Category: News

Student Directors Provide Unique Presentation to Thailand Senior Judges

The University of Strathclyde Law Clinic was given the unique opportunity to present the Law Clinic to thirty-five senior Judges, including several members of the Supreme Court, from Thailand.

The event, organised by Paul James Cardwell, a Professor in the Law School, was part of a two week trip and aimed to provide the Thai Judges with an insight into the University of Strathclyde Law School and aspects of the Scottish and English Legal and Criminal Justice Systems.

While on a trip to the Sheriff Court, one of the Sheriffs discussed the Law Clinic with the Judges who expressed an interest in learning more about the Law Clinic.

James Anderson and Kirstie Webb, Student Directors of the Strathclyde Law Clinic, volunteered to provide a presentation to the Judges, aimed at describing the work the Law Clinic carries out, how it operates and students involvement in the Clinic.

Both Directors found the experience invaluable with Kirstie Webb stating: “When Kate mentioned that representatives of the Law Clinic had been asked to present the objectives and ideologies of the Law Clinic to thirty-five Supreme Court Judges, I was thrilled to have this rare opportunity. The Judges were extremely interested in the way that the Clinic operates and the work that we do, and I hope that we inspired with our presentation and left a lasting impression of the work we do here at Strathclyde.”

James Anderson recalled: “It was an exceptional experience to address thirty-five Supreme Court Judges from another country. I was immensely proud to relay the work of the Clinic and how it benefits the general public and students alike. During our time with the Judges we learned that Thailand does not currently have anything comparable to a Law Clinic, therefore it was a privilege to convey and hopefully encourage the principle of access to justice through Law Clinics to such an esteemed audience.”

Dr Supakit Yampracha, one of the judges who coordinated the visit and who is a former PhD student at Strathclyde Law School, said, “It was a great opportunity for the visiting judges to hear about the work of the Law Clinic at Strathclyde. We do not have Law Clinics in Thailand, so it was very interesting to hear how the students and staff at Strathclyde have developed their role in helping people in Glasgow”.

To keep up to date with the Law Clinic please follow us on social media and check out our website.

SULCN 2018: A STUDENTS EXPERIENCE

A recent event attended by representatives of the Clinic was the annual Scottish University Law Clinic Network Conference (SULCN).

The conference was held in Dundee, and was attended by new Student Director James Anderson, and Director of the University of Strathclyde Law Clinic, Kate Laverty.

The afternoon was filled with passionate speakers who all wanted to share their ideas and promote the general positive progression of law clinics across Scotland. One main theme of this year’s conference was how ever more important technology is becoming. This discussion led to ways to learn from other fields and help law clinics provide even better access to justice.

The opening keynote address was provided by Mike Dailly of Govan Law Centre who talked about how to use new technology and partnership working to find solutions to social problems, and how the law must be used to fight for social change. With a particular emphasis on ‘self-help legal kits’, providing the public with the legal information they need.

Malcolm Combe and Pippa Robertson discussed the Scottish University Land Unit (a partnership with Development Trusts Association Scotland and law students, which is currently running a pilot at the University of Aberdeen). The Scottish University Land Unit or ‘SULU’, aims to support community bodies in exercising their community rights in respect of land.

Sarah Webb informed us of an exciting partnership between University of Abertay students and Police Scotland seeking to resolve cold cases of missing persons; before Malcom Combe returned to discuss the new “pro bono expenses orders” which can be used where someone has been represented in legal proceedings for free.

Alison Atack, the new president of the Law Society of Scotland, delivered the closing address, and the society also generously supported the event. Proceedings on the day were co-ordinated by Liz Comerford of the University of Dundee.

James said: “The most valuable advice I gleaned from the afternoon can be summarised in one word: simplicity. Now, more than ever, the general public is expected to self-represent for parts if not all of the legal process.

In a point stressed eloquently by the new President of the Law Society, Alison Atack, a crucial skill that every student should develop is the ability to explain legal issues and give advice simply and effectively.

I was delighted to share the progress of the Employment Tribunal project currently under development at the University of Strathclyde Law Clinic and felt reassured that the vision behind this style of project is shared with Law Clinics across Scotland.

It was fantastic to make the acquaintance of so many enthusiastic people. I would encourage all students with an interest in access to justice to attend next year.”

SULCN is an annual event which provides Law Clinics across Scotland the opportunity to share experiences, ideas, relevant news and developments and the opportunity to network.

 

New Project: Housing Advice Under One Roof

“The Law Clinic is delighted to announce its latest project – Housing Advice Under One Roof – which aims to explore engagement with the newly established Housing and Property Chamber of the First Tier Tribunal for Scotland.

Throughout the summer, research will be undertaken in order to understand this new remedies forum and the changes arising from its creation. This research will not only help facilitate vital training for Law Clinic staff and volunteers but will also result in the development of accessible resources for those seeking to raise legal proceedings through this new forum.

The Law Clinic would like to thank the SafeDeposits Scotland Trust for its support of this project which will help the Law Clinic in supporting clients and increase the public’s knowledge of how they can seek redress for housing issues.”

Law Clinic hosts Insightful Refugee Festival Event

The Law Clinic’s Immigration Unit recently hosted a public education event as part of the Refugee Festival Scotland 2018 entitled ‘Please Believe Me!’.

The well attended event was hosted by immigration unit coordinator, Hanan El-Atrash, and former student director, Fergus Lawrie.  The event kicked off with an introductory address to the guests and a general overview of the function of the Clinic and the role of the Immigration Unit. Following this was a dramatised version of a substantive asylum interview procedure, inspired by the genuine asylum interviews that clients of Strathclyde Law Clinic have undergone.

The performance showed the way in which Home Office caseworkers ask an asylum applicant questions about why they are claiming asylum, and the types of questions they are asked. This process can, in practice, take several hours, and the same questions often get asked in different ways.

At the Law Clinic event, this exercise was conducted through interactive forum theatre. This allowed the audience to stop and interact with the dramatisation as it progressed. This saw the audience deal with a variety of problems and misunderstandings that arose because of the nature of the interview process itself. These misunderstandings very often go on to affect the credibility of those seeking asylum and can lead to the rejection of an asylum claim even when the person is genuinely in need of international protection.

This difficult exercise was showcased by talented members of the Law Clinic, Immigration Unit Deputies, James Burns and Agata Soroka and Welfare Project Manager, Kuda Chinyani. They portrayed a version of the Grimm Brothers’ tale of Snow White, depicting a young German girl fleeing persecution from her home country and is forced to rely on the kindness of strangers to seek refuge in a neighbouring state. Whilst clearly fictional, this version of the story carried many of the hallmarks of a typical case that the Home Office would encounter.

The second half of the two-hour event highlighted information regarding the Destitute Asylum Seeker Service (DASS) project, and the role that the Law Clinic plays in that project alongside its partner organisations, which include Refugee Survival Trust, Scottish Refugee Council and British Red Cross. This talk not only drew attention to the daily problems faced by destitute asylum seekers across the country, but also how organisations like our Immigration Unit are committed to helping people deal with these issues. There was also a discussion on what more could be done to assist.  

The event was a success and the Law Clinic was honoured to be able to contribute in the Refugee Festival Scotland 2018. The objective was to tackle myths and misinformation about those navigating the asylum process and to explain how many people end up living for years in destitution in the UK. Those who attended appreciated the opportunity to learn and to discuss the challenges faced by destitute asylum seekers, whose situation is often explained politically but rarely discussed factually.

Keep your eyes peeled for the next Immigration Unit Event on our social media pages.  

 

 

 

Law Clinic participates in innovative ‘Free Advice for Our Times’ event

The Law Clinic recently took part in an exciting event at The Fruitmarket Gallery in Edinburgh entitled ‘Free Advice for Our Times’.

The event comprised a day of free advice and information, allowing people to find out more about accessing their legal rights in a welcoming, collaborative environment. Several lawyers, charities and advice organisations attended the event. This included Shelter Scotland, The Rock Trust CHAI Edinburgh, Cyrenians and One Day Without Us.

This event ran alongside an exhibition of artwork by award-winning Glasgow artist, Jacqueline Donachie. The event aimed to combine practical advice with an artistic exploration into the way we support ourselves in society, a common theme in Donachie’s work.

As part of this event, students from the Law Clinic, Karen Yuill and Michelle Young, gave a presentation outlining what services law clinics across Scotland provide and explaining the breadth of legal issues we can assist with.  Acting Director, Kate Laverty, who attended the event commented:

“I am delighted that the Law Clinic was invited to participate in this event and explain the fantastic work of law clinics across the country. It was also great to speak to the number of organisations represented at the event doing fantastic work to tackle a number of social issues. It is heart-warming to see the number of services being provided across Scotland to help those in our society who really need it the most.”

A team of our student advisors then presented a video sampling our new initiative that will assist lay representatives in the Employment Tribunal.  A team of students are currently researching, developing, and creating videos outlining Employment Tribunal procedures. These will be made available as an online resource and will benefit several Employment Tribunal claimants who cannot afford a solicitor and face the daunting prospect of representing themselves.

This initiative is kindly supported by the University of Strathclyde Alumni Fund. The Alumni Fund donations are provided by graduates and friends of the University. This money is used to create opportunities for students across the University, including the opportunity to use their skills and knowledge to benefit others.

Student Advisor, Eilidh Campbell, who also attended the event said:

“This event was a great opportunity to network with organisations that share our values and aims. In particular, we met with organisations that we haven’t worked with before and who can provide additional services to our clients. This will enable us to provide better support to clients in future, especially with problems that are better dealt with by specialist, targeted organisations.”

 

Scottish Women’s Rights Centre Receives Significant Funding Increase

On Friday 14 October 2016, Scottish Justice Secretary Michael Matheson announced that the Scottish Women’s Right Centre, a partnership project between Rape Crisis Scotland, the University of Strathclyde and the Legal Services Agency, would receive a significant increase in its funding by the Scottish Government with an extra £665,000 over 2 years.

LSARCLC

The Scottish Women’s Rights Centre (SWRC) was launched in April 2015 to ensure that women in Scotland who have or are experiencing gender based violence are able to access timely and appropriate legal advice and information. Women are able to call the new centre’s helpline for legal information and advice on any aspect of gender based violence.

The SWRC will employ a new full time advocacy support worker, focusing on the needs of the women who access the service, and the centre’s helpline will increase its hours to ensure that women have more options available to them to seek legal information and advice on any aspect of gender based violence.

Kate Laverty, Supervisor at the University of Strathclyde Law Clinic, said:

“The Law Clinic at Strathclyde is delighted to be part of the development of the Scottish Women’s Rights Centre. Women all over Scotland clearly need this service and our students are eager to help.

“Not only are they keen to hone their legal skills but they want to be part of changing things for the better for those experiencing gender based violence. Their involvement at this early stage in their studies helps to spread knowledge and skills in this specialist area of law and will have a huge influence in their future careers in law.”

More information on the SWRC can be found here.

Farewell to the Law Clinic’s 2016 Alumni

social photo 1As another fantastic Law Clinic year came to a close, it was time to say goodbye to a number of experienced and well-loved student advisors at a summer social.

After an intense internal debate with a number of activities and venues suggested, Clinic members voted to take advantage of the summer weather and hold the social in a local Beer Garden.

In typical British fashion, the rain began to pour. Refusing to be defeated, the outing was moved to a nearby indoor venue in the Merchant City. As usual, the conversation quickly turned to the Law Clinic’s future and opportunities for expansion, before discussing the possibility of ordering food.

Ironically many of the members we were saying goodbye to could not make it due to new job commitments. However, many toasts and drinks were had in their honour.

Everyone at the Clinic would like to thank those student advisors who are now leaving us for their time and their efforts into helping clients, developing projects and making the Clinic a success.