The Liverpool Law Clinic at the University of Liverpool is a legal practice with six lawyers that provides pro bono legal services in a variety of areas, including in child arrangements, community care/SEN and international protection. The Clinic is not competitive with our colleagues in Liverpool firms; we seek to reach clients who are not in scope or otherwise eligible for legal aid and who cannot pay privately for services. We would be grateful if clients with unfunded cases in our work areas could be signposted to our service or referred directly to us. We will signpost or refer appropriate clients to colleagues in local firms, particularly for judicial review cases.
If you are able to support any of these projects through volunteering your time, please let us know. We will be happy to discuss Clinic volunteering opportunities with you, and we would be grateful for any offer. To refer clients or discuss volunteering, please contact us on clinic@liverpool.ac.uk. Clients may be signposted to: www.liverpool.ac.uk/law/liverpool-law-clinic/ .
The Clinic will operate the following projects in 2018-2019:
1. The community care project provides advice to parents of unwell children about their entitlement to benefits and support. This service is usually accessed through in-person contact at Alder Hey Hospital. You may also refer to the Clinic as above. Advice is given in the following areas:
• Support from the Local Authority including assessments, short breaks services, holiday play schemes, care at home, aids and adaptations, financial help with travel costs to schools, direct payments
• Welfare Benefits general advice about entitlement to benefits related to a child’s disability, including disability living allowance, carers allowance and blue badges
• Education Provision
2. The Liverpool Law Clinic Helpdesk provides free and confidential legal advice and support at the First Hearing Dispute Resolution Appointments (FHDRA) in child arrangements cases. The project offers services at the Liverpool Family Court on Thursdays in term-time (most weeks between October and May). We can see clients on the day of their FHDRA on a first come first served basis, or clients can arrange an appointment in advance through the Clinic.
3. The Clinic will be running several projects in international protection and immigration law. We will give advice on fresh asylum claims, refugee family reunion, statelessness claims, registration/naturalisation, extension of stay and EEA free movement advice. Please contact the Clinic or signpost clients to our webpage as above.
Please do not hesitate to contact us about a client or to find out more about our services. We look forward to working in partnership with the Liverpool legal community to increase access to justice.