Free Family Representation and Advocacy Project (FFRAP)

Applications for this opportunity are closed.

About Free Family Representation and Advocacy Project (FFRAP)

FFRAP is a charity dedicated to LIPs (litigants in person), individuals without a lawyer, in the Family Court in England & Wales, and we are committed to assisting LIPs through the provision of free family law advice and representation.

FFRAP runs a pop-up service every Wednesday all-day, and every Thursday Morning to assist Litigants in Person at the Central Family Court (CFC) in Holborn.

About the role

Volunteers will be responsible for data entry of FFRAP’s casework on the charity’s case management system. This will include recording outcomes, recording advocacy, recording instructions, etc. Volunteers will also be responsible for drafting emails to LIPs, which will all need to be checked before sending.

After the administrative tasks are complete, volunteers will have an opportunity to shadow and support FFRAP’s professional lawyers. The role of professional lawyers is to take instructions on the day, negotiate with opponents, give hearing advice, and provide LIPs with a FFRAP leaflet. Volunteers will be asked to support professional lawyers to complete administration, attend hearings, and take note of court directions.

Please note that volunteers will only get the opportunity to shadow and support professional solicitors after completing their administrative tasks in the morning.

All volunteers must be in formal attire. Male volunteers must wear ties otherwise clerks will not permit entry to court. Skirt lengths and heels must be appropriate. A suit jacket is required for all volunteers. All professional volunteers attend in formal suits due to the formal nature of hearings. If you need financial assistance for formal wear, please contact Annika Melwani at annika.melwani@ucl.ac.uk.

Time Commitment

Your placement will take place in-person, either on Wednesday or Thursday from 9am – 1pm. Please indicate your availability in your application form.

Please note that your placement will be subject to a one-month trial period, after which FFRAP and CAJ will assess the viability of your role.

Training

You will be trained one-on one with FFRAP and its professional lawyers. You will also receive an introductory session on family law, and potentially advocacy training.

In addition, all students will receive the CAJ Mandatory Volunteer training, which covers data protection and confidentiality, working with vulnerable clients, professional conduct and regulation, self-care, and our expectations of CAJ volunteers.

Pro Bono Skills Development Framework

The Centre for Access to Justice now offers all students engaged in voluntary pro bono the opportunity to participate in the Pro Bono Skills Development Framework. This framework allows you to reflect on the skills gained during your placement, aligned with the Aurora Competence Framework. Completing it earns you a Certificate of Commitment to Pro Bono, acknowledging your dedication and skill development. Your participation will help you document and showcase the valuable competencies you've developed, however, please note that participation in the PBSDF scheme is entirely voluntary and will not affect your placement in any way.

Eligibility and How to Apply:

This opportunity is open to incoming year 2, 3, and 4 LLB students, LLM students, and Mature year 1 students.

Applications for this opportunity will open on 22nd September 2025. Applications will close on October 9th, 2025.

Interviews will take place on October 14th.

Students will begin their placement at the end of October/early November.

Please apply via the online application form. When applying, please make sure you have completed the  CAJ Equality and Diversity Monitoring Questionnaire.  You only need to complete this once per academic year. 

Please note the Centre for Access to Justice strongly discourages use of artificial intelligence in applications. Use of content generated by artificial intelligence in your application may affect your chance of success.

Should you have any questions, please contact Annika Melwani at annika.melwani@ucl.ac.uk.

Key Information

Updated information on the role can be found at this page.

Deadline: October 9th.

Interviews: October 14th.

Who can apply: This opportunity is open to incoming year 2, 3, and 4 LLB students, all LLM students, and Mature Year 1 LLB students.

How to apply: Online application form. When applying, please make sure you have completed the CAJ Equality and Diversity Monitoring Questionnaire. You only need to complete this once per academic year.

Time Commitment: Either Wednesday or Thursday from 9am – 1pm. After 1PM, if volunteers wish to, they may have an opportunity to shadow and support FFRAP’s professional lawyers.