On Tuesday 10th October, about 270 lawyers, judges and others spent the early evening walking around Liverpool City Centre and Waterfront. This was followed by a refreshing drink (first one free!) at the Lady of Mann Pub in Dale Street. It was a very pleasant opportunity to enjoy the city and meet up with friends and colleagues. But there was of course, a purpose behind it all. This was the 12th Liverpool Legal Walk. I was one of the small number who gathered by the Liverpool Building in 2012 for the first ever event! It has been a real pleasure to see it grow into a major event in the local legal calendar.
It is not of course entirely for pleasure. The purpose of the walk is to raise funds for Access to Justice. All funds raised go to the Access to Justice Foundation who, in turn, make grants to agencies in our area which provide free legal help to those in need. These are agencies such as the three Liverpool Law Centres – Vauxhall Law Centre (50 years old in 2023!), Merseyside Law Centre and The Equality and Employment Law Centre. All of these centres rely on charitable funding in order to keep their doors open.
In Liverpool we are so fortunate that the walk is supported across the profession. This year we delighted to be joined by HHJs Wood and Hodge. After the walk, we welcomed Ian Byrne MP, fresh from the Labour Party Conference. And most, important of all were the walkers from local law firms – big and small. It was also a pleasure to have the support of Oriel Chambers and Unit Chambers representing to local bar.
The walk has, to date, raised just under £5k. This will go up as the donations continue to come in. And it is not too late. The donation page is open until the end of the year. You can contribute via your own firms page if they registered or through Liverpool Law Society at THE ACCESS TO JUSTICE FOUNDATION: 2023 Liverpool Legal Walk (enthuse.com)
Photos of the 2023 Walk are available to view here.
Steve Cornforth
Trustee North West Legal Support Trust
Photographs by Ray Farley