Amal Clooney is one of today’s most respected human rights lawyers, known for her tireless defense of those facing systemic abuse—especially women and girls who have survived sexual violence. “I’m constantly inspired by the bravery of those who seek truth, even at great personal risk,” she tells British Vogue. “Journalists who challenge power, young women who refuse to stay silent—their courage drives me.”

In 2019, she and her husband, George, founded the Clooney Foundation for Justice, offering free legal aid in over 40 countries. When asked about the biggest obstacle to justice, she replies, “Apathy. Injustice, cruelty, and abuse of power will always exist—but if good people stay silent, change becomes impossible. When cowardice outweighs courage in governments and corporations, progress stalls. Justice isn’t passive; it must be fought for.”

Vogue: Amal, what are you working on right now?

Amal Clooney: I’m currently representing Maria Ressa, a journalist facing life imprisonment in the Philippines simply for doing her job. I’ve also filed submissions at the International Court of Justice seeking justice for victims of genocide in Myanmar. Another case involves 871 ISIS victims in New York, including Nobel Peace Prize winner Nadia Murad, a Yazidi survivor of sexual violence. This is the first case giving ISIS genocide survivors a chance to secure life-changing compensation.

Through the Clooney Foundation, we provide free legal aid to women and journalists in over 40 countries. We’ve helped free dozens of journalists and supported thousands of women facing violence, child marriage, or discrimination. This October, we’re launching the Oxford Institute of Technology and Justice—a partnership with Oxford University using AI to expand access to justice.

I’ve also just started as a professor of international law at Oxford, teaching the next generation of legal minds. The Foundation supports young women pursuing human rights law in Africa, and later this month, I’ll present a Women’s Empowerment Award with the King’s Trust. In October, we’ll host our Albies Awards in London, honoring courageous justice defenders worldwide.

Vogue: What keeps you motivated during tough times?

Amal Clooney: The courage of my clients—people like Maria Ressa and Nadia Murad, who’ve endured unimaginable suffering yet fight not just for themselves, but to protect others. Their resilience inspires me every day.

Vogue: Is there an achievement you’re most proud of?

Amal Clooney: Every time an innocent journalist walks free and reunites with their family, it’s a victory. Moments like seeing my client Wa Lone released after years in prison—those stay with me forever.A Reuters journalist walks out of a Myanmar prison and returns home to meet his baby for the first time. I feel proud when my client—a Yazidi woman from Iraq who faced ISIS in court—watches as a judge declares a genocide verdict and sentences her daughter’s killer to life in prison. I’m proud every time a student tells me they feel inspired, or when a young girl says my work has motivated her to fight for justice.

How do you balance work and home life? Is it possible to switch off at the end of the day?
Like every working woman, I try to find the right balance—and never quite succeed! But each morning, I feel incredibly lucky to have a husband I love deeply and admire endlessly, and children who bring us both so much happiness.

What gives you hope for the future?
Leaders with integrity and courage inspire me. So do my students—their determination to drive change, rather than just witness injustice, fills me with hope. They refuse to stay silent or wait for others to act. Their dedication reminds me that progress is possible when people choose courage over apathy.

History doesn’t bend toward justice on its own—people must pull it there. We all have a part to play: politicians, lawyers, and journalists, of course, but also citizens who vote and parents raising the next generation. If justice is our shared goal, it must also be our shared responsibility.