Innovative legal project seeks extra funding from the crowd

An innovative legal project aimed at tackling unlawful discrimination in employment, education, and housing in Suffolk has turned to crowdfunding to raise much needed funds.

The Tackling Discrimination in the East (TDE) project, run by Ipswich and Suffolk Council for Racial Equality (ISCRE), has helped over 680 'working poor' people, who can neither afford private lawyers nor qualify for legal aid, access legal services for discrimination issues.

The free service has previously received funding from The Big Lottery Fund but is currently awaiting the results of their renewal application.

ISCRE is aiming to raise £2,000 via CrowdJustice to ensure the project can be run during the funding gap. Third-party funder Balance Legal Capital is providing partial sponsorship for the project.

Audrey Ludwig, director of legal services at ISCRE, commented: 'TDE has become an essential service for Suffolk residents suffering discrimination at work or in their neighbourhoods. Now TDE is being thrown a lifeline in the form of crowdfunding.'

The managing partner at Balance Legal Capital, Rob Rothkopf, said his company was proud to partner with CrowdJustice to support the TDE Project.

'In this era of limited legal aid, pro-bono legal charities such as ISCRE are more important than ever in enabling those lacking their own resources to assert their rights,' he said.

'We think that all participants in the legal industry, including commercial litigation funders like us, have a role to play in promoting access to justice at the grass roots level.'