What is the Justice First Fellowship Scheme?
The (“JFF”) scheme was established by the Legal Education Foundation (“LEF”), a registered charity, to fund training contracts across the country including two at Merseyside Law Centre (MLC). The JFF scheme is a very exciting opportunity both for local aspiring lawyers wishing to practice in social welfare law, debt and housing and, most importantly, for people in the Liverpool region who are in need of high-quality legal advice in those areas.
The JFF scheme is of huge importance to the provision of expert legal advice in areas of the law that have seen a massive decrease in funding and support.
This scheme is a tangible way that local firms can add real value and give something positive to those in need of social welfare law expertise in our city region. The Society would like to congratulate Siobhan Taylor-Ward for graduating from the LEF as a Justice First Fellow at the Merseyside Law Centre in January 2020.
What can you do?
Are you/your firm willing to support this exciting new initiative in partnership with the Legal Education Foundation to fund a social welfare trainee at Merseyside Law Centre under the Justice First Fellowship Scheme? This is of huge importance to the provision of expert legal advice in areas of the law where there is a massive need and a reducing supply because of restrictions on Legal Aid.
Liverpool Law Society is committed to creating a Merseyside Consortium to raise funds to support the programme locally. The Society and the LEF are delighted that so far two firms have come on board, Brabners and Weightmans. However, more help is needed to make the scheme sustainable in the long run.
We urge local law firms to find out more and get involved in any way possible. Please contact Sarah Poblete on sarahpoblete@liverpoollawsociety.org.uk if you would like more information or would like to get involved.