皇家华人

Through its pro-bono legal services for local communities, the UCL Centre for Access to Justice is improving legal support for local communities around the UCL鈥檚 new campus in east London.

Legal problems and ill-health听often coincide. Without intervention, problems can听escalate听with听deteriorating health听leading to听financial difficulties,听worsening living conditions听and听further听stress and anxiety.听听

鈥淥ften听the people who need听legal听help most are听unsure of their rights and听can ill-afford听the听advice听they need鈥澨齟xplains Rachel Knowles (UCL Laws), the Centre鈥檚 Head of Legal Practice and a practising solicitor.听

The Centre for Access to Justice,听established in听2013听by UCL听Laws, focuses on raising awareness of access to justice issues through听high-quality teaching and research, as well as providing students with a range of pro-bono opportunities to experience access to justice issues in practice.听听

In 2016, the听centre听set up the UCL integrated legal advice clinic, which provides free and legally aided听advice to the local community.

The clinic was founded with seed funding from the UCL Grand Challenge of Justice & Equality. It is located in听Stratford, East London, close to UCL East, the university鈥檚 new campus located on Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.听

鈥淲e听complement听our听research and teaching听with听providing听free听and legally aided听advice听and representation听to听our听local communities听via听a legal advice clinic听and other voluntary placements for students with local charities and advice services,鈥� Rachel adds.听听

鈥淭hrough our听Integrated Legal Advice Clinic and听with听supervision听from听qualified lawyers,听our听law students听provide听free听legal听advice听on a range of听social听welfare issues听to听our neighbours听in听the local听community.鈥澨�

In the seven years since the clinic was established, almost 200听UCL Law students have supported听more than 500听people with legal advice and casework.听

Among the people the鈥疌linic鈥痟as helped are a woman听struggling to听obtain听a disabled parking permit, to support her son with autism;听and a local resident who听was left without accommodation and had to appeal to the courts to access housing benefit.听

The pro-bono schemes create a virtuous circle, as听Shiva Riahi听(UCL Laws), Head of Projects听for the Centre,听explains:听鈥淩esidents and听patients听access听quality legal advice,听students听gain听valuable听鈥榬eal world鈥櫶齣nsight and understanding of the wider social and political context in which these needs arise.听听

鈥淭his听helps听us develop a holistic approach to听resolving听the legal problems our clients face听and听at the same time听support better health and wellbeing.鈥澨�