Free Law Clinic a big success with local community
Release Date 15 November 2010
A clinic that has provided important free legal advice to nearly 40 local residents celebrates its first birthday this month.
Covering legal costs, especially during the current economic climate, can be quite challenging. During the last year the Clinic, based at the CommuniCare offices at Cemetery Junction, Reading, has provided free advice to the local community in areas such as consumer, debt, employment and landlord and tenant law.
The Legal Advice Clinic is a joint initiative between the University of Reading's School of Law, top legal firm Shoosmiths, East Reading advice centre CommuniCare and LawWorks, a charity which supports the delivery of voluntary legal services by lawyers.
Over the last 12 months the Clinic has helped people identify legal problems and provided initial legal advice and guidance on appropriate next steps.
Comments from clients who have used the service include: "I got an out of court settlement guaranteeing a neutral reference, which is what I wanted" and "Staff were very helpful and very understanding. Please keep up your good work. Thanks 'A' team."
Law students from the University have been supporting staff from Shoosmiths who have been providing the pro bono (ie free) legal advice.
Final year law student Marie Rowe-Cousins has been a regular helper at the Clinic. She said: "Being a part of the Legal Advice Clinic has been extremely interesting and beneficial. As well as making a positive impact on my studies by putting what I have learnt into a practical situation, it's been fantastic to be able to contribute to a service which has helped the community enormously."
Paul Eccles from Shoosmiths said: "It is part of Shoosmiths' culture that wherever possible we will make a contribution to the communities around us so it's been a great first year. There have been some clients who've needed help on an ongoing basis, and others who've just needed a one-off steer in the right direction. Hopefully over the next year we will see more and more people making use of this wonderful service."
Funding to set up the initiative came from funds raised by staff of the University of Reading Law School staff who participated in the 2009 London Legal sponsored walk
The clinic is held monthly on the first Thursday of the month, from 5-7pm. Access to the free service is by appointment by calling CommuniCare on 0118 926 3941 or by email at advice@communicare.org.uk, putting Law Clinic in the subject line.
ENDS
Further press information from James Barr, University of Reading press office, 0118 378 7115
Notes to editors:
University of Reading School of Law
The Law School is rated as among the top dozen Law Schools in the country. The University has a very active Pro Bono programme in the School of Law. Students are encouraged and supported to give up their time to train to offer volunteer mediation and legal advice. The University already works very closely with a number of organisations such as Resolve and CAB and are very proud that so many of our students commit to the lengthy training courses and provide such a professional service as volunteers once they are qualified.
CommuniCare
Communicare is a an advice, information and support centre operating in East Reading, offering confidential and free advice on a wide range of issues, from housing to welfare rights. The charity's services are accredited by CLS quality mark. www.communicare.org.uk
Shoosmiths
Shoosmiths is a UK top 30 national law firm with 114 partners and more than 1,200 personnel at offices in Basingstoke, Birmingham, Manchester, Milton Keynes, Northampton, Nottingham, Reading and Southampton. Clients include household name Blue Chip companies, leading financial institutions, public and private sector organisations, and foreign-owned corporates. Shoosmiths won the billing and fees category at the FT Innovative Lawyers Awards 2009 for its risk reward fee arrangement with client Hewlett-Packard. Shoosmiths is a member of the World Services Group - a global association of leading legal and service professionals - and an Equal Opportunities Employer, coming top of a diversity survey conducted by the Black Solicitors' Network. Its national charity partner for 2008 - 2010 is Shelter, the housing and homelessness charity. www.shoosmiths.co.uk
LawWorks
LawWorks is the operating name of the Solicitors Pro Bono Group and is an independent charity with a mission to support, promote and encourage a commitment to pro bono across the solicitors' profession. It also helps individuals and community groups to access free legal advice.
Solicitors across England and Wales have always provided free or reduced cost legal advice and assistance to those individuals who are ineligible for legal aid from the Legal Services Commission, but who are unable to reasonably afford legal fees. Where those services are provided free of charge it is described as being pro bono.