Sep 09

The Value of Law Centres

[Note: Depending on your browser you may be required to install plug ins to view the animations]

Watch the story of Maureen, who was inspired to become a lawyer after Brent Community Law Centre helped her campaign to make her flats safe to live in.

Here is Sandra and Robert's story, who married and settled in the UK with the help of Chesterfield Law Centre.

Feb 09

First Annual Thames Walk raises £6,000

On Saturday and Sunday Feb 14th & 15th fifty lawyers walked the length of the Thames in London from Erith to Hampton court to raise funds for London’s struggling legal advice centres.

The route with necessary detours is almost 50 miles long. The first half is all pavement walking while the second half is mostly muddy tracks.

Lawyers from city firms Mayer Brown, Chadbourne Parke, Hammonds and Taylor Wessing braved February’s weather with the students from Kings College Law School who had organised the walk. Numbers were increased by a large Lawworks team and students from Southampton University law school.

Julie Dickins, CSR partner of walk sponsors, Mayer Brown, praised the walkers saying:

“The initiative of Jonathan Charwat and the Kings College students in organising this walk is highly commendable and the commitment of the lawyers who have walked is outstanding

“We sponsored the first London Legal sponsored walk and look what has happened to that. We would hope this walk will also develop to become a major annual event bringing further, much needed, resources to the voluntary legal sector.”

Gordon Quilty, walking for Tower Hamlets Law Centre and personally raising 10% of the funds generated said:

"The money raised will make a big difference to vulnerable individuals, especially in this difficult economic climate. I enjoyed doing the walk and was inspired by the determination of my fellow walkers."

Funds will go to the London Legal Support Trust who support free legal advice in London and the South East.

The London Legal sponsored walk* will be held on May 18th starting at 5.30pm at the Royal Courts of Justice.

*The 2008 London Legal walk attracted over 3,000 lawyers and raised £360,000. It has increased walkers and funds raised x 10 over the 4 years it has been running.