The Legal Advice Clinic initiative sees junior lawyers from Capital Law collaborate with USW Student Clinic Volunteers, to provide pro bono legal advice to the community.
The variety of work we receive as part of this initiative is interesting for trainee solicitors, as every case is different. We receive queries covering all practice areas, from employment to intellectual property. This allows USW to open their doors to all members of the public and local businesses, giving them access to a broader range of services free of charge.
Our team of trainee solicitors work in pairs to help law students volunteering with USW’s Legal Advice Clinic, often guiding them in the direction of further helpful resources. It is a rewarding experience for all parties involved – challenging trainees to help students to understand the issues and needs of the clients, the objectives they wish to achieve, and how they may achieve these objectives. The variety of cases also means that trainee solicitors get to work with colleagues from all departments within Capital from the very start of their training contract, and gaining exposure to different practice areas.
One of our solicitors, Nina Holmes, said this about working with the clinic since we began the partnership in 2020:
Pro Bono is very important to us as a firm. As Capital grows, this continued partnership provides a fantastic opportunity for our trainee cohort to engage in their local community and use their skills and knowledge to support those who need it most.
It’s been over two years since our partnership with the USW Legal Advice Clinic began. There is no denying this work is making a huge difference to both the student experience at USW and the lives of those who use the service, and we are delighted to be continuing this journey with the University.
