pursuing a major in International Relations through open education.
Melis possesses a wide range of skills such as content creation, translation, writing and editing. Her expertise also extends to being a sworn translator certified by the 11th Notary of Mersin. Melis has a profound passion for human rights and liberties. Through her enthusiasm for linguistics and writing, she delves into the intersection of law and language, examining how it is practiced and communicated within various societal groups. Melis seeks to contribute her knowledge and insights to the area of human rights, empowering individuals through the power of language and expression.

Hannah Luxton – Writer
Hannah is an environmental science graduate with a keen interest in exploring the implications of climate change on the rights of individuals and communities as well as navigating the complex balance between preserving human rights and also our environment. 
Hannah spent several years working as a science technician in the science department of an SEN school helping to adapt and plan lessons to suit individual children’s needs and doing her best to ensure that no-one got left behind. She has also volunteered with youth groups, helping to teach young women important life skills and building their confidence.  
After working with SEN children and dealing with the onset of her own disabling long term health conditions, Hannah developed an insight into the issues disabled people face on a day-to-day basis and a passion to help highlight these issues and champion their rights.

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