Free law advice clinic open for business

Members of the public who need help with legal matters will now have access to free advice via a new pro bono scheme offered by the School of Law and Politics.

From November 2024, law students will be volunteering at the Cardiff University Law Clinic based at Cardiff’s Civil and Family Justice Centre, offering free advice for members of the public who need help on housing and family law cases. Advice will be given following a face-to-face appointment with law students who are supervised by Krista Robinson, a solicitor with over 20 years’ experience working in housing law and practice.

Krista explains, “The cost of instructing a solicitor can be prohibitively expensive since legal aid became largely unavailable in 2012. This has meant that the number of unrepresented people in the court system has significantly increased. People often feel alone, overwhelmed and are at their most vulnerable. Our Law Clinic aims to improve access to justice by offering them the chance to speak to our student advisors.”

“We hope that this service will save the individual and the courts time and costs and will address problems before they escalate. After being advised, clients will be in a better position to make informed decisions in respect of their cases.”

Clients will be referred to the clinic by legal support charity Support Through Court, which operates from the Family and Civil Justice Centre and provides emotional and practical support for people facing court alone. Written advice will normally be given within two weeks of the appointment with the Law Clinic. Neither Support Through Court or the law clinic can represent clients in court.

The law clinic will provide our students with opportunities to gain practice in interviewing, research, legal writing and writing advice letters in clear, accessible language. Students will also learn key skills such as establishing a rapport, how to ask questions, active listening and maintaining an accurate record. These skills are regularly required of a solicitor and will give our students a good foundation should they decide to pursue a legal career.