In-Person | Access to what justice? Rebuilding a sustainable, good-quality legal aid system

Speakers: 

Victoria Pogge von Strandmann (Public Law Project)

Emma Marshall (University of Exeter)

Abtisam Mohamed MP (House of Commons)

Gersi Istrefi (SLRA, Shpresa Programme, Citizens UK)

Chair: Rachel Knowles (UCL Laws)

About the Event:

The government recently announced a “historic” 20 million injection into the Legal Aid System, which marked the first increase into the legal aid system in almost 30 years, since 1996.

Whilst this is a welcome step forward, the legal aid system continues to be on the brink of total collapse. An estimated 57% of asylum seekers still cannot access a legal aid solicitor and the number of immigration legal aid providers is dropping.  Likewise 43.6% of the population of England and Wales do not have a housing legal aid provider in their local authority area and only 33.3% of the population have cessed to more than one provider in their local authority area (find out more here: Housing – legal aid deserts | The Law Society).

In this event, we will discuss the issues facing communities who cannot access justice, and share findings and recommendations from various pieces of research that have been carried out on the challenges facing the legal aid system. This includes research on the financial costs of cuts to legal aid, the impact on the quality of services provided under legal aid, and the inadequacy of remote service as a solution to the crisis.

We will also discuss steps that need to be taken to revive the legal aid sector and ensure that all individuals needing advice can access it, as the Government considers responses to its consultation on the recently announced fee uplift.

About the speakers and chair

Sue James

Sue James is the Chief Executive Officer at Legal Action Group (LAG), a charity which supports and empowers those using the law to achieve justice for those most disadvantaged in our communities. LAG publishes and disseminates legal information and knowledge; delivers education and training and creates opportunities for the exchange of ideas.

Sue was previously director and housing solicitor at Hammersmith & Fulham Law Centre and a founding trustee at Ealing Law Centre and North Wales Community Legal. In 2017, Sue was named winner of the Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year award for Outstanding Achievement, in recognition of her immense contribution to social justice at all levels during a career spanning three decades.

 

Sue is a leading and respected voice on justice in the national and legal press, including a popular column in Legal Action Magazine. She has authored multiple books for LAG, including its popular Legal Aid Handbook, Justice Matters, Legal Aid Matters, Housing Possession Duty Desk: a practical guide and the forthcoming Domestic Abuse and Housing. She is currently undertaking a part-time PhD at Cardiff University.

 

Dr Emma Marshall

Dr Emma Marshall is interested in addressing structural and systemic forms of injustice, particularly in relation to border control and the immigration system, legal aid and the policy decisions and practices that often exclude and marginalise particular groups of people. She is co-lead of the Justice and Violence Studies research network at the University of Exeter.

Emma joined the Law School in September 2020 following completion of her PhD in Human Geography at the University of Exeter. In response to the limited accessibility of free advice for immigration and asylum matters in South West England, Emma’s doctoral research explored the experiences of people seeking advice in the region and opportunities to improve provision.

Emma has worked on national legal aid policy and during her doctoral research helped to set up the Exceptional Case Funding Clinic for legal aid applications as part of the Community Law Clinic at the University of Exeter.  Emma has previously worked for regional and national charities and is interested in developing collaborative ways of working both within and beyond academic settings.

Emma is originally from Exeter and studied in the Law School in 2008/2009 on the LLM in International Human Rights Law. She also has an undergraduate degree in Politics and International Studies from the University of Warwick, and an MRes in Critical Human Geographies. Emma has previously taught in the Geography department and Politics department at the University of Exeter. 

Abtisam Mohamed MP

Abtisam Mohamed has been the MP for Sheffield Central since July 2024. Before becoming an MP, Abtisam worked for many years as an immigration and human rights lawyer, running her own practice in Sheffield up until 2024. She was also an elected councillor for Sheffield City Council between 2016-2024. During her time in office Abtisam has used her position to speak out on issues relating to access to justice and migrant rights, among many other domestic and foreign affairs issues, and has been an advocate for increased funding for legal aid.

Gersi Istrefi

Gersi Istrefi is a young person who is committed to immigration reform, youth empowerment, and community support. He is actively involved in organizations such as the South London Refugee Association (SLRA), the Shpresa Programme, and Citizens UK, where they work towards advocating for refugees, raising awareness, and creating a more inclusive society.

Gersi has direct experience of navigating the UK’s immigration system and legal aid system and is working with other community leaders to address the barriers to people accessing good-quality legal advice.

As a student executive at Croydon college, GI has developed a deep interest in public speaking, leadership, and policies that impact underrepresented communities. They strongly believe in the power of youth to make meaningful changes in their communities and beyond. With a commitment to equity, inclusion, and social justice,Gersi uses their voice to advocate for immigration support, youth representation, and collaborative initiatives that drive positive change.

About the Institute

The UCL Centre for Access to Justice combines legal education with the provision of pro bono advice to vulnerable communities. The central mission of the Centre is to promote access to justice through research-led education, community activities and evidence-based policy advice.

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