Pro Bono
Our award-winning Pro Bono activities help our students gain invaluable legal and non-legal experience, contribute positively to the local community and develop their abilities, both as individuals and team players.
Legal Advice Clinic
Our student legal advisers offer free legal advice to other university students, staff and members of the community. The advisers deal with problems such as landlords failing to repair broken boilers, employers failing to provide adequate rest breaks, and separating couples trying to resolve issues about their children or their finances. The work of the student legal advisers is supervised by the Clinic’s qualified solicitors, or volunteer solicitors from local law firms.
Students can get involved in any year of study, as an apprentice or an adviser, to gain insights into how the law that they are learning applies in the context of real disputes. Students have described their experiences in the clinic as “a life-changing experience”, “extremely rewarding”, and “a privilege”.
Windrush Compensation Project
Many people who came to this country legally have suffered significant losses because of the government’s ‘hostile environment’: they have been unable to prove that they are entitled to be here, and have been unable to work, rent property, or travel freely. This is known as the ‘Windrush Scandal’. The government has set up a scheme to compensate people who have been affected. Students on this project work with victims of the ‘Windrush Scandal’, assisting them with applications for compensation under the ‘Windrush Compensation Scheme’. Students are trained to think like lawyers, helping clients to provide evidence to support their losses.
Litigants in Person Project
Many people struggle to access justice when dealing with family proceedings or civil disputes, if they are unable to afford legal advice. It can be difficult to know what to do in court. Our student volunteers help individuals who represent themselves during their case. They provide legal assistance by helping clients fill in court forms, or attending court with them to take notes.
Miscarriages of Justice Project
This project aims to aid prisoners who have maintained their innocence throughout their trial and conviction and continue to do so now. Our student legal researchers are tasked with analysing and finding discrepancies within prisoners’ files that could lead to their conviction being quashed and the prisoner being exonerated.
Prison-University Partnership
We are delighted to be working in partnership with HMP Leicester, to support the prison’s education programme. Students on this project have the opportunity to engage in learning activities inside the prison, alongside prisoners.
Amicus
Amicus is an international charity that defends the rights of those facing capital punishment. It focuses on ensuring fair representation for the defendant and ensures that the death penalty is not applied unfairly or disproportionately to a demographic or group. We are proud to be one of only two universities with Amicus affiliate status. This entitles our students to carry out research for the Amicus charity. Students also raise funds for the charity, and raise awareness about the charity.
Immigration and Asylum
This project supports asylum seekers to find new evidence for a fresh asylum claim, when they have been refused asylum.
Street Law
Students on this project produce engaging and interactive presentations for a variety of different audiences, on topics such as employment laws, women’s rights and cybercrime.
Insight Project
These students want to inspire and lead young minds to discover their passion for law. They visit schools and deliver online presentations on law and crime. They deliver fun and interactive workshops.
Other projects our student are involved in are:
- Legal Advice Clinic: What About Me?
- Legal Advice Clinic and Citizen’s Advice Student Placement
- Magistrates Opportunity Project
- Lawyers Without Borders Student Division
- Project Light (Leicester Initiative Good Health Team)
- Climate Crisis Project
Find out more about the Pro Bono Society and their current projects on their website.