Abstract
In September 2011, London South Bank University (LSBU) opened an innovative inner-city Legal Advice Clinic where trained second and third year undergraduate law students working under the supervision of practising solicitors provide free, immediate, drop-in, face-to face legal advice to the members of the local community. This paper will describe the set-up and first five years operation of the Clinic and will contextualise the Clinic within the evolving tradition of LSBU as a widening participation, civic university and the recent draconian cuts to civil Legal Aid in England and Wales under LASPO 2012. The paper will consider the potential for developing university based drop-in legal advice services as a model to help tackle the access to justice deficit and associated negative outcomes for people on low incomes, particularly in jurisdictions (such as England and Wales) where the state is withdrawing from publicly assisted civil legal advice as a result of austerity cuts in public financial investment. The paper will also consider the limitations of the model.
| Original language | English |
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| Publication status | Published - 25 Aug 2016 |
| Externally published | Yes |
| Event | Academic Stand Against Poverty ASAP Brazil Conference - Duration: 25 Aug 2016 → … |
Conference
| Conference | Academic Stand Against Poverty ASAP Brazil Conference |
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| Period | 25/08/16 → … |