Staffordshire University Legal Advice Clinic (SULAC) which runs clinics in locations in Stoke-on-Trent and Stafford, was ‘highly commended’ at the LawWorks Pro Bono awards held in London recently.
Having helped 270 clients since its launch in October 2018, the students running SULAC are bracing themselves for increased demand for legal advice.
Senior lecturer and solicitor Tracey Horton said: “The new year can be a stressful time for many who are experiencing family break-ups, bereavements, problems with housing and employment.
“The clinic was set up as a direct response to the difficulties faced by the most vulnerable in our society and the people needing this advice are ordinary people dealing with every day issues such as divorce, access to children, loss of jobs and personal injury.
“Although the aim is to provide the law students with real life experience advising on the law, it is effectively giving back to the community and fits with our responsibilities as a Civic University.”
Beginning on Monday 20 January, a new legal advice clinic will run each Monday at Stoke-on-Trent Combined Court in Bethesda Street. Weekly clinics are offered in Stafford on Tuesdays at new venues alternating between County Hospital (21 January), House and Bread (28 January) and the existing clinic at Signpost Stafford (4 February). Special clinics are also planned for HMP Stafford, Beacon Barracks, YMCA and Royal Stoke University Hospital.
Tracey added: “It’s testament to the hard work of our law students that SULAC was shortlisted for awards in both the Student Pro Bono Awards and the general Pro Bono Awards and to be highly commended is a great accolade.”
Final year student Ellen Henderson said: “It was a fantastic opportunity to be invited to the Pro Bono Awards and to learn we were among five of 280 law clinics to be shortlisted and that we were highly commended, made it feel really special.”
Fellow student Hannah Lewis said: “SULAC provides us with the opportunity to apply what we’ve learnt and to be able to interact with real people and their reaction when you’ve helped them is really rewarding.”
SULAC offers free legal advice to the public. This is a confidential and professional service provided by Law students at Staffordshire University, SULAC offers advice on most areas of law including family, consumer, personal injury and housing etc. SULAC does not offer debt counselling and cannot advise on criminal or immigration or welfare benefits. For more information, email SULAC@staffs.ac.uk or call 01782 294800.