We have seen a number of new clinics launch in recent months and in the build up to Pro Bono Week and Justice Week, joining a growing network and able to make an important contribution to access to justice.
The following provides a brief description of the new clinics. All clinics in the Network are listed on the LawWorks website:
Aston University Employment Law Clinic, Birmingham
Aston University’s first clinic provides employment law advice. The university will be launching further clinics which will offer small businesses, entrepreneurs, charities and social enterprises the opportunity get advice on basic commercial matters, undergo intellectual property health-checks and attend legal training sessions on issues such as contract negotiation and taking on your first employees.
Birmingham People’s Centre
The clinic provides employment rights information, advice and representation to people who live or work in Birmingham and have no other source of support.
Brunel University Legal Advice Centre, London
The university is developing a pro bono centre and launched its first clinic providing employment law advice in collaboration with local law firms.
COMPAS clinic, Peterborough
Working in partnership with the charity COMPAS and Lawson Hunte Immigration Services, the clinic provides immigration advice to the community, a community primarily made up of people from Slovakia, Czechoslovakia and Romania. Petr Torak of COMPAS said “COMPAS is very grateful for the opportunity to start the law clinic. Brexit is causing many Roma / Gypsy migrants a lot stress and fear from returning back to their home countries, where Roma suffer from discrimination and unequal treatment. We are very pleased to provide this amazing service in cooperation with Lawson Hunte firm and with the support of LawWorks"
Employment Litigant in Person Support Scheme (ELIPS), Birmingham
In addition to services in London and Cardiff, the Employment Lawyers Association has recently expanded the ELIPS service to unrepresented litigants in person who have claims issued at Birmingham Employment Tribunal.
Family Law Advice Guildford (FLAG)
The University of Law has recently expanded its telephone advice services to offer a free national telephone service to those with legal difficulties with family law matters, providing initial legal advice and practical legal experience.
Leeds Law School Law Clinic, Leeds
The clinic brings Leeds Law School students closer to the community in which they study. The clinic provides legal advice to members of the community on a wide range of areas, including family, landlord and tenant, employment, small business and charity start-ups, whilst also offering a first class educational experience for the students who can develop key transferable skills and improve their employability.
Mencap Legal Clinic
Legal caseworkers within the Legal (families) Team at Mencap provide casework support to people with learning disabilities and their families in relation to Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) and Personal Independence Payment (PIP) appeals; this service only takes referrals from Mencap service users.
Sheffield Hallam University Refugee Family Reunion Clinic, Sheffield
Based at the Helena Kennedy Centre for International Justice, the clinic supports refugees who wish to be reunited with family members they have been forced to leave behind. Law students and students from other disciplines meet refugees directly and support them through the, often complicated, refugee family reunion process under the direct supervision of a registered immigration specialist. People seeking to be reunited with loved ones left behind, in often highly volatile situations, are provided with free advice and support in making high quality applications for family reunification.
Staffordshire University Legal Advice Centre
Staffordshire University has announced a number of new services for communities across Staffordshire and Shropshire. The Legal Advice Clinic provides advice to clients with housing, family, consumer and employment law queries. The unique model links access to justice within the community, building partnerships with local organisations. Tracey Horton (SULAC Director) said “Staffordshire University has had a fantastic start with its new clinics.”
The service is being developed to include clinics at or working in partnership with:
- The Dudson Centre
- The Signposts Community Hub
- Gareth Snell MP
- Shrewsbury Hospital
- HMP Stafford
- Macmillan Cancer Support
University of Central Lancashire (UCLAN) Business clinic, Preston
Graduates and students from UCLan provide start-up businesses and small and medium sized enterprises s with commercial advice on matters such as business formation, contracts, intellectual property and leases. Advice is given for up to 6 months in an environment which is fully supervised by qualified solicitors, employed by the University.
We wish all the clinics well, and would like to thank them for their endeavours in supporting clients to access justice. For more information about the Clinics network contact clinics@lawworks.org.uk