Legal advice offered free to Newham residents

Around 270 East Londoners have received free legal advice through a clinic founded and run by UCL.

The UCL Integrated Legal Advice Clinic (iLAC) is run by the Centre for Access to Justice at the UCL Faculty of Laws.

Based in central Stratford, UCL iLAC offers local residents free face-to-face general legal advice on all aspects of social welfare law. Recently, the clinic obtained a legal aid contract in the categories of housing law and community care law.

Rachel Knowles, the centre’s Head of Legal Practice, said: "At a time where legal aid services are at crisis point, it's very exciting that our clinic is able to offer this service and we hope that both students and the community will benefit from it greatly.

"We're very fortunate to have the support of the university to allow us to do what many other legal aid firms are no longer able to do: offer pro bono legal services alongside legally aided service."

Vulnerable residents given support

Since its formation in January 2016, the clinic has assisted clients (mostly with an income of £10,000 or less) with a range of issues. Successful outcomes achieved include:

• A 43-year-old client was saved from eviction and had several benefits reinstated, ensuring he could pay off rent arrears
• A young single mother was moved from accommodation that was in a state of serious disrepair, and causing her child health problems, to more suitable accommodation
• A client with long-standing mobility issues made a successful appeal to a social security tribunal, which ruled that the client’s benefits payments should be reinstated. The client also received backdated payments of over £3,000
• A 72-year-old client was moved to sheltered housing after spending 11 months in unsuitable temporary accommodation 

One resident whose family received assistance said: "The UCL legal team have changed our outlook on the law. We feel privileged to have been looked after so well and fully involved in the entire case. The case preparation and presentation was excellent and our adviser was exceptional. The UCL legal team is changing lives."

Students benefit from volunteering opportunities

Staffed by UCL law students working under the close supervision of qualified lawyers and advisers, the clinic offers students a rich educational opportunity while also providing a valuable and much needed service to members of the local community. This year 26 students are volunteering at UCL iLAC.

Jacqui Kinghan, the centre's Head of Teaching and Learning, said: "We're excited about the learning opportunities ahead for students in the heart of the community, as well as introducing them to the value of legal aid practice through first-hand experience."

Schoolchildren learn about human rights 

Other activities carried out at the centre and clinic include working with schools in order to educate children about human rights and running a week-long summer school for students interested in pursuing a career in law.

Recently, the clinic celebrated another milestone when staff moved out of the temporary spaces they had been occupying into their new permanent home at the Solar House office building. Located on Romford Road, this new space is in the heart of the vibrant Stratford community.

More information about the Centre for Access to Justice can be found on the centre's website.

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Read more about UCL staff and student volunteering or browse all case studies.