Nottingham’s ‘teaching law firm’ recoups more than £3m in benefits and compensation for local community

The Legal Advice Centre is run as a ‘teaching law firm’, with parallels to teaching hospitals in the medical profession. It was the first of its kind when it was granted a licence to operate as a fully regulated law firm in 2015.

Since its inception, more than 2,100 student volunteers have worked on over 1,900 real-life cases through the Centre, providing a vital service to those who would not otherwise have access to justice.

Supervised by qualified solicitors, students support clients with a range of legal issues either through modules within the curriculum, or by volunteering in addition to their study.

They work in legal areas such as employment, housing law, business support and commercial law, social justice, criminal law, family law, community legal issues and tribunal and court representation – including the only free tribunal representation service in and around Nottingham supervised by qualified lawyers.

Mr John Balmforth, from Bakersfield Nottingham, suffers from cognitive difficulties and chronic back pain. He approached the Legal Advice Centre when his Personal Independence Payment (PIP) application was unsuccessful. An appeal was led by a legal assistant, whose written and oral advocacy secured up to £45,000 for Mr Balmforth and saw him awarded PIP at the enhanced rate for both the Daily Living and Mobility components of PIP for an indefinite period.

Mr Balmforth said: "I rely heavily on those around me to help me perform simple but essential day-to-day tasks and mobilise safely. If my PIP Appeal was not successful, it would have had a huge impact on my life. The support from the LAC not only secured my payments, but it also helped me to restore my independence and wellbeing."

Miss Holly Wright, of Netherfield, was also supported in a PIP case by the Legal Advice Centre after her rate was changed following a review. An appeal led to Miss Wright also receiving an enhanced rate for both Daily Living and Mobility components, an award worth up to £16,000 over the lifetime of the benefit.

Miss Wright, who has fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue, said: “My advisor really understood my needs and struggles and was very reassuring throughout the whole process and on the day of the tribunal in court. If we hadn’t won the appeal I would not have all the help and support I have now, which enables me to be mobile inside and outside my home.”

The Centre also offers a unique Business and Enterprise Law Service which gives free or low-cost advice to local social enterprises, small businesses and start-ups.

Head of the Legal Advice Centre, Laura Pinkney, said: “It is important that the lawyers of the future have a sense of social and civic responsibility and a willingness to give back to their local community. The students who work in the Legal Advice Centre are providing a a quality service to those in Nottinghamshire who need support to access justice.”

The Centre also runs public legal education projects to raise awareness amongst the local community of individual legal rights and responsibilities.

Dean of Nottingham Law School, Professor Janine Griffiths-Baker, said: “For the Legal Advice Centre to have recouped more than £3 million for its clients in a mere five years is outstanding. It demonstrates that colleagues and students at the Centre are working hard to meet an otherwise unmet legal need in a vacuum created by government legal aid cuts.

“Their work is not only benefiting individual members of the community who could not otherwise access justice, but also our local community groups, external advice agencies, charities, community projects and small businesses.”