Out-of-work solicitors are turning to international volunteer projects to keep their hand in during the recession, according to a leading development charity.

Challenges Worldwide, which recruits and trains volunteers with professional skills to work with partners in developing countries, has seen an upward trend in the number of lawyers applying for its programmes during the recession.

Daliah Haughton, operations manager and manager of the legal programme at Challenges Worldwide, said: ‘We’ve seen an increase in the number of applications from lawyers across the profession, from newly qualifieds who have been asked to defer or who have not been taken on, to senior people who have been made redundant.’

For the past 10 years, Challenges Worldwide has operated a specific legal programme for junior and senior lawyers offering support to its partners, including the governments of developing countries, international human rights organisations and social enterprises.

Projects range from developing a legal aid policy in Tanzania to lobbying the Indian government on children’s rights, or developing recommendations for revitalising the coffee industry in Eastern Congo.

For a full list of projects, go to http://www.challengesworldwide.com. The next date for interviews in London is 26 July.