Legal aid proves to be a bright future for students
October 20, 2008
BPP Law School in Leeds, and the North Regional Office of the Legal Services Commission (LSC) held a successful joint initiative to help publicise legal aid as a career opportunity for the next generation of law graduates.
Last week, BPP Law School hosted a Legal Aid Panel Evening for their current post-graduate law students and undergraduates from local universities. The event featured speakers from the Legal Services Commission, Howells, Switalski’s, Refugee Legal Centre and the Legal Aid Practitioner’s Group. Other Legal Aid lawyers attended from Lester Morrill, Leeds and Harehills & Chapeltown Law Centres.
With the Government guaranteeing an annual £2bn spend on legal aid, fixed for the next three years; the advice and legal help that so many people need to resolve their problems is assured for the future, and it is the current law students who will be providing this help. The continued increase in demand for advice provision will create more and more opportunities for young lawyers in the field of legal aid work.
Peter Nelson, Regional Director of the Legal Services Commission, said: “The LSC’s investment in the next generation of legal aid solicitors helps to ensure access to social and legal justice for people, some of who are amongst the most vulnerable in our society. Every legal aid solicitor makes a real difference to people’s lives, and events like to one at BPP are vital to ensuring the future of legal aid advice providers.”
Sophie Fox, current Graduate Law Diploma student at BPP Law school said: “The Legal Aid evening was both inspiring and informative. The presentations provided numerous interesting facts and the 'Meet and Greet' was the perfect opportunity to ask my many questions!”
Lindsey Lobley, Lawyer at Lester Morrill said “The legal aid evening provided the students with valuable contacts in the local legal community who may be able to offer further guidance and assistance. The event was well attended by the students and it was reassuring to see such enthusiasm for legal aid work by the lawyers of the future.”
The panel of experts provided a valuable insight into the different practice areas of a legal aid lawyer, and explained the LSC Training Contract Grant Scheme – a funding scheme that enables firms to take on trainee lawyers to complete their training to become fully qualified solicitors.
Ends
Notes to editors
Media enquiries
Kate Bassett, Head of Careers, BPP Law School, Leeds.
Tel: 0113 386 8295 Email: katebassett@bpp.com
The event took place at BPP Law School on Tuesday 14th October 2008, from 5:30pm to 7:30pm.
The panel included:
- Carita Thomas (Legal Aid Lawyer at Howells solicitors and representative of the Young Legal Aid Lawyers)
- Rebecca Pickering (Legal Aid Caseworker from Refugee Legal Centre [RLC])
- Carole Storer (Director Legal Aid Practitioners Group)
Other attendees included:
- Fiona Tatton (Regional Manager, The Law Society Yorkshire Regional Office)
- Lindsey Lobley (Legal Aid Lawyer, Lester Morrill)
- James Williams and Ian Thrilling (from Harehills & Chapeltown Law Centre)
- Kam Chahal (from Leeds Law Centre)
The Legal Services Commission (LSC) is the organisation that safeguards legal aid for England and Wales. More information about the Legal Services Commission can be found at www.legalservices.gov.uk
BPP College of Professional Studies
BPP College of Professional Studies (“BPP College”), which comprises BPP Business School and BPP Law School, is the first private sector, public owned company to be granted degree awarding powers by the Privy Council. BPP College delivers business and law programmes across four campuses, Leeds, London (Holborn and Waterloo) and Manchester and has more than 5,000 students. For more information about BPP College please visit www.bppuc.com