LawWorks launches 200th pro bono legal advice clinic
Thirty-five solicitors from local firms, as well as students from Cardiff University Law School, band together to help where legal aid is unavailable
A Cardiff-based pro bono clinic specialising in employment law has become the 200th free legal advice centre to join LawWorks.
The charity, which works in England and Wales to connect volunteer lawyers with people in need of legal advice, has launched the Cardiff Employment Law Pro Bono Advice Clinic.
The announcement is a significant milestone for the charity and demonstrates the valuable contribution solicitors across the country are making to some of the most vulnerable in society.
The Cardiff Employment Law Pro Bono Advice Clinic officially launches today, 20th May 2015, at the Speakeasy Advice Centre, also in Cardiff, following a short pilot.
The clinic offers advice to those that live, work or study in Cardiff and the surrounding areas. It will operate fortnightly, supported by around 35 solicitors from a wide range of firms, students from Cardiff University Law School, and a volunteer clinic co-ordination team.
LawWorks Cymru has been supporting local volunteers to re-establish an employment law clinic following the closure of the Cardiff Law Centre in October 2014.
Martin Barnes, chief executive of LawWorks, said: 'Our experience has shown legal advice clinics are an effective way to extend access to justice to a significant number of people. Last year, the LawWorks clinics network dealt with over 29,000 enquiries. While it is clear that pro bono cannot be seen as a replacement for legal aid it does provide an important lifeline to many with nowhere else to turn.'
Evaluation of the experiences of clients accessing pro bono clinics in Wales in the last year shows that clients gained not only a better understanding of their legal matter, but also saw reductions in stress levels and improvements in their wellbeing, mental and physical health, as well as family and social relationships.
The Law Society president, Andrew Caplen, said: 'I am pleased to see so many solicitors in Cardiff are getting involved in this important cause. As the LawWorks network grows to 200 clinics it is clear that solicitors around the country are coming together to support access to justice for those in need. The scale and scope of their work is humbling. From young families frightened of facing eviction to those seeking asylum from persecution, law clinics help so many people.'