This is an archive page

Bulletin

Sussex Law School sets up free legal advice service

Free legal advice is to be given by University of Sussex law students during a five-week pilot project beginning in February.

Sussex Law School students providing free legal adviceThe Family Law Clinic aims to provide a public service to local people who seek legal advice but are not eligible for legal aid and cannot afford to pay for a lawyer.

Working with experts within the Law department, the students will be giving advice on a range of matters that affect families – from divorce and separation issues, to financial and co-habitation concerns.

The pilot is part of a larger initiative, Sussex Clinical Legal Education (SCLE), which aims to provide a variety of pro-bono (not for profit) projects that will benefit the local community and give students vital experience of law in practice.

Dr John Jupp, who is leading the Family Law Clinic, said: “This is a real opportunity for the local community to benefit from the knowledge and expertise of our staff whilst also giving our students invaluable experience in developing their interview skills.”

The Family Law Clinic is the first of these projects, with the pilot running from 1 February until 14 March. The Clinic will offer clients 30-minute interviews at Sussex Law School every Wednesday between 3pm and 7pm. The Clinic is expected to launch in full in September.

Other future SCLE projects will aim to provide free legal assistance in matters such as housing and welfare, employment, environmental law, creative industries, street law and immigration and asylum.